Facing a defending league champ in one varsity race and having a shorthanded lineup in the other, Sequim’s cross country squads had their collective hands full in their only regular Olympic League meet last week.
They nearly pulled off victories anyway, but solid Port Angeles boys and girls teams wound up with narrow victories to sweep Sequim and 1A foe Klahowya on Oct. 5 at Robin Hill County Park.
“I always expect us to come out on top (at home) because of the hills,” Sequim head coach Michael Cobb said. “And I always want to win.”
Sequim’s boys (5-1) still managed to take three of the top four places, but with two of their top five out of the lineup — top runner Ash Francis and Jazen Bartee — they finished second with 41 team points to Port Angeles 35 (lowest score wins); Klahowya was third at 49 points.
Sequim’s Murray Bingham clocked the course in 17:41 to top PA’s Cameron Butler by 23 seconds. SHS’s Alec Shingleton, running with an illness, still placed third overall at 18:31 and Liam Byrne (18:52) was fourth. Sequim’s Jakob Pyeatt was 15th overall at 20:08.
“It was hard not having Ash, but Murray picked it up,” Cobb said. “We’ve got to build our middle.”
Bingham called the course “pretty tough,” though, “We’ve trained quite a bit here.”
Bingham and his sister Morgan transferred to Sequim prior to the season and both have made a big impact, with Morgan taking the lead as the Wolves’ top runner. Last week, Morgan Bingham (21:16) was third behind defending Olympic League champ Gracie Long (20:45) and Klahowya’s Holly Rouse (21:02).
Port Angeles finished with 33 team points to edge Sequim (39) and Klahowya (50).
Long, who battled injuries at the end of the last cross country season, grimaced as she pulled away from Bingham on the course’ meadow hill.
“I’m glad Gracie was able to win — that’s what champions do — (but) I want Morgan to fly,” Cobb said.
Sequim’s Kiara Pierson was fourth at 21:48, beating her 2015 Robin Hill course finish (24:01) by more than two minutes.
“Those hills are always killer,” Pierson said.
“I’m really proud of Morgan and Kiara,” Cobb said, adding, “Kiara is getting stronger every day.”
Pierson said she feels stronger as well, thanks to her new teammate.
“I feel like I’m definitely better … because I have Morgan pushing me,” Pierson said.
Following a trio of PA runners (Madelyn Dougherty, Ella Holland and Lael Butler), Sequim’s Noelle Bittner placed eighth (23:14); SHS teammates Kaitlin Viada was 11th (23:30) and Vita Olsen was 13th (23:52).
“I’m pleased with what I’m seeing,” Cobb said of the Wolves’ girls team, now 5-1 on the season.
Emmanuel Gomez was Sequim’s top junior varsity runner, placing sixth in 21:44.
Looking ahead
The Wolves are at Kingston on Oct. 12 to take on the Buccaneers and North Kitsap in their final tuneup before the Olympic League championship meet, scheduled for Oct. 20 at Sequim’s The Cedars at Dungeness golf course.
Top teams and individual runners from the league meet compete at the Oct. 29 West Central District meet, dubbed the Westside Classic, at American Lake Veterans Golf Course in Tacoma. The top six boys teams and 30 individuals, and five girls teams and 25 individuals advance to the class 2A state meet, slated for Nov. 5 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.
SMS splits with Stevens
A deep Sequim Middle School’s boys team took top team honors while SMS’s Riley Pyeatt took first place in helping Sequim’s girls take second at the Timberwolves’ league meet at Robin Hill County Park on Oct. 5.
Running prior to the Olympic League high school meet, Sequim’s younger runners jockeyed for top placings over 2,400 meters rather than the 5,000-meter high school course.
On the boys side, Sequim’s Kristian Mingoy, Dallin Despain and Javier Gomes picked up placed 3-5 and teammates Henry Hughes and Brandon Wagner were eighth and ninth as Sequim tallied 19 team points to Stevens’ (Port Angeles) 36 points. Port Townsend was third with 85 points. Forks’ Luis Perez was the top individual with an 11:30 mark. Mingoy was 20 second back.
Pyeatt led all girls with a 12:06 finish, topping runner-up Emilia Long of Stevens by 26 seconds. Sequim’s Abby Schroeder and Hannah Wagner took sixth and seventh, respectively, while Emma and Gracie Sharp went 9-10. Stevens had 24 team points to out-pace the Timberwolves (31) and Queen of Angels (85).
