Last October, freshman phenom Gracie Long from Port Angeles ran away from the pack at the Olympic League meet and led her Roughriders to a team title.

This fall, Sequim’s Waverly Shreffler closed the gap on Long — to just half a second — and helped bring this season’s league championship to Sequim.

Shreffler set a personal best with an 18:54 mark and nearly caught Long at the finish line, helping the Wolves capture their first Olympic League title since 2007.

Not to be outdone, Sequim’s No. 2 state 2A ranked boys team dominated the league field once again at The Cedars at Dungeness golf course in Sequim, earning their third consecutive league championship.

Led by top individual finisher Brendon Despain, Sequim outpaced runner-up Kingston by 23 points.

“Best race of the year,” Sequim head coach Harold Huff said of his girls’ team. “The timing was right. The top seven girls really had great races.”

Following Shreffler’s big finish, Kiara Pierson took seventh with a 20:46 finish (a personal best 5K mark by nearly a minute) and Audrey Shingleton was ninth at 20:58, also a personal best.

Sequim’s Elizabeth Rosales took 13th at 21:59, Alexis Cromer was 18th with a personal best 22:38 finish, Emily Webb took 24th at 23:00 and Noelle Bittner was 25th at 23:02.

“I’m really proud of my team,” Shreffler said. “Last year we only had one senior and some juniors new to cross country. This year we have strong leadership and strong new runners. Everyone pushed themselves this season.”

Port Angeles saw Long take first, Madelyn Dougherty third and Lael Butler 10th, but Sequim’s depth proved to be too much. The Wolves tallied 49 team points, 29 better than the runner-up Roughriders.

“Last year we wanted it,” Shreffler said. “This year, we wanted it more.”

Shreffler’s finish was about 75 seconds better than her previous best on the same course at last year’s league final, when she finished second to Long.

“I’m still kind of in shock,” Shreffler said. “I just wanted to stay right behind her; that’s what I did. She (Long) has got an amazing finish.”

Despain and Sequim’s boys proved to be far too deep for the Olympic League field. Fellow senior Jackson Oliver (16:06) was second and freshman Ash Francis (16:15) was fourth in his first league race.

Sequim’s C.J. Daniels took seventh at 16:50 and Chris Jeffko was eighth with a 16:51 mark. Wendall Lorenzen placed 11th at 17:03 and Christian Ash rounded out Sequim’s varsity with a 28th-place finish at 17:54.

Despain’s 15:52.97 mark was a personal best for 5,000 meters and about 30 seconds faster than last year’s league effort.

“Tough,” Despain called the course. “I tried to push it from the start. (But) it was a good day.”

It was the first time Sequim has swept a league meet since they took dual Nisqually League titles in 2005.

Huff said he was excited for Sequim’s junior varsity boys as well; led by fifth-place finisher Bryce Dryke, the JV squad placed third at the league meet behind Kingston and Olympic.

Looking ahead

Sequim looks to advance both teams to the class 2A state meet. To do so, the boys will have to finish in the top six teams and the girls in the top five at the West Central District 2A meet (aka Westside Classic) set for Saturday, Oct. 31 at American Lake Veterans Golf Course in Tacoma.

At last year’s district meet, Sequim’s girls missed out on a state berth by one place.

“I’m a little nervous,” Shreffler said of her team’s chances of qualifying for state. “If we race like we did today and everyone stays strong … we just have to believe we can do it.”

On the boys’ side, Sequim looks to have a good chance to advance to the state meet after returning all but two of its varsity runners from last year’s district title-winning team.

Lurking at the district meet, however, is No. 3-ranked Lindbergh, No. 4-ranked Liberty-Issaquah and No. 10-ranked Renton.

“We all need to race faster,” Despain said.

The class 2A state meet is Saturday, Nov. 7, at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

Olympic League meet results

Oct. 22, The Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course, Sequim

• Boys

1. Sequim 22

2. Kingston 45

3. Olympic 85

4. North Kitsap 134

5. Klahowya 157*

6. Bremerton 171

7. Port Angeles 180

8. North Mason 183

9. Port Townsend 197*

• Girls

1. Sequim 49

2. Port Angeles 78

3. Klahowya 90*

4. Kingston 94

5. Olympic 112

6. Port Townsend 139*

7. North Kitsap 158

8. North Mason 173

* — 1A school