With lead runner Colby Ellefson returning from injury, Sequim’s boys cross country squad racked up 131 points for fifth place out of eight teams in a combined varsity/junior varsity Olympic League meet on Oct. 4 on Bainbridge Island.

Ellefson, nursing a lingering foot injury, cruised to a 17th place finish in 18:12.9 over 5,000 meters to lead the Wolves. Fellow senior Cayden Beauregard was 32nd in 18:55, while senior Solas McGruther (19:22.6) and freshman Adrian Osborne (19:22.8) were 39th and 40th, respectively.

Kingston’s Lucas Lenz won the boys’ race in 16:38.6, with Olympic’s Samuel Bonsell in second (16:52.5) and Bremerton’s Dallin Anderson in third (16:55.7). Bainbridge (58 team points) edged Kingston (64) for first place in team scoring.

A short-handed Sequim’s girls team didn’t have enough to score team points. Aspen Goldner was the Wolves’ top entry placing 23rd out of 64 runners in 24:52.7. Birdie Pyeatt was 29th (25:15.5), followed by Mia Kirner (25:32.1).

Bainbridge freshman Evelyn Shutske won the meet in 20:08.5 as the Spartans ran away with the meet at 21 points; Olympic (74) was second.

Racing at Hole in the Wall

Twenty Sequim runners laced up for the annual Nike Hole in the Wall races on Oct. 7 in Lakewood.

Ellefson went toe-to-toe with some of the top runners in the region and completed the 5,000 meters in 16:35, good for 19th place in the elite, 322-runner Men’s Varsity Gold division.

Sequim’s Kaitlyn Bloomenrader raced in the Women’s Varsity Gold (average under 22 minutes) division, placing 145th in 22:19.9 out of 215 competitors.

Sequim’s Junior Varsity Gold (average under 24 minutes) team placed 19th overall, led by Liberty Mavy’s 94th place finish in 23:43.2. Goldner took 134th (24:54.1) while Lilly Despain was 145th (25:15.5).

On the boys’ side, Sequim’s Varsity Silver (over 18-minute average) team placed 46th, paced by Beauregard’s 99th place finish (18:35.9) out of 351 runners. Sequim’s Varsity Silver (over 20-minute average) team finished 39th, led by Ari Skov (174th, 21:06.8).

Looking ahead

The Wolves are at North Mason for their final Olympic League regular meet on Oct. 11.

Sequim is at the Olympic League championships on Oct. 19 at Lincoln Park in Port Angeles.

Top teams and individuals head to the Westside Classic district meet on Oct. 28 at University Place.