An injury prevented a battle between two of the area’s top cross country prep stars.

Saturday’s league meet pitting Sequim and Klahowya’s girls cross country squads, however, saw the outcome decided by its final runners in Sequim’s lone home meet of the 2021 season.

SHS junior Riley Pyeatt cruised to a big win while teammates posted strong finishes as the Wolves knocked off perennial state contender Klahowya by a single point (27-28, low score wins) at Voice of America Park on March 6.

Pyeatt, who placed sixth at last season’s state 2A meet, finished the 5,000 meter course in 19 minutes, 54 seconds — nearly a minute faster than her time at last year’s home meet at a hillier Robin Hill County Park course.

Klahowya senior Rachel Newhard was second in 21:58.

Sequim’s Anastasia Updike placed fourth (23:15), edging teammate Jessica German by four-tenths of a second, and teammate Aidyn Shingleton was seventh (24:50). A 10th-place finish by Abby Benjamin (30:53) ahead of Klahowya’s final two runners clinched Sequim’s narrow victory.

The Eagles were without top runner Alyssa Becker, out with a reported injury. Becker who placed fourth at last year’s state meet and helped the 1A Klahowya squad place fourth as a team, beat out Port Angeles standout Lauren Larson earlier this season in a league meet on Feb. 6.

Sequim assistant coach B.J. Schade said Pyeatt might have had a better time had Becker been in the lineup.

“When you’re running a minute ahead of everyone else, it’s (better to) have a person there to challenge,” he said.

On the boys’ side, a deep Klahowya team led by junior Kelton Gagnon raced to a 20-39 win over Sequim’s boys.

The Eagles took 10 of the top 13 places, paced by Gagnon’s meet winning time of 16:45.

Freshman Colby Ellefson led the Wolves with a third place finish of 17:49, with senior teammate Eli Gish in fifth at 18:58. Junior Henry Hughes was eighth (20:03), followed by Owen Randell (14th, 22:42), Zack Gufler (15th, 23:33) and Aidan Braaten (18th, 25:00).

“I love what Colby’s doing,” Schade said. “His time was solid for a freshman.”

Coming up

Sequim and other area high school teams of varying class sizes in a season-culminating meet at Bainbridge Island’s Battle Point Park on Saturday, March 13.

Boys teams start at noon, girls at 12:45 p.m. Schade said that, along with other Olympic league teams, the meet should feature bigger schools (and programs) such as South Kitsap, Central Kitsap and Bainbridge Island.

And while the season doesn’t feature a district or state final, Schade said, “We’re just happy to be out here.”

Sequim junior Riley Pyeatt holds an early lead as she helps the Wolves with a one-point win over Klahowya at Voice of America Park on March 6, Sequim’s lone home meet of the abbreviated 2021 season. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Anastasia Updike, right, edges teammate Jessica German at the finish line of a league dual meet against Klahowya at Voice of America Park on March 6. Updike placed fourth and German fifth as the Wolves edged Klahowya’s Eagles by a point. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim and Klahowya girls cross country teams break from the starting line at Voice of America Park in Sequim on March 6. Sequim edged the visiting Eagles by a point, 27-28 (low score wins). Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell