Before Sequim’s first meet of the season, interim head coach Michael Cobb said he’d love to be able to coach a team to the state cross country meet this fall.

Turns out he’ll be coaching two.

Both Sequim’s boys and girls running squads punched their tickets to the class 2A state meet in Pasco this week, after posting top-four finishes at the Westside Classic in Tacoma on Oct. 29.

Led by district champion Ash Francis and third-place finisher Murray Bingham, Sequim’s boys — now ranked No. 6 in the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Poll — raced to second place, behind district champ Lindbergh.

Francis, who trailed Kingston’s Andrew Simon for the Olympic League championship a week earlier, flipped the table at districts with a time (16:44) that was 18 seconds better. Bingham (17:06) was just behind Simon for third.

Sequim’s Alec Shingleton was 19th (18:06) while teammates Liam Byrne (18:15) and Jazen Bartee (18:18) took 22nd and 23rd.

The surprise, Cobb noted, was on the girls’ side, where Sequim raced to a fourth-place finish in the 16-team race behind White River, Port Angeles and Steilacoom. Sequim looked to place sixth based on season marks.

SHS senior Morgan Bingham was eighth (21:12) and Kiara Pierson was 10th (21:16). The Wolves also got strong runs from Noelle Bittner (17th, 22:09), Kaitlyn Viada (42nd, 23:14), Vita Olsen (63rd, 23:59) and Emily Silva (75th, 24:38).

“The top two on both teams did great but I believe the team places were a result of a great effort from the number 3-7 runners,” Cobb said.

Gracie Long, the Olympic League girls champion, was second.

Sequim’s teams compete against top 2A teams and individuals at the state meet, held Saturday, Nov. 5, at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. The 2A girls’ race begins at 11 a.m.; the 2A boys’ at 1:30 p.m.

Last year, the Wolves’ boys placed third and the girls were 12th.