Fifty teams and over 1,500 runners began their 2024 cross country season at the Gear Up Northwest XC Preview meet at Civic Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Sehome hosted the meet, which included all classifications and 22 teams ranked in the preseason coaches poll. The meet was a 2-mile course with eight divisions, split by classes and gender.
The freshman girls kicked off the meet with Seattle Prep winning the division with 54 points. The next four teams placers were Bellingham (80), Lincoln (91), Sehome (95) and Arlington (130)
South Whidbey’s Reed Atwood won the freshman girls class in 12:18.94. Sehome’s Kjirsten Ludeman finished second in 12:28.24 and Anacortes’ Ashley Becerra Guzman was third in 12:41.07.
Gallery: Runners hit the course at Gear Up Northwest XC Preview
The freshman boys division went second and Cedar Park Christian won with 50 points. The next four teams were Lakewood (66), Sehome (91), Squalicum (116) and Roosevelt (154).
The top runner was Arlington’s Chase Koenigs, finishing in 10:47. Squalicum’s Lucca Burley placed fourth in 11:06 and Sehome’s Ezra Bubb finished fifth in 11:07.25.
The sophomore girls division was won by Sehome with 45 points. Shorewood followed with 96 points, West Seattle was third with 116, Bellingham claimed fourth with 145 and Squalicum came in fifth with 154.
Sehome’s Lil Desler and Samantha Knipp finished first and second in 11:53.39 and 12:16.94. Anacortes’ Mary Boger finished fourth in 12:49.86 and Bellingham’s Nora Alexander was fifth in 13:03.13.
In the sophomore boys division, Shorewood and Sehome tied for first with 65 points. Cedar Park Christian was third with 92, Bellingham came in fourth with 120 and South Whidbey finished fifth with 186.
Sehome’s Dylan Hill won in 10:12.69, while teammate Judson Berreth finished second in 10:16.16.
Cedar Park Christian won the junior girls division with 94 points. The next four teams were Roosevelt (95), Seattle Prep (98), Lincoln (126) and Sehome (129).
Lynden’s Sloan Dickson won the division in 11:49.60, while Meridian’s Logan Ignacio finished second in 12:01.26.
The junior boys division was won by Arlington with 54 points, followed by Squalicum (70), Lynden (96), Roosevelt (132) and Sedro-Woolley (135). Anacortes’ Dylan Rowell took first with a time of 9:47.48, while Lynden Christian’s Nickolas Luce finished second in 9:57.80.
Roosevelt won the senior girls division with 63 points. The following four teams were Sehome (76), Arlington (90), Holy Names Academy (102 and Seattle Prep (116).
Holy Names’ Sophia Bazzi won the race in 11:46.32 and Anacortes’ Cate Griggs finished second in 11:48.93.
In the senior boys classification, Sehome won with 37 points, Lincoln finished second with 72, Cedar Park Christian was third with 74, Arlington placed fourth with 75 and Meridian finished fifth with 153.
Shorewood’s Otto Erhart had the fastest time of the day, winning the division in 9:48.51. Anacortes’ Aiden Miller finished third in 10:02.94, while Sehome teammates Sabastien Vahid and Nick Gargano finished fourth and fifth in 10:05.61 and 10:06.50.
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
