ML cross country third at state

MEDICAL LAKE — The Medical Lake cross country team came back from the state 1A cross country championship meet with a trophy — just not the one they had hoped for.

The Cardinals had to settle for third place at Pasco’s Sun Willow Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 9, behind first place Lakeside and Klahowya, who took second.

“I was really pleased with our kids,” head coach Gene Blankenship said. “They competed really well. We were leading at two miles, but we couldn’t hold.”

He noted that as a team, “finishing third is respectable.”

Victor Long was the Cardinal time leader, and 21st overall, racing across the finish line in 16 minutes, 42 seconds, followed closely by Quintin Collins in 16:46 and Reid Headrick in 16:50. Angel Mendez was fourth at 17:07.

Jeremiah Windle finished with a time of 17:08, “one of his best races of the year,” Blankenship said.

“Our official team spread was 26 seconds, which shows the strength of our team,” he said.

Running in his first state race, Connor Palmen finished in 17:20, while Benjamin Henry crossed the line in 17:24.

It was the boys’ eighth trip to state, according to Blankenship, and despite the third-place team finish, times were “considerably faster than last year.”

When the results were first announced he admitted to some disappointment and began trying to work out what his team had done wrong.

“But when I looked at the times, we were significantly faster than last year,” Blankenship said.

Three Cardinals girls competed at the state as well. Allison Payne led Cardinal runners with a time of 20:14, coming in 35th overall.

Jenna Castro was right behind with a time of 20:21, and Paige Headrick in 20:47.

“Having all three of them under 21 minutes is an incredible effort on their part,” Blankenship said. “Allison also ran faster than last year by 16 seconds.”

It will likely be the same competitors at next year’s state tournament, according to Blankenship. Medical Lake will have five starters returning — but so will Lakeside.

And second place Klahowya? They aren’t losing a single runner to graduation this spring.

“Klahowya will again be a favorite next year,” Blankenship said.

Lee Hughes can be reached at [email protected].