Blackhawks trail in cross country showdown

SPOKANE — It may not be for certain, but Lewis and Clark may be on the way to pushing Mt. Spokane off the cross-country throne with Cheney still trying to establish itself as a Greater Spokane League contender.

This being based on how LC raced its way to relatively easy wins on both the boys and girls Oct. 16 finale at Manito Park. While Mount Spokane was able to take the top two individual finishes, LC had five of the top 10, scoring 29 points to breeze past both Mt. Spokane (47) and Cheney (53) in the boy’s race.

It was a tighter battle for the girls where Lewis and Clark’s 34 points edged Mt. Spokane (37) and Cheney (59).

LC’s win was not necessarily a surprise Cheney head coach Derek Slaughter wrote in an email.

“LC has a super strong senior class, and their pack will win them many races,” Slaughter said. “I believe they have a shot to win the state meet over Issaquah.”

Cheney’s Cameron Frenk, fifth at 16:33, was the top Blackhawk and trailed Mt. Spokane’s Kade Brownell (16:04), the top individual.

Samuel Hilton (8th/16:39) was the only other Blackhawk in the Top 10.

“It was as billed a heavyweight title fight,” Slaughter said. “Kade (Brownell) and Parker (Westermann) are some of the fastest runners in the state with a few seconds separating a win and a loss as a team.”

Hannah Ward (20:30) paced Cheney girls with her third place behind Mt. Spokane’s Jane Wycoff (20:01). Abigail Scharosch (21:20) was seventh and the only other Blackhawk in the top 10.

The teams do it all over again in Walla Walla for the District championships, on Nov. 2 at Veterans Memorial Golf Course.

“Next week we should put up a better fight against Mt. Spokane,” Slaughter said.