The race for second place behind Bainbridge Island’s girls is a tight one.

Last week proved no different, as host Port Angeles edged out Kingston and Sequim for top honors in a six-team Olympic League meet at Lincoln Park on Oct. 9; Bainbridge did not participate.

Led by senior Dawn Hulstedt, who took second on the 5,000-meter course to North Mason’s Alisha Carpenter with a 20:42 finish, the Wolves placed four runners in the top 15 to amass 52 team points.

But Port Angeles, led by third place finisher Leia Larson, put four runners in the top 13 to tally 47 team points, while Kingston had their varsity five in the top 21 placings to finish with 51 points.

Sequim’s Marea Denton (22:33), followed by teammate Bridget “Birdie” Pyeatt in 12th (22:48), Manuela Valle Jover in 15th (23:36) and Aspen Goldner in 22nd (25:22).

On the boys’ side, Sequim’s boys (123 team points) had their best team placement after taking fourth behind Olympic (24), Kingston (38) and Port Angeles (71).

Westley French was SHS’s top finisher, taking 18th in 19:17, followed by Johnathan Tipton (23rd, 19:42), Adrian Osborne (24th, 19:44) and Joshua Wakefield (26th, 20:11).

Racing at Hole in the Wall

Select Sequim runners also competed at the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational in Lakewood on Oct. 12, their final tune-up for the postseason.

In the women’s 5,000-meter Varsity Silver division, Hulstedt finished fifth in 20:01, setting a personal best 5k on the course at Lakewood High School.

Denton (23:17) was 146th and Pyeatt (23:24) was 157th, in the same race.

Sequim’s top boys finisher was Osborne, who raced to a 37th place finish in the men’s 5,000-meter Varsity Silver division. French was 147th in 18:49; both set personal 5k bests in the race.

Coming up

Sequim hosts the Olympic League meet on Oct. 24 at The Cedars at Dungeness Golf course.

Top teams and individuals advance to the Westside Classic district meet, slated for Nov. 2 in University Place.

The state cross country championship races are slated for Nov. 9 in Pasco.