A deep North Kitsap program proved to be too much for Sequim’s cross country squads on Sept. 20 in Poulsbo.
Sequim’s Murray Bingham took first place and teammate Liam Byrne placed third, but the host Vikings swept places 5-9 to win a competitive boys varsity race.
NK tallied 35 team points, ahead of Sequim (43) and Kingston (45).
Murray finished the 2.75-mile course in 15:07, edging Kingston junior Stefans by one second. Byrne finished in 15:31.
Sequim took places 12-14, as freshman Eli Gish was 12th overall with a 16:04 finish, followed by teammates Riley Martin (13th, 16:07) and Alec Shingleton (14th, 16:09).
Sequim’s Erik Christiansen was 17th (16:40) and Jakob Pyeatt was 19th (16:41).
North Kitsap freshman Madison Zosa dominated the girls’ varsity race with a 17:26 finish — more than 90 seconds ahead of the field — as NK rolled to a team win with 22 points; Kingston was second (40) and Sequim was third (76).
SHS junior Kaitlyn Viada was the Wolves’ top finisher with a 21:39 mark, good for 12th place.
Vita Olson was 14th (21:39), followed by Emily Silva (16th, 22:55), Maria Busby (21st, 25:50) and Telicia Busby (22nd, 25:58).
NK also won the boys’ junior varsity race after taking the top four spots. Sequim’s Brenden Jack was fifth (17:22) and Fischer Jensen was sixth (17:36).
Up for challenge at Seaside meet
SHS runners made their annual trek to Seaside, Ore., and battled for top finishes in the 75-team 3-Course Challenge on Sept. 23.
Bingham led Sequim runners with a ninth-place out of 166 runners on Seaside’s “easy” course, completing the 4,500 meters in 15:42. Thanks to strong finishes by Shingleton (15th, 16:18) and Martin (59th, 17:48), Sequim’s boys took eighth out of 34 scoring teams on the “easy” course.
Jazen Bartee was Sequim’s top “moderate” course finisher, placing 13th overall (20:16) while Gish was 58th (21:52). Byrne raced to a 26th place finish (21:23) on the “hard” course.
Three Sequim girls competed in Seaside: Olson was 79th on the “easy” course (24:10) while Nathalie Arrequin was 111th (25:12) and Jessica German was 143rd (30:43) on the “moderate” course.
Looking ahead
The Wolves are at Port Townsend Sept. 27 to take on Olympic and the host Redhawks.
Sequim competes at the 22nd Curtis XC Invitational on Sept. 30.
The Wolves host their lone regular home meet of the season Oct. 4 at Robin Hill County Park against Bremerton and North Mason.