Mule season comes to the end

Thoms Middle School cross country runners ran their district meet on October 18 at Mossyrock. It was the third year in a row that the course had changed. No matter; this day found Shona Heywood battling at the finish line and coming up just a few feet short. She placed 2nd, behind Larkin Farrish of Morton/White Pass, with a time of 10:00 flat. Mya Kirzy was third in 11:09, Aly Kirzy, fifth, with a time of 11:34; Trynity Mendez placed 11th in 12:20, and Katy Stacey rounded out the top five placers in 15th, with a time of 14:55.

The Warriors placed second overall as a team with 36 points. MWP took first with 35 points. It was the closest contest we have had this season. These girls have been a threat at every meet they entered. It was a pleasure to be able to coach them. They all have promising running futures!

Wahkiakum's high school cross country season is now officially over. It was great while it lasted. The season closed out with the District IV meet at Evergreen State College. It was a cool, wet, rainy day, with plenty of standing water and mud on the course. It was a good thing that the B school runners went first. I'm sure by the end of the day, when the 2A's ran, that the course had become a mucky trampled mess.

The best we could muster for this day was a 22nd place finish for Rory Heywood. The top 15 runners qualifyied for the state meet. She ran the course with a time of 22:55.15. She didn't feel it was her best race and said she felt a bit sluggish. Jenna McEntire felt good about her race, finishing 37th in 24:12.59. Shelbie Abbott was having asthma problems but kept chugging along finishing 57th with a time of 27:25.56. Part of the middle school team came along and cheered their high school counterparts on.

On the boys side, Junior Ramirez and Nevan Bingham did the best that they could with the weather conditions. Junior finished 54th with a time of 23:03.08. His biggest complaint was sliding in the mud on the hill they had to go up. With the great weather we had that day the hill was a mess! Nevan had to ditch his glasses halfway through his first loop because they fogged up to bad to see through! He ended up placing 63rd in 25:01.96.

Regardless of how the results turned out, I'm proud of these kids. They have worked hard all season and had fun doing it. They were a great group of young people to work with. It's too bad it ended all to soon! We will be having our awards presentation on November 6, 6 p.m., in the high school library.