Small school runner runs away with Grizzly Invitational title

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By Rick Anderson - Daily World sports editor
Saturday, October 7, 2006 11:47 PM PDT
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A runner from Class B Northwest Christian of Lacey stole the show from her big-school counterparts at the Grizzly Alumni Invitational.

Northwest Christian's Joscelyn Minton captured the girls title at the 26th annual Grizzly Alumni Association Invitational cross country meet in ideal conditions Saturday at Hoquiam's Sea Breeze Oval.

Matt Frerker of Sammamish's Skyline High School took the boys title. Skyline's boys and Rogers of Puyallup's girls earned team honors.

Hoquiam senior Tess Grannemann, the defending girls champion, settled for fourth this time.

Grannemann's time of 19:45 for the 5-kilometer course was 22 seconds slower than her winning mark from a year ago. But even had she matched last year's clocking, she still would have placed fourth.

"In terms of season times, it's about where we would expect her," said Hoquiam coach Kevin Gary. "The girls who were ahead of her have run great times all year long. (Tess) competed real hard."

Grannemann was only a stride or so behind Minton as the runners left Gable Park near the outset of the race.

But by the 11/4-mile mark, the Northwest Christian runner had separated herself from the pack, while Grannemann had faded to fourth.


There were few changes in the late going. Minton, with a time of 18:58, finished nine seconds ahead of Centralia's Torin Shriver.

HHS freshman is 10th

Hoquiam freshman Kelsea Williams turned in a strong showing by placing 10th in 20:07.

Ocosta's Natalie Bollen and North Beach's Amanda Erickson cracked the top 30 in a field of 105 by placing 27th and 29th, respectively.

Ocosta coach Rich Swiergula was pleased with the showing of his top three girls — Bollen, Brianna Dueber and Ria Boren-Albrecht.

Frerker made it look easy in the boys race, blowing away teammate Simon Sorenson by 52 seconds with a time of 15:46.

Hoquiam's Roy Stansell was the top Harbor finisher, winding up 25th in 17:47. A total of 158 boys finished the event.

Ocosta's Brandon Kautzman finished 28th overall and second among Class B runners in the boys junior varsity race.

Boys

Skyline 37, Bellevue 95, Mercer Island 128, Stanwood 151, Lynden 164

1. Matt Frerker (Skyline) 15:46.0. 2. Simon Sorenson (Skyline) 16:38.0. 3. Colby Peters (Rogers) 16:46.0. 4. Alex Partin (Bellevue) 16:50. 5. Travis Lund (Skyline) 16:52. 6. Tyler Cutforth (Stanwood) 16:53. 7. Nick Abraham (Skyline) 16:56.0. 8. Gabe Tippery (Centralia) 17:00. 9. Charles Langdon (Shelton) 17:01.1. 10. Walker Riley (Wahkiakum) 17:01.4.

Harbor finishers in top 100: 25. Roy Stansell (Hoquiam). 23. Dustyn Moir (Hoquiam). 63. Derrick Moore (North Beach). 70. Jared Larsen (Montesano). 84. Colby Root (Hoquiam).

Girls

Rogers 93, Skyline 98, Bellevue 102, Mercer Island 145, Northwest Christian 148.

1. Joscelyn Minton (Northwest Christian) 18:58. 2. Torin Shriver (Centralia) 19:07. 3. Alyson Piccolo (Stanwood) 19:22. 4. Tess Grannemann (Hoquiam) 19:45.0. 5. Christina Alexander (Tumwater) 19:53.0. 6. Caroline Wright (Bellevue) 19:54. 7. Molly O'Callahan (Mercer Island) 19:55.0. 8. Kelly Freese (Ilwaco) 20:03. 9. Annie Lawyerson (Rogers) 20:06. 10. Kelsea Williams (Hoquiam) 20:07.

Other Harbor finishers in top 75: 27. Natalie Bollen (Ocosta). 29. Amanda Erickson (North Beach). 49. Dani West (Montesano). 51. Brianna Dueber (Ocosta). 53. Carly Rogers (North Beach) 56. Ria Boren-Albrecht (Ocosta). 57. Nychele Carley (Hoquiam). 62. Alyssa Dianovich (North Beach).