Prep Cross Country Capsules
COLUMBIA BASIN LEAGUE
CONFERENCE FORECAST
4A BOYS
FAVORITE: Walla Walla. Close call with Eisenhower. The Blue Devils, last year's district runner-up and 10-0 in Big Nine duals, return four of their top five from a team that had a 44-second spread on its scoring team at district. Two of those four returnees were freshmen a year ago.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: With six of its top seven back, Eisenhower should press Wa-Hi. Even though they graduated leader Stephen Englund, the Cadets have everyone else back from a team that was third at district and then trounced Walla Walla the next week at regionals. Junior Cody VanDeBrake and senior Joey Barela will lead a crew stocked with youthful talent. ... Expect Davis to be in the hunt also as five of its top six are back from a team that was sixth at district. Senior Graham Vaux is the top 4A returner behind reigning district champ Tyler Noland of Richland, and senior teammate Eric Silvers will give the Pirates a solid 1-2 at the front. ... Yakima's Franklin Park will host the 4A and 3A regional meets.
TOP RETURNERS: Tyler Noland, Richland, sr.; Graham Vaux, Davis, sr.; Bowe Ebding, Walla Walla, sr.; Joey Barela, Eisenhower, sr.; Cody VanDeBrake, Eisenhower, jr.; Trent Sislow, Walla Walla, sr.; Jose Gomez, Walla Walla, so.; Eric Silvers, Davis, sr.
STATE POLL: 1, Mead; 2, Ferris; 3, Lake Stevens; 4, Gig Harbor; 5, Tahoma; 6, Lewis & Clark; 7, Central Valley; 8, Kentwood; 9, Woodinville; 10, Edmonds-Woodway. Others: Walla Walla, Eisenhower, Olympia.
4A GIRLS
FAVORITE: Richland. The fifth-ranked Bombers return the top four from last year's district runner-up and state-qualifying team and have a strong leader in senior Cydney Knight.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Davis has two of the best sophomores in the state with Sandra Martinez and Shawna Schooley so if the Pirates can compliment them with some depth they could contend. ... Eisenhower, the reigning district and regional champ, has a significant rebuilding job having graduated seven of its top nine. Junior Ann McCarthy and sophomore Jessica Montoya return from the Cadets' state squad. ... Wenatchee checks in at No. 10 in the preseason poll with the return of senior veteran Kristen Ballinger.
TOP RETURNERS: Cydney Knight, Richland, sr.; Kristen Ballinger, Wenatchee, sr.; Sandra Martinez, Davis, so.; Kiley Johnson, Richland, so.; Helen Reich, Walla Walla, sr.; Shawna Schooley, Davis, so.; Marieka Wenberg, Walla Walla, so.; Annie McDonald, Richland, so.
STATE POLL: 1, Gig Harbor; 2, Jefferson; 3, Snohomish; 4, Tahoma; 5, Richland; 6, Bellarmine; 7, Central Valley; 8, Mead; 9, University; 10, Wenatchee. Others: Edmonds-Woodway, Davis, Olympia.
3A BOYS
FAVORITE: Kamiakin. The fifth-ranked Braves won last year's Big Nine district title and return six of their top seven, including four who placed in the top 18 at district.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Of the former Mid-Valley teams, Hanford should make the best transition into the new league with three of its top four back. ... Sunnyside, while young, is in pretty good shape as well. The Grizzlies have a strong leader in Sterling Scott and they have five of their top six back. Scott is the lone senior among the top seven. ... West Valley is a perennial power but the Rams graduated their ace Chris Glaser and three other big contributors. Seniors John Stump and Stephen Mickelson did, however, race well at regionals last year and John Hennessy returns from an injury-slowed season.
TOP RETURNERS: Brad Young, Kamiakin, sr.; Lance Kindle, Hanford, sr.; Sterling Scott, Sunnyside, sr.; Jake Griffiths, Kamiakin, sr.; Derek Scott, Kamiakin, jr.; Jordan Stewart, Hanford, sr.; Carson Miller, Kamiakin, jr.; Keefe Brockman, Hanford, sr.
STATE POLL: 1, North Central; 2, Everett; 3, Seattle Prep; 4, Mt. Spokane; 5, Kamiakin; 6, Capital; 7, Skyline; 8, Auburn Riverside; 9, East Valley-Spokane; 10, Blanchet. Others: Kelso, Lakes, Lindberg.
3A GIRLS
FAVORITE: West Valley. Yes, two-time state champion Michelle Schubert has moved on, but the Rams return everybody else from a team that captured district, regional and state titles. West Valley starts the season with a No. 2 ranking behind Squalicum, the team it edged by one point for last year's state title.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Eighth-ranked Kamiakin will be West Valley's primary challenger with the return of its entire team. That includes last year's Big Nine district runner-up, sophomore Tina Miller. ... Hanford was last year's Mid-Valley district runner-up with two freshmen in its top three. ... Sunnyside returns three of its top seven, including leader Brittany Messmore, a junior. The regional meet will be loaded with four teams ranked in the top eight likely vying for two state berths.
TOP RETURNERS: Lisa Olander, West Valley, so.; Tina Miller, Kamiakin, so.; Rachael Johnson, West Valley, sr.; Brittani Moehnert, Eastmont, sr.; Stephanie Shuel, West Valley, jr.; Megan Dart, Hanford, so.; Christina Lee, Southridge, sr.; Sami Bazzell, Kamiakin, sr.
STATE POLL: 1, Squalicum; 2, West Valley-Yakima; 3, Mt. Spokane; 4, Capital; 5, Bellevue; 6, North Central; 7, Columbia River; 8, Kamiakin; 9, Newport; 10, Sumner. Others: East Valley-Spokane, Holy Names.
CWAC
CONFERENCE FORECAST
BOYS
FAVORITE: Ellensburg. The fourth-ranked Bulldogs were Mid-Valley district champs last year and have their entire scoring team back. Coach Jeff Hashimoto's top four from district — Isak Bergman, Birkin Owart, Jeff Jorgensen and Joey Jones — are all seniors. And junior Matt Nodine, last year's No. 5 runner, made impressive strides last spring in track. Ellensburg will host a 15-team invitational this Saturday. ...
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: With the return of senior Jeff Knutson, who turned in the Valley's best time for underclassmen at state last year, East Valley is eighth in the preseason poll. Knutson, who placed sixth at state, should get strong support from junior Bobbylee Pottenger and senior Nick Washburn. The Red Devils, who return four of their top seven, will be directed by first-year coach Owen Assink. East Valley's school board did not renew the coaching contract of Pete Steiner, the program's coach since 1992. ... Ephrata returns six of its top nine, including two leaders who helped get the Tigers to state last year. ... Selah graduated district and regional champ Gary Lorance but returns seniors Steven Schramm, a state qualifier, and Oscar Martinez and a total of five of their top seven. ... Wapato returns its top six runners, including strong frontrunner Eleazar Reyes, a junior. The experienced Wolves had three sophomores and three freshmen on their varsity a year ago. ... Toppenish placed third in last year's CWAC South meet with all underclassmen. Two-time state qualifier Nick Peters will aim for his third trip to Pasco in his senior season. ... Jose Mendez of Grandview was the top freshman in the CWAC South a year ago, and track star Nectaly Barbosa of Prosser will try to avoid the injuries that have slowed his last two seasons.
TOP RETURNERS: Jeff Knutson, East Valley, sr.; Nectaly Barbosa, Prosser, sr.; Isak Bergman, Ellensburg, sr.; Steven Schramm, Selah, sr.; Nick Peters, Toppenish, sr.; Birkin Owart, Ellensburg, sr.; Eleazar Reyes, Wapato, jr.; Jesse Throgmorton, Ephrata, jr.
STATE POLL: 1, Sehome; 2, Burlington; 3, Bellingham; 4, Ellensburg; 5, Lakewood; 6, Colville; 7, West Valley-Spokane; 8, East Valley-Yakima; 9, Foster; 10, Ephrata. Others: Riverside, Deer Park.
GIRLS
FAVORITE: Ephrata. The Tigers don't make the coaches preseason poll but it's hard to deny a team with six returners from a state-qualifying team. Senior KayeLynn Joachims and junior Brandi Eloff placed in the top 30 in Pasco.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Eighth-ranked East Valley graduated four seniors off last year's state-trophy team, but the Red Devils have an experienced leader in senior Melissa Jeffery and sophomore Angie Perrotti. Jeffery is a three-year state qualifier. ... Toppenish went to state last year with five sophomores and a freshman. That ninth-grader — Stacey Kobes — finished 18th to cap an impressive debut season. Junior Jennifer Farley set Toppenish's school record in the 800 last spring. ... Coming down from 3A, Selah and Ellensburg placed third and fourth, respectively, in last year's Mid-Valley district meet. Selah returns its top four led by juniors Jenna Winterfeld and Krista Garcia, and Ellensburg welcomes back three of its top five. ... Wapato returns three of its top four — all seniors led by Angelica Arreola. ... Brittnee Sanchez of Grandview, the 2004 state champ, is back for her senior year. ... Like Ephrata, Quincy will be another team with experience and depth. The Jackrabbits qualified for state last year with no juniors or seniors. ... Selah is scheduled to host the CWAC district meet.
TOP RETURNERS: Brittnee Sanchez, Grandview, sr.; Whitlee Young, Quincy, jr.; KayeLynn Joachims, Ephrata, sr.; Brandi Eloff, Ephrata, jr.; Melissa Jeffery, East Valley, sr.; Stacey Kobes, Toppenish, so.; Angie Perrotti, East Valley, so.; Jenna Winterfeld, Selah, jr.
2A STATE POLL: 1, Bellingham; 2, Sequim; 3, Sehome; 4, Riverside; 5, South Whidbey; 6, East Valley-Yakima; 7, Colville; 8, Lakewood; 9, Granite Falls; 10, Hockinson. Others: Deer Park.
SCAC
CONFERENCE FORECAST
BOYS
FAVORITE: Royal. The fifth-ranked Knights lost only one senior off last year's district-title team and they have a potential state champ in junior Rigoberto Jiminez, who was the only underclassman in the top 10 at Pasco last year.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Zillah is rebuilding after graduating its top three and losing senior Weston Argo, who opted for football this fall. ... Highland is in the same shape, graduating three seniors from its top four and losing leader David Delgado, to football. The Scotties, who will be hosting the SCAC district meet on its Apple Ridge Run course, do have 18 boys out. ... Naches Valley's new coach Jeremy Gillespie has two quality seniors in Jake Lewis and Andy Breymeyer but the Rangers graduated their next four positions from last year. ... Warden has fourth in last year's SCAC district meet with no seniors.
TOP RETURNERS: Rigoberto Jiminez, Royal, jr.; Humberto Jiminez, Royal, jr.; Andy Breymeyer, Naches Valley, sr.; Luke Tonnemaker, Royal, jr.; Jake Lewis, Naches Valley, sr.; Rodrigo Montoya, Royal, jr., Jose Marcial, Kiona-Benton, so.; Carlos Landeros, Warden, sr.
1A STATE POLL: 1, Seattle Academy; 2, Charles Wright; 3, Ilwaco; 4, Bellevue Christian; 5, Royal. Others: Freeman, Kalama.
GIRLS
FAVORITE: Zillah. The second-ranked Leopards return four from their second-place state squad but are nonetheless regrouping. Two of Zillah's top three graduated, state leader Amanda Valera is not out this season and senior Samantha Gonzales is recovering from a stress fracture suffered during the summer basketball season. Nyna Nelson
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Warden drew a No. 5 ranking in the preseason poll with six of seven back from a state-qualifying team. ... Cle Elum was last year's SCAC district runner-up but the Warriors graduated four seniors, three of whom led the '05 team. The top returner is senior Sierra Young. ... Highland returns junior Rachel Chism, who placed 23rd at state last year, but senior Caiti Schmitz, who joined Chism in Pasco last fall, is not out this season. Coach Kelly Mattson is excited about newcomer Ariana Cole, a freshman who was unbeaten has an eighth-grader. ... Of the three schools moving down to 1A, Kiona-Benton has the most depth.
TOP RETURNERS: Rachel Chism, Highland, jr.; Samantha Gonzales, Zillah, sr.; Olivia Castleberry, Kiona-Benton, jr.; Cara Wieldraayer, Royal, so.; Katie McPartland, Warden, sr.; Kimmi West, Kiona-Benton, sr.; Kaitlyn Yamane, Warden, so.; Nyna Nelson, Zillah, jr.
1A STATE POLL: 1, Charles Wright; 2, Zillah; 3, Ilwaco; 4, Bellevue Christian; 5, Warden. Others: Freeman.
CLASS B
AROUND THE VALLEY: Riverside Christian is starting a program this fall and has 12 runners out for coach Ken Yager. ... Bickleton freshman Junior Hernandez placed 24th at state last year (small schools are allowed to have eighth-graders on varsity), and sophomore teammate Danielle Raschko missed qualifying for state by one second last year. ... Class 2B and 1B are currently scheduled to combine for their own boys and girls state meets. Last year the B girls combined with 1A.
2B-1B STATE POLL — Boys: 1, Reardan; 2, St. George's; 3, Valley Christian; 4, Odessa; 5, Northwest Christian-Lacey. Others: Northwest Christian-Spokane. Girls: 1, Northwest Christian-Lacey; 2, St. George's; 3, Asotin; 4, Bear Creek; 5, Wilbur-Creston. Others: Valley Christian.
— Scott Spruill