Two small-school programs could reach the big time for the first time in a while later this month at the SCAC district championships.
The Connell and Kiona-Benton boys teams could break long state qualifying droughts as they run for the three available berths to the 1A state meet in Pasco.
Connell, which last qualified in 1999, swept a four-team league meet Tuesday in Cle Elum to remain unbeaten in duals. Ki-Be, which last qualified in 1995 and hasn\'t sent a runner to state in a decade, swept a three-team meet in Warden. Its only loss was by one point to Connell.
Both programs dropped from the 2A ranks this year with reclassification.
\"We\'re with the right size of schools now, and we\'re competing very well,\" said Ki-Be coach Jim Perry. \"And with the kids\' confidence going up, they\'re running faster.\"
Both schools are doing it with young teams. The Eagles have only three seniors among their top seven runners, including co-No. 1 Daniel Reyna, while the Bears have no seniors and just two juniors in their top seven.
Sophomore Jose Marcial has been Ki-Be\'s No. 1 runner since joining the program last fall. No. 2 runner Cameron Robertson, a junior, only started running cross country a year ago and has become, in Perry\'s words, \"a fanatic. He runs all the time now.\"
Another sophomore, David Tobin, is in his first year of cross country as well.
n Area teams could make it a clean sweep of the boys team berths. Royal is ranked No. 9 in the state and got back junior Humberto Jiminez this week -- in his first race, he beat reigning B 1,600- and 3,200-meter champion Hershel Sanchey of Klickitat by half a minute at Granger on Tuesday.
The Knights will be without junior Luke Tonnemaker, their No. 2 runner most of the season, until districts because of a slight stress fracture.
n The Ki-Be girls, who qualified for state two years ago, also are enjoying their return to 1A. The Bears beat Warden on Tuesday to remain unbeaten in SCAC duals with one meet left -- a four-team meet next week at Zillah, which has only one loss. Seniors Olivia Castleberry (a state qualifier as an individual last year) and Kimmi West have been Ki-Be\'s top runners, but Perry credits junior Sayra Alvarez with being the driving force to Ki-Be\'s unbeaten run. \"Last year, she was our No. 4 runner and was running in the low 23\'s,\" he said. \"Now, she\'s right on Olivia\'s tail. She\'s really come on for us.\"
n The CBL dual-meet season concludes today with a pair of meets at West Valley and Sunnyside. The 4A girls title will be decided in Yakima between unbeatens Richland and Walla Walla, ranked Nos. 9 and 10 in the state, respectively.