Sisters runner sets SHS record

Last updated 10/1/2019 at Noon

Charlie Kanzig

Ella Thorsett sprinting to the finish line on her way to the fastest time ever by a Sisters Outlaw for 5,000 meters.

Freshman runner Ella Thorsett ran the fastest time ever recorded by an Outlaw cross-country girl at the Nike Portland meet held Saturday, September 28 at Blue Lake Regional Park near Gresham.

Competing in the prestigious Danner Championship race along with teammate Kate Bowen, Thorsett clipped through one six-minute mile after another on her way to a time of 18:42 and 21st place for the 5,000 meter (3.1 mile) course.

Thorsett’s time is even more impressive given the squishy, muddy conditions that existed on much of the course. Her time is the second-fastest of the year by a 4A girl, behind only Hannah Hernandez of Philomath, who ran 18:35 earlier this season at the Northwest Classic.

Lexy Halladay of Mountain View (Idaho) won the race in an epic battle with Fiona Max of Summit, clocking 17:30.6 to Max’s 17:31.1.

Summit, which is ranked number one in the nation, had four girls in the top 25 among 165 finishers and handily won the team competition.

Bowen, coming off a busy week that included a race in California last Saturday, finished 78th with a time of 19:52.

The remainder of the Outlaws girls team ran in the small school division race with very positive results according to Coach Josh Nordell.

Emma Singleton ran the fastest time of her career on her way to fourth place in a time of 20:20. Pearl Gregg (23:29), Sadie Sharp (23:39), Iris Diez (24:09), Sasha Stolasz (25:45) and Skylar Wilkins (26:32) also competed for the Outlaws.

Sisters is currently ranked seventh among 4A schools in Oregon according to the latest coaches’ poll. Marist Catholic of Eugene is ranked first, followed by Siuslaw, Tillamook, Philomath, Phoenix and Stayton.

Last season Sisters surprised Philomath and the rest of the Oregon West Conference by winning the District Meet title and going on to capture fourth place at state.

“We have worked through some injury and illness on the girls team in this first half of the season, but the progress is coming along for them,” said Nordell. “We are at the midway point with more work to do, particularly with our fourth through seventh runners. The kids know our goals and are certainly working hard to meet them.”

Thorsett and the rest of the team will get another look at Summit this week, along with 25 other teams from throughout Oregon and Idaho, at the Oxford Classic set for Friday, October 4 at Drake Park in Bend.