Outlaw runners sweep district titles

The Outlaws stunned the field at the Capital Conference District Cross Country Championships last week, winning both the boys and girls varsity titles for the first time in school history.

The boys' team was rated a distant third going into the meet based on season-best performances, according to Coach Charlie Kanzig.

"On paper we were 15-20 points behind Cascade and about 30 points behind Molalla," he said. "And North Marion was just about even with us.

"When we got to the meet, I learned that Molalla was missing two of its top three runners and I told the boys that this would totally change the makeup of the field and throw the race wide open," said Kanzig.

With five of their seven runners posting season's best times, the Outlaws found themselves on the top of the closest team finish in anyone's memory for the District meet.

The Outlaws won the meet with 61 points, one point ahead of North Marion (62), three points ahead of Cascade (64) and four points ahead of Molalla (65).

"I was out on the course to watch the girls' junior varsity race and saw some of the varsity boys running across the field with these huge smiles," said Kanzig. "All they could say was, 'We won! We won!'

"I couldn't believe it," said Kanzig. "It was one of the most exciting moments of my coaching career."

Wes Hodson led the charge with a strong fifth-place finish in 17:34. Cory Bigelow uncorked the race of his life to finish ninth in 18:08 and Jeff O'Brien came up with his best performance ever, finishing 11th in 18:25.

Matt Neilson was next with a gutsy performance in 16th (18:38) and freshman Lucas Glick knocked 30 seconds off of his best time in 18:44.9 to finish 20th. Byron Womack (18:52) and Isaac Gordon (19:04) finished 21st and 27th respectively.

Equally thrilling to the many Outlaw fans in attendance, the girls team took control as a team and won the meet with 33 points for their fourth consecutive District title. All seven of the Outlaw girls placed in the top 14.

Sisters won the meet with 33 points. Cascade finished second (39) and Molalla third (63).

Jena Rickards, a freshman, had her best race of the year to finish third overall in 20:56. Her other six teammates were all within 1:06 of her, which shows the team's depth.

Lindsay Chick finished fifth (21:07), Iris Powell seventh (21:14.1) and Erin Gough eighth (21:14.4) to give the Outlaws four runners in the top 10. Kaitlin McAlister (21:48) and Cathryn Powell (21:49) finished 11th and 12th respectively, and McKenzie Williams rounded out the squad in 14th place (22:02.8).

Kanzig noted that Williams, as the seventh finisher, beat both Cascade and Molalla's fifth runners and that she would have been the top finisher for North Marion and Sweet Home's teams.

"That shows our depth and talent," he said.

The junior varsity girls took 10 of the top 11 places to claim first place and Kyle Rickards and Brian Marquardt finished first and second to lead the junior varsity boys' team to a second place finish just three points behind Cascade.