Runners tune up for district meet

A fast 2.7 kilometer course was just what the Outlaw cross country team needed for its final regular season race at the McKenzie Invitational held at Blue River on Monday, October 17.

Going just over half the distance of normal races gave the runners a chance to run fast, according to coach Charlie Kanzig.

“For many of the kids, especially the first year runners, the 3.1-mile distance is still a stretch to race, so this race got everybody moving quick,” he said. “With District October 28, we are beginning to taper off on distance and get our speed up.”

The girls staged a great battle with a strong McKenzie team ranked among the top three 2A teams in Oregon. Jena Rickards ran head-to-head with eventual winner Nicole Fleming, who pulled away to win in 10:17 to Rickards’ 10:26. Kaitlin McAlister finished fourth (10:59), Ryanne Conrads seventh (11:06), Tani Chick ninth (11:22), and Erin Kanzig 11th (11:35) as scorers for the Outlaws.

McKenzie won the meet with 25 points to 30 for Sisters. Crow High School was incomplete.

Other finishers for Sisters included Lani Ulmer (11:38), Maren Burck (11:42), Alison Gusick (13:07), Kyra Weber (13:10), Aubrey Cretsinger (13:37) and Rebecca King (13:48).

The boys’ meet was a real horserace as well with David Sherman of McKenzie powering through the course in 8:20. Stefan Redfield finished second overall as the top Sisters runner in 8:39, followed by Lucas Glick in fourth (8:56), Kyle Rickards fifth (9:06), Benton Urquhart sixth (9:15) and Justin Lefor seventh (9:19).

Sisters won the meet with 24 to 38 for McKenzie.

Corey Bigelow (9:29) and Dan Purvis (9:35) finished ninth and 10th, respectively. The rest of the Outlaw finishers included Craig Prine (9:40), Eric Mickel (9:57), Jared Henderson (10:03), Andrew Wilson (10:04), Drew Herron (10:46), Dylan Hicks (10:48), Dane Moorehead (11:02) and Thomas Schantz (11:06).

The Outlaw girls team will face a tough challenge in defending its District meet title at Bush Park on Friday, but Kanzig believes his team will push Molalla and Cascade to the limit.

“We have a way of running our best at District,” he said. “It would be quite a feat to win our fifth title in a row.”

The boys team will have to hold off a tough Cascade squad to win its second straight District title, according to Kanzig. “Last year was the closest contest in league history with four points separating the top four teams, and it may be pretty close again, at least for the top two spots.”

The varsity girls start things off Friday, October 28 at 2:00 p.m. at Bush Park in Salem. The top seven individuals and top two teams advance to the November 5 State Championships.