Lady Outlaws runners qualify for state

The Outlaws girls' cross country team added a week to the season after qualifying for the state championships with a second-place finish at the Sky-Em District Meet Thursday, October 26.

The meet was held at Pre's Trail in Eugene.

The boys' team quest for state was dashed as they finished third.

The girls' squad, ranked fifth in last week's coaches' poll, finished behind third-ranked Marist as Jena Rickards and Emi-Fujita Conrads placed second and fourth respectively.

"We were fairly certain going in that we would be second, but in the first mile I got a little concerned because there was a pack of 12-14 runners trailing right behind the eventual winner, Megan Whalen of Marist, which was not at all what I anticipated," said coach Charlie Kanzig.

"Thank goodness, when they came back around from Pre's Trail, Jena and Emi had dropped most of the pack."

Rickards clocked 20:17, and Fujita-Conrads was six seconds back at 20:23. Ryanne Fujita-Conrads (21:44), Courtney Johnson (22:34), Maren Burck (23:13), Lani Ulmer (23:13) and Chelsea Addison (23:43) completed the team.

Whalen covered the course in 19:53 to claim the individual crown.

Marist took home the district trophy with 35 points, followed by Sisters (54), Elmira (82), La Pine (115), Pleasant Hill (125), Junction City (126) and Cottage Grove (incomplete).

Benton Urquhart took an early lead in the boys' race, but his lead and the rest of the team's hopes faded as Cottage Grove put four runners in the top 10 to nail down second place behind heavily favored and number-one ranked Marist.

"I knew it would come down to the second, third and fourth scorers, and we just couldn't stay with them this time," said Kanzig. "We've beaten them two of the three times we've run together, and I knew we were very evenly matched."

Marist won with 37 points, followed by Cottage Grove (52), Sisters (64), Elmira (118), La Pine (124), Pleasant Hill (161) and Junction City (179).

It was a bitter outcome for the team, which has been ranked all season in the top 10 behind Marist and Cottage Grove.

"In every other 4A district in Oregon, we would have been either first or second," Kanzig said. "That's the way it goes, but I sure wish cross country was allowed three teams to the state competition like all the other sports do or that there was a way for some strong third-place teams to be added as wild card teams."

Only four of the top 21 finishers came from schools other than Marist, Cottage Grove, and Sisters, underlining the strength of the top three teams.

The boys do have one runner going to state, as Benton Urquhart hung on for fourth place and qualified as an individual in 16:48.

Nelson Zaludek won the title in 16:19.

Urquhart will attempt to turn the tables on the three runners who beat him at district and hopes to place in the top 10, which is within reason.

"Benton has shown that he can run with the best 4A runners in the state and we plan to plot a strategy that will help him achieve his goal," said Kanzig

The Outlaws were tightly packed as Jared Henderson (17:34), Stefan Redfield (17:37), Kyle Rickards (17:37) Parker Bennett (17:43) and Luke Glick (17:53) all placed between 13th and 19th. Mike Calavan (18:09) beat Cottage Grove's fifth runner, but it still wasn't enough.