Outlaws run among best

The initial coaches' polls ranking the top 4A teams in Oregon held true for Sisters at the Molalla Invitational held Saturday, September 13 at the Highland Tree Farm in Beavercreek.

The Outlaws girls and boys are both ranked second in the early season poll, and the meet featured many of the other top-ranked teams, including number-one ranked Hidden Valley on the boys side and defending State Champion and number-one Siuslaw on the girls' side.

Siuslaw came through with three runners between Sisters' first and second runners and took the girls title with 71 points. Sisters finished second (98), third-ranked Scappoose was third (with 109), fourth-ranked Molalla was next at 119 and fifth-ranked Hidden Valley placed fifth with 139 points.

"Usually the early season polls aren't quite that accurate, but coaches must be doing their homework," said Coach Charlie Kanzig.

French exchange student Nathalie Tresseras continued her surprising performances, finishing fourth overall to lead the Outlaws in a time of 20:27 on the 5,000-meter course.

"She is remarkable," said assistant coach Rima Givot. "For her to be within a minute of the winner, Jenny Elder of Scappoose, this early in the season really is remarkable."

Elder is considered the top 4A girl currently, while Tresseras has never run competitively prior to this season. Elder won the race in 19:32. Emi Conrads (21:31) and Kirsten Clarke (21:51) placed fourteenth and sixteenth respectively to break the top 20 among 73 finishers. Other times for the varsity team included Claire Kanzig (22:35); Hayley Palmer (23:06) and Deirdre Kelleher (24:36) also ran varsity for the team.

"The girls know that they have their work cut out for them so our plan is to keep training well and bring the times down little by little over the next month," said Kanzig.

The boys teams got to see the Mustangs of Hidden Valley at full strength and came away impressed by their early season speed and aggressiveness as the team from Grants Pass swept the first three places and had six finishers among the top 14 to blow away the Outlaws and the rest of the 13 teams with an amazingly low score of 23 points.

"I knew they were good, but I didn't expect them to score 23 points in a meet of this size," said Kanzig.

The Outlaws finished a solid second with 70 points, followed by fourth-ranked Siuslaw with 93. Sisters ran without two varsity runners, Jared Henderson and Mike Calavan, who missed the meet to participate in a school outing on the North Sister.

Conner Kasler ran away from the field to win by 30 seconds in 16:07. Benton Urquhart (17:02) placed seventh to lead the Outlaws. Parker Bennett placed 10th (17:23), Taylor Steele 15th (17:43), Drew Harrison 18th (18:02), and Seth Schneider 20th (18:03).

Dylan Hicks stepped in to fill the sixth spot and ran his best time of the season (20:45).

"Hidden Valley deserves to be ranked first, but we will keep chipping away at them as the season progresses," said Kanzig.

The two teams will meet again at the Philomath Invitational October 4. The girls' junior varsity team remained undefeated with three girls, Jordan Richerson, Nicolle Meadors and Amy Yoder placing in the top six. The junior varsity boys placed fourth with Jared Kaping leading the way in seventeenth place. After hosting a 3,000-meter time trial at home with Regis, Sisters heads to the Seaside 3 Course Challenge at Camp Rilea on Saturday.