Steele, Ambrose run at national Junior Olympics

Sisters High School junior Taylor Steele wrapped up a long cross-country season at the USATF Junior Olympic cross-country meet Saturday, December 12 at the San Rafael Regional Park in Reno, Nevada.

Runners from throughout the country took part in the meet, which is divided into a number of age group races varying from three kilometers to five kilometers. Steele, running in the intermediate race, which included 15- and 16-year-olds, finished in 73rd place among the 180 finishers.

His time of 17:47 was well off his personal best, which is a minute faster.

Earlier this season, Steele placed eighth at the OSAA State 4A Championships in helping the Outlaws boys place third as a team. He decided to see how far he could make it in the Junior Olympic races and qualified for the national meet based on his finishes in the state and regional races.

The winner, Ammar Moussa, clocked a fine time of 15:54, which turned out to be the fastest five-kilometer time of the day at all levels.

Natalie Ambrose of Sisters, an eighth grader at St. Francis School in Bend, placed 70th in the youth girls four-kilometer race. Nathalie Rathjen won the race in a blistering 14:58. A total of 223 girls finished the girls race.

Piper McDonald, of Bend, was the top Central Oregon finisher, placing seventh overall in 15:35.

A total of 2,000 runners, ages 8 to 18, raced in the five divisions under snowy conditions, according to the USATF Web site.