Runners survive muddy challenge at Seaside

The challenge of the Seaside Three Course Challenge is no understatement, as the Sisters Outlaws cross country team discovered Saturday, September 18 at Camp Rilea.

Varsity team members select randomly whether they will run the easy, moderate, or difficult course on race day. The easy course is about 2.5 miles of relatively flat terrain with a little bit of loose sand, but the moderate and difficult courses are another matter as they cover steep ups and downs, singletrack, and the infamous mudpit, which is a man-made stretch of knee deep water about 25 yards wide.

Team scores are determined by adding the top finishers from each team in each of the three courses. Sisters' boys managed second place among Division Four teams behind La Center Washington, while the girls placed third behind Cascade and La Center. Interestingly, Sisters would have won division three, which is comprised of schools between 600-900 students.

The top performance of the day came from Taylor Steele, who took third place overall in the "moderate" race among 471 runners.

Other scorers for the boys team came from Brandon Pollard and Jared Schneider in the easy race, Seth Flanders in the moderate race, and Mason Calmettes and Easton Curtis in the difficult race.

On the girls side, Katie Stewart finished fourth among "easy" runners in Division Four and Hayley Palmer was fifth among "difficult" racers as the top performers for Sisters. Other scorers included Jordan Richerson, Fabiola Schellworth, Zoe Falk, and Kirsten Clarke.

Coach Charlie Kanzig lavished praise on his team for making the trip such a success.

"This meet is all about being part of the largest meet in Oregon and giving the kids a great opportunity to get to know one another and support one another as team members," said Kanzig. "Having an overnight where the kids make dinner together and do team skits makes it a little like going to camp, and they are all more bonded than before the trip."

The Outlaws compete Wednesday at Cold Springs Campground against South Albany, McNary, McKenzie, Regis, and Cottage Grove.