Cross-country runners speed through Drake Park

A Friday meet in Central Oregon gave the Sisters Outlaws the chance to run a race without having to sit on a cramped bus for hours ahead of time. Whether it was that or the competition that Bend High attracted to the Oxford Classic, the team achieved some strong results.

Aria Blumm ran within a second of her career best on her way to eighth place in the elite girls' race, finishing in 19:53.2, one place behind Danielle Jantzer of Phoenix, the top 4A runner in the race.

"It was good to see Aria really race the girls around her," said Josh Nordell. "Phoenix's top two runners are well known to Aria, and she ran confidently, knowing they will meet again at the state meet in November."

Coach Rima Givot is pleased with Blumm's progress as the season develops. "Aria is working hard and building each race," she said. "She is leading our team as a runner and as one of the captains."

The gap between Blumm and her teammates of over two minutes is a statistic that Sisters hopes to improve on as the team races toward the district meet at the end of the month.

Macadia Calavan led the four remaining scorers through the chute, finishing 38th in 21:59. Sophie Borders (22:23), Maddi Boettner (22:24), and Serena Salisbury (23:16) rounded out the team that ran just the minimum of five runners, allowing other team members to run in the junior varsity race.

Borders, a relative newcomer to the varsity level, felt some pressure before the race, but ultimately felt satisfied after the race.

"My nerves always take over just before the race, but once the horn went off, my nervousness went away," she said. "It was a fun race with great competition."

Summit won the meet with 30 points by placing its five scoring runners among the top 12. Sisters placed eighth among the nine teams entered in the elite division.

Gracie Todd of Sheldon, who placed 10th in last year's 6A State Meet, won the race in 19:02.

The boys team got a shot in the arm with the addition of a new team member, junior Tony Hooks, who ran 17:25 in his first race of the season on his way to fourth place in the varsity-level invitational division.

Shea Krevi (18:28), Jordan Pollard (18:44), Patrick Krevi (20:49), Cole Pade (20:53) and Will Werts (21:35) also competed for the Outlaws. The team placed ninth among 20 teams in the invitational division.

Dyut Fetrow ran alone in the elite division in the hopes of running a fast time, but struggled to the finish in 19:10.

"The boys team is coming together as Jordan, Patrick, and Cole continue to improve which really helps our team as a varsity-level group," said Givot.

Summit's "B" team won the division with 33 points, while the Storm's varsity team won the elite division as well.

Sisters competes in its final regular-season 5,000-meter race Saturday, October 11 at the George Fox XC Classic, which will take place at Mission Bottom State Park, on a course well known for the fast times it produces. The meet features over 80 teams of all sizes from throughout Oregon, as well as a few squads from Washington and Alaska. The meet will include both an invitational and an elite varsity race in order to pit teams of similar strength in the same divisions.

Sisters will get to see many of its 4A competitors including defending girls champion Molalla, along with Siuslaw, Phoenix, Seaside and Henley.

On Wednesday, October 15, the team will be staying close to home for the Central Oregon Relays hosted by Mountain View.  The Sky-Em District meet is scheduled for Thursday, October 23 at Lane Community College in Eugene.