
Alex Bowder fears not your puny rain. (Elizabeth Bitting photos)

The end result of running in the October mud.

Cole White is crowned as the Fall King.
It was messy. It was weird. But it was fun, too.
Running for the final time during the regular season, the Coupeville Middle School cross country team and coach Elizabeth Bitting survived a wild trip Thursday to Sultan.
The Wolves didn’t get lost on the 1.7 mile trail at Osprey Park — that was a different school, thanks to “high school hooligans removing signs on the course, and causing a 30 minute delay.”
Once the missing team was found, and everyone was assured no one had resorted to cannibalism while lost in the wilds, the weather took front stage.
October rain dumped in buckets, turning the course into a wet, muddy, slippery obstacle course.
But all of the Wolves endured, plus they got to see salmon spawn on the trip (and no cannibals), so win-win.
“It was a very eventful afternoon!,” Bitting said. “Both boys and girls ran amazingly!
“Goals were met, mud was all over runners legs, runner were drenched, and on the bus ride to Granite all I hear is laughter!,” she added. “This coach is content!”
Bitting also added a big shout-out to bus driver Kathy Bennett, who had to haul two cross country teams to different towns Thursday.
While the middle school harriers hopped off in Sultan, the high school runners stayed on the bus until it reached Granite Falls.
“For this race, I felt for our wonderful bus driver,” Bitting said. “THANK YOU, Kathy!!”
With the regular season ending Thursday, the CMS runners have one meet left, but it’s a big one.
The Wolves head off to South Whidbey Oct. 23 for the Cascade League Championships.
Complete Thursday results:
7th/8th graders:
GIRLS:
Ayden Wyman (16th) 13:22.6
Marlen Montiel (18th) 13:58.7
Lillian Stanwood (19th) 13:58.9
Sofia Milasich (21st) 14:07.6
Edie Bittner (22nd) 14:19.0
Sam McMahon (26th) 14:42.5
Erica McGrath (30th) 14:57.7
Aubrey Blitch (31st) 15:23.8
BOYS:
Cole White (5th) 10:42.6
Jack Porter (7th) 10:46.4
Landon Roberts (11th) 10:54.3
Hank Milnes (12th) 10:55.5
Hayden Harry (28th) 11:43.5
Jayden Moses (32nd) 11:48.7
Thomas Strelow (48th) 12:30.4
Johnny Porter (52nd) 12:40.9
Alex Clark (65th) 14:51.6
Alex Bowder (66th) 14:54.4
Gabe Reed (70th) 18:18.3
6th graders (Times recorded, but not standings):
GIRLS:
Teagan Calkins 13:17
Aleksia Jump 14:01
Dianne Brown 14:40
Brynn Parker 14:42
Liza Zustiak 15:02
BOYS:
Cody Badger 11:40
Malichi Somes 11:54
George Spear 13:33
Adrian Cunningham 17:39
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