No rain in Pasco for the Coupeville High School boys’ cross country squad. (Photos courtesy Elizabeth Bitting)
Year #8 is in the books.
The revival of Coupeville High School’s cross country program continues to roar along, with 12 Wolves competing Saturday at the state meet in Pasco.
CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting had full boys’ and girls’ teams on the line at the Sun Willows Golf Course, with the former finishing 11th in the 2B team standings and the latter 13th in a 1B/2B mashup.
“It was STATE! They put in the hard work and made it!” the Wolf running guru said. “Each team ran great races.”
Liberty Bell (girls) and Freeman (boys) claimed team crowns, with freshman Grace Walsh of Manson and sophomore Waylon Stoneburger-Schafer of Cle Elum-Roslyn earning individual titles while zipping across a 5,000-meter course.
For Coupeville, senior George Spear and sophomore Mikayla Wagner were the top placers, with Spear making his third appearance at the year’s biggest meet.
The Wolf girls enjoy the last day of the season.
In the girls’ race, the Wolves ran as a pack, with the time spread between their #1 and #5 runners the third smallest of any school, trailing just Liberty Bell and third-place finisher Pope John Paul II.
“The girls pushed themselves hard,” Bitting said. “Ivy (Rudat) and Allie (Powers) were our first time state runners. They both ran solid races and have goals for next season.
“Mikayla (Wagner) has been battling an injury but didn’t let that hold her back. She left it all out on the course and has earned some well-deserved healing time off.
“Devon (Wyman) has been fighting off a cold the past few weeks but today you would not have known. She ran one of her best races of the season,” Bitting added.
“Aleksia (Jump), our lone senior in the pack, ran her last state race of her high school career. She pushed herself, encouraged her teammates, her presence within the team will be missed.
“This girls’ team was more than just a team, they bonded, enjoyed each other’s company, laughed, they became family. I am excited to see what’s to come next season.”
CHS seniors (l to r) George Spear, Aleksia Jump, and Ezekiel Allen.
Bitting also came away impressed with her boys’ squad, which captured league and district titles in the same season for the first time since the 1970’s.
“The boys, the school history making boys! They ran amazingly,” she said. “What a group!
“The freshmen in the group, Cyrus (Sparacio) and Ossian (Merkel), truly added to the team. Their talents will take them far. This first year shaped them some but they still have so much more to give.
“Beckett (Green) and Isaiah (Allen), our sophomores, last year attended state as nonrunners #8 and #9, this year they made it and ran!! They both ran a strong race. They encouraged and pushed each other. The pack mentality is within them. Keep your eyes on them.
“Our lone junior Kenny (Jacobsen) always pushed himself and will continue to push himself. He ran a strong solid race.”
Topping things off are her two senior boys, Spear and Ezekiel Allen, who will depart along with Jump.
“George and Zeke – wow! Just wow! They will be missed!” Bitting said.
“They added so much to the team. Today they left it all on the course and both PR’d! So impressive.”
For now, the run is done, but with nine of Saturday’s 12 state meet participants scheduled to return, plus a solid group at home to join them, the future is bright.
“Next season there will be new faces, but the energy and dedication will be the same,” Bitting said.
Saturday results:
GIRLS:
Mikayla Wagner (46th) 21:58.90
Ivy Rudat (83rd) 23:26.90
Aleksia Jump (92nd) 23:47.80
Devon Wyman (101st) 24:20.80
Allie Powers (114th) 24:53.80
BOYS:
George Spear (40th) 18:08.10
Ezekiel Allen (46th) 18:18.20
Cyrus Sparacio (64th) 18:41.20
Kenneth Jacobsen (86th) 19:08.30
Ossian Merkel (117th) 20:06.50
Beckett Green (127th) 20:21.10
Isaiah Allen (130th) 20:41.50
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