Girls cross country preview: Top teams, runners and storylines
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY PRIMER
TEAM TO BEAT
Larry Weber said this Northwest Christian of Lacey girls team has the most potential of any he’s coached in recent years to contend for a Class 2B state title. The Navigators have nine already, and their streak of consecutive wins from 2006-14 is a state record. Two top-20 finishers from last year, juniors Ellie Summers (third) and Megan McSheffrey (18th), return.
TOP STORYLINES
1. ALMOST ALONE ON TOP: Northwest Christian has nine state championships in its program history. One more could break a tie with Sehome (2A), which extends back to 2014, for the most titles in state history in any classification.
2. OLYMPIA RETURNS CORE: After an eighth-place finish at the 4A state meet last season, the Bears return two of their top runners in junior Stella Grimsted (26th at state last yera) and senior Kiersten Kimminau (39th).
3. REYES HAS COMPANY: A year ago, Naomi Reyes traveled to Pasco as Capital’s only 3A state qualifier. This season, she’s surrounded by a few contenders in sophomores Kallie Kidder (state alternate in 2015) and Emily Jackson, and senior Bella Torres, who qualified for 3,200-meter run at the 3A track and field championships last spring.
RUNNERS TO WATCH
NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR |
Stella Grimsted | Olympia | Jr. |
No. 2 finisher at 4A Narrows League championships last year. Top returning finisher from Bears eighth-place team at 4A state meet. | ||
Kiersten Kimminau | Olympia | Sr. |
Second-year transfer from Northwest Christian won the Capital Invite senior girls division earlier this month. | ||
Naomi Reyes | Capital | Jr. |
Two-time 3A state meet qualifier took 30th last year, and was the top local finisher. | ||
Ava Shackell | Black Hills | Soph. |
Cracked the 2A top 20 at state last year as a freshman, finishing 13th. | ||
Ellie Summers | Northwest Christian (Lacey) | Jr. |
Reigning 2B District IV champion also took third at the state meet last year. | ||
RETURNING STATE COMPETITORS
4A — Stella Grimsted, Olympia, jr.; McKenna Hooper, Olympia, sr.; Kiersten Kimminau, Olympia, sr.; Ariel Wilhite, Olympia, sr.
3A — Naomi Reyes, Capital, jr.
2A — Anna Drohman, Tumwater, jr.; Makayla Erickson, Centralia, soph.; Lauryn Gray, River Ridge, sr.; Hannah Reynolds, Tumwater, soph.; Ava Shackell, Black Hills, soph.; Codi Short, Tumwater, sr.; Georgia Swanson, Tumwater, soph.; Olivia Wertjes, Tumwater, soph.; Maggie Wood-Richardson, Centralia, soph.
1A — Maddi Clark, Elma, soph.
2B/1B — Lauren Dominguez, Northwest Christian (Lacey), sr.; Elaina Hansen, Rainier, soph.; Megan McSheffrey, Northwest Christian (Lacey), jr.; Ellie Summers, Northwest Christian (Lacey), jr.; Mackenzie Teigen, Northwest Christian (Lacey), jr.; Katy Treinen, Northwest Christian (Lacey), sr.
Lauren Smith: 360-754-5473, @smithlm12
This story was originally published September 19, 2016 at 10:42 PM with the headline "Girls cross country preview: Top teams, runners and storylines."