Wildcat girls, King win in cross country opener
By JIM WALLER
Whidbey News Times Sports editor
September 18, 2009 · 8:52 AM
The Oak Harbor High School cross country teams started the season with a pair of firsts -- the girls' took the team title while the boys' had the individual champion -- in a three-way meet against host Marysville-Pilchuck and Lake Stevens Thursday.
The Wildcat girls nipped Lake Stevens 35-36 to lead in the team scoring race on the 3.04 mile course. Marysville-Pilchuck trailed with 63.
Oak Harbor's Adrianna Royal ran to the best individual finish for the 'Cats, taking fourth in 20:46.
She was followed by Jessica Denmon (fifth, 21:23), Christina Wickers (seventh, 21:24), Taylor Von Grey (ninth, 21:38), Ariel McCarter (10th, 21:43), Emily Bain (11th, 21:48), and Heather Dale (12th, 22:56).
The Wildcats' Tyler King won the boys' race in 16:37, but Oak Harbor trailed in the team scoring. Marysville-Pilchuck won with 31 points, followed by Lake with 45 and Oak Harbor with 53.
Matt Reith was next for Oak Harbor, taking fourth in 16:48. Coach Eric Peterson said Reith ran "really well" and showed improvement from last year by "cutting quite a bit of time on his PR (personal record) for the course."
Freshman John Kaltenbach (13th, 18:07), Matt Bolte (17th, 18:32), and Colton Elliot (23rd, 19:24) rounded out the Oak Harbor scoring.
Peterson said, "It was a good day of racing in preparation for the South Whidbey Invite on Saturday."
Contact Whidbey News Times Sports editor Jim Waller at jwaller@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5060.Comment on this story.
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