Riddle-Stevens leads local runners by finishing 28th in state meet / Cross country

By Jim Waller • November 11, 2019 1:30 am

Oak Harbor High School senior Dallas Riddle-Stevens led the four Wildcat and Coupeville runners at the state cross country meet Saturday, Nov. 9, in Pasco by placing 28th in the boys 3A race.

Oak Harbor sophomore Cooper Billiter was 71st out of 159 in the boys 3A race, covering the 5,000-meter layout at the Sun Willows Golf Course in 16:41.4.

Wildcat Adrienne Root placed 50th (and sixth among freshmen) out of 160 in the girls 3A race in 19:37.4.

Coupeville junior Catherine Lhamon took 92nd out of 149 in the girls 1A race in 21:44.7.

Riddle-Stevens, running in his third consecutive state meet, recorded a 16:06, a 34-second improvement over last year when he placed 47th.

“It was a great season for Dallas on the course, but more importantly his leadership and memories will be passed along to future Wildcat athletes,” Oak Harbor coach Eric Peterson said.

Billiter exceeded his season goals, according to Peterson, and the state meet “sets up Cooper to lead the Wildcats next season as they set their sights on qualifying a team for the state meet next year.”

Root ran the fastest 5K by an Oak Harbor freshman girl since Peterson started keeping track in 2006.

“As a freshman, this is incredible and shows the results of all her hard work; we’re super excited for the next three years,” he said.

Oak Harbor and Coupeville did not qualify for team scoring in the meet.

Kamiakin won the boys 3A title with 34 points, and Spokane’s North Central grabbed the girls crown with 20.

Deer Park was the 1A girls champion with 98.

Kamiakin’s Isaac Teeples (15:18.1) was the individual 3A boys champion. North Central, which produced the first three finishers in the girls 3A race, was led by Allie Janke (17:26.8).

Colville’s Alaina Stone (17:39.6) was the 1A girls champion.