Three former Oak Harbor High School runners helped their college cross country teams finish in the top 10 in the nation to highlight the athletic efforts of local graduates at the collegiate level this fall.

Allison Duvenez, a junior at Northwest Christian College (Eugene, Ore.), earned all-American status by finishing 25th (18:24), the best among NCC runners, in the national NAIA cross country championship race in 10-degree weather at Lawrence, Kan., Nov. 23. The Beacons placed ninth in the race, their third consecutive top-15 finish.

NCC finished second in the Cascade Collegiate Conference cross country meet Nov. 9, the school’s best-ever finish, as Duvenez placed eighth (19:07) and earned all-CCC honors.

Duvenez also finished first in a regular season meet with Oregon Tech Oct. 10.

Former OHHS teammates Hannah Bressler and Christina Wicker ran for two of the country’s best Division III teams.

Bressler, a sophomore at Willamette (Oregon) University, helped the Bearcats place first place in Northwest Conference meet, second in the West Regional race and 12th in the NCAA Division III championships.

Bressler was 24th (23:28.5) in the conference race Nov. 2 as the Bearcats took their ninth team title since 2000. She was 49th (23:50.5) at the regional Nov. 16 and 243rd (23:56.2) in the national championship race Nov. 23.

Wicker, a freshman at the Massachusetts (Cambridge) Institute of Technology, placed 130th (22:48.1) in the national meet as the Engineers placed fifth as a team.

MIT won its seventh straight New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference championship Nov. 3 as Wicker finished fifth (18:43.74).

Ashley Everett, a freshman from Oak Harbor on the Everett Community College cross country team, recorded her best finish of the year in the regional meet Nov. 2, placing eighth (21:47.8) to help the Trojans win their seventh consecutive title.

University of North Carolina at Pembroke sophomore Matt Reith of Oak Harbor ran to 19th (26:06.29) in the 10-team Peach Belt Conference meet Oct. 26 and 44th (33:47.7) in the 28-team Division II Southeast Regional Championships in Charlotte Nov. 9.

The Braves placed third in the league meet and seventh at regional.

During the regular season, Reith’s best finish was seventh (28:54) at the Bulldog Stampede at Wingate, N.C., Sept. 21.

Oak Harbor’s Adrianna Royal, a junior at Sacramento State University, ran in three cross country meets this fall for the Hornets. Her best finish came in the UC-Davis Aggie Open Aug. 30 where she placed 22nd (15:52). She was 43rd (24:19) at the Doc Adams Invitational Nov. 9 and 117th (24:08) at the Stanford Invitational Sept. 28.

Coupeville’s Tyler King, competing at the highest collegiate level as a sophomore at the University of Washington, placed 31st (26:02) in the Pac-12 cross country championships in Louisville, Colo., Nov. 2, and 99th (31:56) in the regional championships in Sacramento Nov. 15.

The Huskies finished fifth in the conference meet, their best showing since 2009.

King, who was slowed this year by a lingering illness, earned his best finish at the Sundodger Invitational in Seattle Sept. 3 when he placed third (24:05).

Football

Nick Rouser, a junior for Central Washington University, appeared in six games and started two for the 7-4 Wildcats.

The 6-5, 268-pound defensive lineman from Oak Harbor recorded one solo tackle, one assist, one quarterback hurry and recovered one fumble.

Oak Harbor’s Rashaad Smith, a senior defensive back for Menlo College (Atherton, Calif.), appeared in five games for the 5-5 Oaks. Smith recorded five solo tackles and five assists this season.

Aaron Boesch, a redshirt sophomore tight end for San Diego State University, made the most of his only appearance this year.

The Oak Harbor graduate scored on a 1-yard reverse in the fourth quarter help the Aztecs (7-4) take undefeated Fresno State to overtime before losing 35-28 Oct. 26.

Mitch Pelroy from Coupeville was a freshman defensive back for the University of Montana Western (Dillion). Pelroy appeared in nine of Bulldogs’ (4-6) games and collected 18 solo tackles, two assists and a fumble recovery. He also returned kicks and was second on the team in kickoff returns with 152 yards on seven carries for a 21.7 average. Pelroy’s top return was for 38 yards against Montana State-Northern Sept. 28. He returned two punts for three yards.

Ian Kolste, the backup quarterback for Whitworth University (Spokane), appeared in four games for the Pirates, completing 45 of 71 passes for 567 yards, five  touchdowns and two interceptions.

The freshman from Oak Harbor led Whitworth to a 61-28 win over Lewis and Clark in the season finale Nov. 16, hitting 22 of 27 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a 51-yard run in the win.

Kolste saw extensive action against undefeated Linfield Oct. 19, passing for 190 yards and two touchdowns by completing 17 of 30 passes.

Coupeville’s Anthony Maggio, a freshman defensive lineman, is helping the College of Idaho (Caldwell) revive its football program. The Coyotes began practicing this year in preparation for next season when they play their first game since ending their football program in 1977.

Soccer

Oak Harbor’s Greg Wolfe, a senior at the Evergreen State College, scored two goals this year for the Geoducks, including one in Evergreen’s 3-1 win over Oregon Tech on Senior Day Oct. 26.

Wolfe, a defender, also had an assist this season as he started 10 matches and appeared in 13 for the 7-8-3 Geoducks of the Cascade Conference.

Grayson Knott of Coupeville recorded two assists for the Everett Community College soccer team this fall. The sophomore midfielder posted the assists in ties with Edmonds Oct. 12 and Skagit Valley Oct. 16 as the Trojans finished the year 2-10-4.

Coupeville’s Amanda d’Almeida had two assists, third best on the team, as a freshman midfielder for the Carleton College (Northfield, Minn.) women’s soccer team.

She also took five shots, two on goal, while playing in 14 games and starting two for the 8-9-1 Knights.

Volleyball

Five Oak Harbor graduates played community college volleyball this fall.

Freshmen Kelsey Rankin and Hannah Christensen teamed up at Everett (6-21), where Rankin led the Trojans in stuff blocks (8) and hitting percentage (.185) and was fourth in kills (53). Christensen was fifth in kills (38).

Sophomore Janine DeGuzman and freshman Stephanie Milliron played for Skagit Valley (6-23). DeGuzman topped the Cardinals in digs (129) and was fourth in kills (58), while Milliron, a defensive specialist, recorded 39 digs.

Freshman Roshel Muz-zall was second in blocks (22) and third in kills (88) for Bellevue (28-7).

Coupeville’s Megan (Thierstein) Hogetvedt finished her volleyball career at Oak Hills Christian College (Bemidji, Minn.) this fall.

Coach Mandi Buchan said, “I have never coached a player that I have seen work so hard, challenging herself to become a better player each year. She was a captain this year and worked even harder. She gave her team 110 percent to the very end.”

Hogetvedt led the team in hits (361) and kills (60) this year as well as blocking, according to Buchan.

Rugby

Sophomore Jennifer Fremd of Oak Harbor played lock on the Quinnipiac University (Hamden, Conn.) rugby team. The No. 3 Bobcats fell in the national semifinals and finished the year with a 10-3 record.

Coaching

Oak Harbor graduate Travis Connell, the career leader in coaching wins for both the Western Washington University men’s and women’s soccer teams, helped the Viking women post a 20-1-1 mark this season and earn a spot in the national final four.

Ninth-ranked Western defeated 10th-ranked St. Edward’s University (Austin, Texas) 2-0 Nov. 24 to set up a match with defending national Division II champion West Florida (Pensacola) in the semifinals in Evans, Ga., Dec. 5.

(If we missed an athlete, please contact Jim Waller at jwaller@whidbeynewsgroup.com)