Oak Harbor’s John Rodeheffer captured second place in the prestigious Hole in the Wall Invitational cross country meet at Lakewood High School in Arlington Saturday, Oct. 11.

The Hole in the Wall meet, which got its name when the original course took runners through a hole in the fence that divided the Lakewood high school and middle school grounds, is the largest in the state. More than 3,000 runners from 86 teams took part in the 13-race event.

Oak Harbor High School’s boys and girls team ran in the top division, with the boys placing 18th out of 32 teams with 501 points, and the girls finished 15th out of 28 with 423 points.

Bellarmine Prep won the boys meet with 90 points; Issaquah, with 51 points, took the girls.

Rodeheffer ran the 5,000-meter course in 15:38.7, placing second to Bellarmine’s Jack Yearian (15:36.3).

Rodeheffer finished one spot in front of Edmonds-Woodway’s Miler Haller (15:41.5) in a battle of Wesco’s best 3A runners.

Rodeheffer is the defending 3A league and district champion. Haller won the Wesco 4A titles last fall; E-W is now a 3A school.

Jonalynn Horn posted the best mark by an Oak Harbor girl, placing 19th in 19:17.3. Erin Ripple of Holy Names Academy won in 18:15.

Oak Harbor returns to Lakewood at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, for the conference meet.

Oak Harbor results at the Hole in the Wall Invitational:

Boys (219 runners): 2, John Rodeheffer, 15:38.7; 87th, Miguel Guzman, 17:23.8; 89, Sebastian Ceaser, 17:24.9; 184, Wyatt Pauley, 18:37.2; 187, Matthew Nortier, 18:39; 192, Joe Gorman, 18:49.9; 208, Tyler Green, 19:31.7.

Girls (201 runners): 19, Jonalynn Horn, 19:17.3; 77, Olivia Flack, 20:52.1; 124, Laura Rodeheffer, 21:40.3; 136, Emma Lerch, 21:55.9; 144, Tamia Rios, 22:00.2; 184, Elyssa Nortier, 22:59.5.

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Oak Harbor’s Jonalynn Horn, center in purple jersey running between two Garfield runners also in purple jerseys, heads out at the start of the Hole in the Wall meet. Horn fiinished 19th, best among Wildcat girls. Photo by Pat Horn.