Prep Cross Country Roundup: Aberdeen’s Nelson wins PLU Invitational

Also: Hoquiam, Ocosta, North Beach and Willapa Valley compete at Three Course Challenge

By Ryan Sparks • September 24, 2024 1:30 am
ALICIA TISDALE PHOTOGRAPHY Aberdeen’s Henry Nelson, seen here in a file photo, placed first at the PLU Invitational on Saturday in Tacoma.
ALICIA TISDALE PHOTOGRAPHY Aberdeen’s Henry Nelson, seen here in a file photo, placed first at the PLU Invitational on Saturday in Tacoma.

Aberdeen’s Henry Nelson once again reduced his time and was victorious as we review Twin Harbors prep cross country action from Saturday.

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PREP CROSS COUNTRY

Aberdeen’s Nelson wins PLU Invitational

Aberdeen senior Henry Nelson set a new personal-best time en route to a victory at the PLU Invitational on Saturday at the PLU Meadows Disc Golf Course in Tacoma.

Nelson broke 16 minutes for the first time in his prep career, completing the 5,000 meter race in 15:49.60, well ahead of Rogers’ Jaiveer Lalli (16:04.40) and Franklin’s Kingston Shillito (16:08.30), who finished second and third, respectively.

“By far, that’s his best time he’s ever run,” Aberdeen head coach Steve Reed said. “We’ve been working on just going out under control and not going for the front right away. He just followed a guy for two miles and the last quarter mile he put 15 seconds on him and won quite easily.”

Aberdeen freshman Cecil Gumaelius placed 15th overall as the Bobcat boys placed eighth out of 11 teams with 164 points.

Montesano finished 10th overall with 251 points and were led by junior Benjamin Anderson, who finished 10th with a time of 16:38.50.

In the girls 5K race, Montesano sophomore Haley Schweppe, who placed fifth in the 1A State Championships last season, took third with a time of 18:52.20.

Teammate and older sister Samantha Schweppe placed 11th overall with a time of 20:03.10 to help Monte finish fifth as a team with 153 points.

Aberdeen’s Ailyn Haggard placed seventh with a time of 19:23.30.

Full results available at athletic.net.

Local Results

Boys: 1, Nelson, Aberdeen, 15:49.60. 10, Benjamin Anderson, Montesano, 16:38.50. 15, Cecil Gumaelius, Aberdeen, 17:00.60. 34, Jacob Hallak, Aberdeen, 17:56.30. 40, Colton Sweet, Montesano, 17:58.70. 57, Ezekiel Olson, Aberdeen, 18:56.60. 60, William Sharp, Aberdeen, 18:57.00. 64, Toby Nelson, Aberdeen, 19:15.40. 70, Alexander Bale, Montesano, 19:29.50. 71, Owen Young, Montesano, 19:38.30. 80, Mikhail Vilchitsky, Montesano, 20:50.00. 81, Riley Rosetta, Montesano, 21:01.80. 82, Cooper Gill, Aberdeen, 21: 08.40.

Girls: 3, Haley Schweppe, Montesano, 18:52.20. 7, Ailyn Haggard, Aberdeen, 19:23.30. 11, Samantha Schweppe, Montesano, 20:03.10. 23, Zoe Ray, Montesano, 20:51.20. 28, Aiden (Phoebe) Bowe, Montesano, 21:42.00. 52, Emily Anderson, Montesano, 24:48.00. 53, Alice Nelson, Montesano, 24:57.10. 54, Anna O’Conner, Montesano, 25:02.50. 58, Aurelia Martens, Montesano, 27:08.70.

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Twin Harbors runners compete at Three Course Challenge

Cross country runners from Hoquiam, North Beach, Ocosta and Willapa Valley competed at the Three Course Challenge on Saturday at Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton, Oregon.

The event featured races on three different courses (4,300-meter easy, 5K moderate and 5K hard) and competitors from 65 teams across Washington and Oregon.

Top overall placers included Hoquiam’s Ryker Maxfield placed Male Division 4 Hard, 11th) and Ocosta’s Rebekah Stone (Female Division 5 Hard, 54th).

Three Ocosta athletes earned medals at the meet. Stone placed second in the Female Division 5 Hard race with Wildcat teammates Osvaldo Guadalupe (Male Division 5 Hard) and Billy Burns (Male Division 5 Easy) took 10th and eighth in their respective races.

Willapa Valley’s Kaitlyn Ganzel placed fifth in the Female Division 5 Hard race despite losing a shoe while teammate Jasmine Solso earned a medal with a ninth-place finish in the same race.

Results available at eclecticedgerading.com.

Results (overall finish)

Female Division 4: 8, Hoquiam: 154, Megan Roloff, 36:54.0; 139 (easy), Lexi Black, 32:54.3 (moderate); 122, Hannah Schlesser, 32:44.5 (hard); 178, Shamaya Charlie, 43:25.5 (easy); 142, Jalynne Evans, 33:20.8 (moderate). North Beach: 118, Denahli Holyman, 32:12.0 (easy); 141, Jayna Britt, 35:10.5 (easy).

Male Division 4: 5, Hoquiam: 129, Joey Goodenough, 24:10.9 (easy); 32, Zeke James, 20:28.4 (moderate); 11, Ryker Maxfield, 19:26.3 (hard); 150, Brandon Daniel, 24:45.7 (easy); 208, Oliver Bryson, 26:25.8 (moderate). North Beach: 202, Sawyer Reither, 25:08.0 (hard).

Female Division 5: 6, Willapa Valley: 174, Reagan Seely, 40:28.0 (easy); 128, Lorelei Smaciarz, 31:55.2 (moderate); 89, Kaitlyn Ganzel, 28:48.8 (hard); 103, Jasmine Solso, 29:57.0; 180, Darby Richter (easy), 47:37.0; 148, Anna Perkins, 34:11.3 (moderate). Ocosta: 137, Kayleen Weber, 34:39.9 (easy); 134, Elly Mirante, 32:25.5 (moderate); 54, Rebekah Stone, 26:37.2 (hard).

Male Division 5: 5, Ocosta: 63, Billy Burns, 21:49.0 (easy); 87, Logan White, 22:27.2 (moderate); 109, Osvaldo Guadalupe, 22:26.7 (hard); 134, Declan Kachman, 24:20.2 (easy); 132, Quinn Leonard, 23:46.6 (moderate). 8, Willapa Valley: 144, Camden Wetterauer, 24:39.5 (easy); 177, Sabastien Perkins, 25:03.5 (moderate); 141, Colton Kempton, 23:11.3 (hard); 215, Darrien Milbert, 27:38.0 (easy); 195, Nathan Richter, 25:43.3 (moderate).

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Elma at Fort Steliacoom Invitational

The Elma Eagles competed at the Fort Steliacoom Invitational on Saturday in Fort Steliacoom.

Frank Roberts was the top finisher for Elma, placing 23rd with a time of 16:33.4 in the 5K Boys Gold Varsity race.

Full results available at athletic.net.

Eagles varsity results are as follows:

Boys: 23, Frank Roberts, 16:33.4 (Silver race); 95, Kole Boice, 21:02.6 (Bronze).

Girls: 30, Georgia Burkhart, 23:15.4 (Bronze)