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Cross Country - Gig Harbor Washington Girls Just aka Miss State and chance in history

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

The State Preparation of Washington in 2008 Cross Country Championships team taught Gig Harbor High School girls "a lesson very disappointing to know that proximity is not close enough.

After winning 3 consecutive state titles in the state championship 4A competition, Gig Harbor fell 1 point short of the team competition on Saturday (11-8-08) at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, to settle for second place.

Had they won, the girls set the record Washington State with four consecutive titles. Only two other teams in the history 4A State won three consecutive titles. Bellarmine preparation accomplished the feat in 1977, 1978 and 1979, and Issaquah is the feat in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

So close yet so far. Eastlake High School Sammamish smothered runners Tide 97-96. Eastlake runners finished 14th, 15th, 18th, 24th, 25th, 40th and 72nd. Gig Harbor runners finished 1st, 16th, 17th, 30th, 33rd, 44th and 48th. Each team has 7 runners, but only the first 5 runners finishing in Figure scoring team.

Since Eastlake fifth runner finished 25th scoring, it did not matter that Gig Harbor last two Runners finished 44th (sophomore Kelly Williams at 20:05) and 72nd (Senior Ashley Horton 20:42).

Senior Alyssa Andrews of Gig Harbor won the 5,000 meters term (3.1 miles) from 18:00 to become the flat 4A state champion. She could not have done more for his team. Sophomore Brittany Kealy was 16th and junior Erin Hull finished 17th, they both finished in 7:21 p.m. ET have done their job. Moon finished 30th at 7:47 p.m. ET Danie Sophomore Claire senior Betterbed was 33rd in 19:50.

Gig Harbor could have won his fourth consecutive title and set a new record if the Moon Danie ran 2 seconds faster and finished 28th position, rather than 30 or Claire Betterbed had run three seconds faster on the 3.1 miles and finished 31st instead of 33rd. Two seconds faster or 3 seconds faster does not seem that much unless you're running 3.1 miles at the highest level of competition.

Saturday's result for girls Gig Harbor stresses the importance 4th and 5th runners in scoring during the competition. When they are late, it seems that the value of their efforts is reduced when their importance becomes more valuable at every step they take. Down deep and passing just a couple of riders near the finish can make the difference between winning a state title and lost a state title.

Eastlake ran a good race and its spread was only 29 seconds between his finisher scoring first and last. Gig Harbor spread was 1:40, 71 seconds. This is one reason why racing team is underlined in cross country. Your best rider does not need to finish in the top 10 or top 13 riders to win a state championship.

Coach Patty Ley and his daughters were very disappointed to say the least. However, Gig Harbor did surprisingly well, given that only one state champion runner- Alyssa Andrews eventual return to the team state championship last year. Their arrival was a testament to coaching and tradition Ley huge Gig Harbor won the girls have built.

Tide girls state meet prior to arrival by winning their fourth consecutive West Central District III championship golf course American Lake in Lakewood. Alyssa Andrews won the individual title in 17:45 to lead Gig Harbor the title.

Boys Gig Harbor had a tougher go of it to run the state 4A, 7th overall with 192 points. Mead High School in Spokane won the title with 98 points, scoring his 14th state championship in cross country. Mead runners finished 8-9-24-27-30 with a gap of 30 seconds.

Mead is legendary in Washington state, producing more top distance runners of any other prep school. Mead has won nine consecutive state titles from 1988 to 1996, and added 3 more titles from 2000 to 2002, making it 12 titles in 15 years. That dominance by a standard.

Gig Harbor Top boy finishing junior Conner Peloquin East 10th 15:55. It was followed by sophomore Robby Ubben in 37th at 16:31, senior Chris Adgar-Beal in 43rd at 16:35, junior Spencer Payne in the 49th at 16:40, senior Alex Sundell in 53rd in 16:44, senior Nate Funkhouser in 88th at 17:29 and sophomore Casey Kalbrener 89th at 17:30.

Obviously, the rule of girls in Gig Harbor yet.

About the Author

"The Golden Era of Prep Distance Running in Washington - Part 1"
"Pat Tyson's Arrival Starts a Run of 9 Consecutive Titles - Part 2"
"How About a State X-Country Title Where the First 3 Finishers Are Your Runners - Part 3"
"2 Mead Runners Crack 9 Minutes at the State 3200 Meter Championships - Part 4"
Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

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