SALT CREEK — The preseason weather vane that is the Salt Creek Invitational cross country meet is pointing south this year.
That’s where a couple of conspicuously absent Olympic League teams, Port Townsend and Sequim, are headed.
The teams have opted to compete in the Seaside (Ore.) Invitational this weekend instead.
Those two will be the only schools from the nine-team league not present at the three-mile race on Saturday.
So while race fans can get a good idea of things to come this fall, a complete picture won’t be available.
The conflict in invitationals came as a result of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) moving back its state races a week. That in turn shifted several races throughout the state.
And when Port Townsend and Sequim’s runners were forced to choose between Seaside, a massive 80-team meet, and Salt Creek, their votes went to a weekend in Oregon.
“We would be there at the drop of a hat [if not for the conflict],” Sequim coach Harold Huff said.
“I love Salt Creek. I feel bad about not going. I love the setup, and everything is close, but Seaside is a big selling point for my program.”
The 31st annual Salt Creek Recreation Area meet is nothing to sneeze at either.
With a total of 20 schools slated to make it out on Saturday, there’s sure to be plenty of star power.
That includes the Port Angeles boys team, which returns a number of runners from last year’s Olympic League champion squad.
Rider coach Pat Durr said they’ve been looking good early in the season.
“The boys have been training well,” Durr said. “They’ve been doing a lot of summer running, and it’s starting to show.
“They ran well last Saturday at the Bellarmine Invite. Five of the boys had a personal record. So they’ve really increased their time.”
Port Angeles junior John Christian should lead the Riders and have a shot at competing for a spot in the top five.
Meanwhile, the girls race will likely belong to Kingston’s Ruby Roberts, the 2A state champion last year in cross country and the 1,600 meters in track and field.
Durr said his girls, led by sophomore Alison Maxwell, have been coming together as a team.
“Alison is really putting in miles,” he said, adding that she took a full minute off her time from the freshman race last year. “She’s ready to step it up this year.”
The open race begins at 9:45 a.m. with high school JV runs starting at 10:30 a.m. and varsity races starting at 11:30 a.m.
