LAKEWOOD — The North Olympic Peninsula had a strong showing at the Westside Classic cross country championship meet at American Lakes Golf Course.
The Sequim boys won the Class 2A West Central District team championship and Port Townsend claimed the boys 1A district title.
Port Townsend was led by senior Ryan Clarke, who will be looking for his second consecutive top-five finish at the state meet at Sun Willow Golf Course in Pasco this Saturday.
Clarke ran Saturday’s 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 38.9 seconds, finishing nearly 25 second ahead of second-place Trent Mazelli of Klahowya.
Port Angeles freshman Gracie Long won the girls 2A district title with a time of 19:28.4.
The Roughriders finished fifth to qualify as a team for the second consecutive year.
It was the second straight district championship for the Sequim boys, who are among the top contenders for a team state championship.
Brendan Despain was the Wolves’ highest placer, and the highest on the Peninsula in the 2A race, with a sixth-place finish.
Teammates Peter Ohnstad and Chris Jeffko were the area’s only other top-10 finishers, placing ninth and 10th, respectively.
Jackson Oliver came in 14th and Mikey Cobb 16th for Sequim, and C.J. Daniels finished 25th.
The top 30 individual 2A finishers advance to state.
Peter Butler was Port Angeles’ top placer in the boys race, coming in 17th, two spots ahead of teammate Simon Shindler.
In 1A, the top 10 places earn state berths.
Port Townsend’s Brennan LaBrie will join Clarke at state after placing sixth.
At the Class 1B/2B District 1 meet at South Whidbey High School, Crescent’s Martin Waldrip placed fourth to qualify for state.
Port Angeles girls to state
Along with Long, Port Angeles senior Annika Pederson placed 28th to qualify individually for state and help the Roughrider girls qualify as a team.
Long and Pederson will be joined by Willow Suess, Lael Butler, Madelyn Dougherty, Kendal Jacobson and Astrid Schick.
Sequim junior Waverly Shreffler, in her first year running cross country, placed eight at districts to earn a spot at state.
In the girls 1A race, Port Townsend’s Hanna Trailer was the lone area qualifier, placing fifth.
Alley Bradley finished just out of the top 10 at 13th.
District 4 championship meet
WOODLAND — Forks junior Alan Ensastegui will make his third strip to the Class 1A state meet after taking third Saturday at the District 4 championships at Lewis River Golf Course.
He was the only Forks boy to advance to the state meet at Sun Willow Golf Course in Pasco this Saturday, as teammate Austin Pegram place just outside of the requisite top 20 with a 23rd-place finish.
The Spartans’ girls team qualified as a team with a fourth-place finish, led by Tristen Williams (14th), Kari Larson (15th) and Brooke Peterson.
Larson will be making her fourth trip to state, and Peterson is going for the second straight year.
