JOYCE — Just in case anyone was wondering, Marina Roberts is still pretty good.
The Kingston senior ran away from the field in the varsity girls race at the 34th annual Salt Creek Invitational at Salt Creek Recreation Area on Saturday, winning the event for the second straight year in dominating fashion.
Leading almost from start to finish, Roberts kept the Salt Creel title in the family for the fourth straight year after finishing more than 200 yards ahead of the next closest runner.
Her older sister Ruby, now running for Washington State, won the race two years in a row between 2008-09.
Yet she never put up a time like Marina’s on Saturday — a personal-best 17 minutes, 27.07 seconds.
“I’m just trying to keep it going,” said Roberts, last year’s Class 2A runner-up.
“I never remember my times from last year, but it was a PR. I just want to get faster.”
Fast was the operative word on a warm, calm afternoon at Salt Creek.
Bellevue’s John Fowler stayed with the theme in the varsity boys race, taking down the field with a personal-best time of 14:59.39.
The Wolverine senior placed seventh at Salt Creek last fall and couldn’t help but pump his fist and scream with delight when he looked over at the clock as he crossed the finish line Saturday.
“I was hoping for a sub-15, but I wasn’t really expecting it, so it was a big surprise,” Fowler said of his five-minute mile pace.
“I was just hoping to kind of go out with the leaders and then after a mile just take over and try to win it.”
Indeed, the race unfolded just as Fowler planned as he took the lead after one mile and never let go.
He was one of three Bellevue runners to finish in the top four, with the 3A Wolverines claiming the boys team title (63 points) in the 21-school competition.
Just behind Bellevue in second was 4A Central Valley of Spokane (73).
Port Angeles senior Nick Shindler benefited from the fast pace, putting up a time of 15:39.92 on his way to an area-best 12th-place finish among the boys.
It was the No. 2 time among Olympic League runners at the event. Matthew Lutz of Olympic finished eighth in 15:30.65 as the only league opponent to trump Shindler.
Shindler’s placement, as well as the 41st-place mark of teammate Michael Ahrens, helped put the Roughriders at 10th in the varsity boys standings with 279 points.
That was also second-best among the nine Olympic League schools. North Kitsap was seventh at 261 points.
“I thought it was a great race,” Shindler said. “It was faster than it was last year, and that kind of surprised me. But time-wise, I was really happy with it.
“I think our team is looking really good. It’s much stronger than it was last year.”
Port Townsend girls runner Brittany Grant ended up with the best finish of any Peninsula girls runner at the meet.
The Redskins junior stuck near the lead pack throughout much of the race before eventually taking 10th in 18:47.68.
Considering she was shooting for something under 20 minutes, it was quite the opening weekend for the two-time state participant.
“I’ve never been so surprised of myself,” Grant said. “I felt great.
“I was trying to race bodies, I wasn’t trying to think about my time. I actually forgot to set my watch. I was going to, but I didn’t.
“I was just like, ‘OK, stick with this girl, pass her, stick with this girl, pass her.’ I just kept doing that.”
Port Townsend finished 11th overall (267) among the girls, right behind Port Angeles in 10th (229).
The Rider girls were led by Elizabeth Stevenson (25th in 19:53.88) and Hannah Wahto (38th in 20:32.74.) Sophomore Jolene Milsap also won the girls JV race.
Interlake was first with 32 points in the varsity girls standings thanks to four runners finishing in the top six, and Kingston rode Roberts’ championship run to a runner-up showing.
Meanwhile, Sequim’s young boys and girls teams managed just two top-50 finishes — Adrian Clifford was 28th in the boys race, and Jasmine McCullon 39th in the girls event — as they took 17th and 13th, respectively, in the team standings.
Port Townsend’s Xavier Frank led the Redskin boys with a 35th place finish (16:19.67.) The Redskins were 16th among the boys, with Chimacum’s boys competing as part of the same team.
The Forks boys and girls didn’t end up competing in the meet. The Spartans had originally been scheduled to participate.
