Cross Country

Sparked by a third-place finish from senior Parkes Kendrick, the Grant High girls cross country team won the Class 6A team title at the OSAA state meet Saturday, scoring a win for a Portland school for the first time in the meet since 1978.

Kendrick finished just ahead of freshman teammate Ella Donaghu in the race and the Generals, who were seventh in the meet last year, won the school's second title - the other coming in 1974, the first year girls championships were held for the sport.

Central Catholic reclaimed the team title in the Class 6A boys race.

In Class 5A, Summit won the boys and girls team titles for the second consecutive year.

In Class 4A, Siuslaw scored a meet-low 29 points to win the boys race, while La Salle won the girls race for its first team title.

Union won both Class 3A team races.

The annual gathering of runners from high schools across Oregon is the start to the OSAA state championship season, and Central Catholic is poised to become the dominant program, at least in Fall.

Not only to the Rams have the defending Class 6A individual champion in junior Kyle Thompson, but the team is among the favorites to win in the final event of a day that begins with the Class 3A girls final at 10 a.m.

Thompson is one of five returning champions who'll battle the 5,000-meter course at Lane Community College. St. Mary's junior Paige Rice won the Class 6A girls title, Summit senior Travis Neuman won at Class 5A boys, Klamath Union senior Alisha Luna won at 4A girls, and Creswell sophomore Olivia Powell won at Class 3A girls.

Outside of the Class 4A race, which Siuslaw is an overwhelming favorite to win, most of the team races figure to be highly competitive as they were last year when Scappoose edged Klamath Union by just one point.

Rice won the most competitive individual title, edging South Eugene's Sara Tsai by one second.

Here are scouting reports on the eight finals:

CLASS 3A GIRLS

CLASS 3A BOYS

CLASS 4A GIRLS

CLASS 4A BOYS

CLASS 5A GIRLS

CLASS 5A BOYS

CLASS 6A GIRLS

CLASS 6A BOYS

Statistical information provided by www.athletic.net

When the Jesuit run of nine consecutive team state titles ended last year, South Eugene reclaimed the title it held when Jesuit took over in 2002. The Lady Axemen don't figure to let that title go easily as they head for the Class 6A girls cross country final Saturday at Lane Community College.

South won the title led by freshman Sara Tsai, who finished second in the individual race, and Erin Clark, who finished third as a junior, and the pair finished 1-2 at the Southwest Conference district meet.

Jesuit's bid to win another state title is led by sophomores Ellie Kallgrenn and Dylan Hite.

Grant, led by freshman Ella Donaghu and senior Parkes Kendrick, won the Three Rivers League title with its five scoring runners within the top 8 to rate as a solid contender to bring a title to Portland for the first time since 1978.

Individually, St. Mary's Academy junior Paige Rice has plenty of solid competition led by Tsai, who finished just one second behind her last year, and Sunset junior Charlotte Corliss, who won the Metro League title.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS:

17:31   Sara Tsai, Soph, South Eugene*

17:32   Erin Clark, Sr., South Eugene

17:46   Paige Rice, Jr., St. Mary’s Academy*    

17:52   Charlotte Corless, Jr., Sunset*

17:55   Ellie Kallgren, Soph.,  Jesuit

18:03   Ellen Patterson, Sr., St. Mary’s Academy

18:22   Brooke Chuhlantseff, Fr., West Salem*     

18:38   Ella Donaghu, Fr., Grant*

18:38   Parkes Kendrick, Sr., Grant

19:32   Whitney Rich, Fr., McMinnville*

* District champion

Since the Alberto Salazar-Galen Rupp era began at Central Catholic a decade ago, the Rams have won five team titles at the Class 6A level, and six individual titles.

Last year, Kyle Thompson ran to the individual title to break a four-year winless streak. This year, the team is poised to break a two-year winless streak and return to the top of the state.

The Rams haven't suffered during their years off from the top spot. They finished second in the team standings the past two seasons, and had the second-place individual finisher two years ago when Thompson finished 18th as a freshman.

Thompson has again run at the top of the state and is a favorite to repeat in a stacked field that includes Beaverton senior Dan Oekerman, Sheldon senior Jackson Darland and Jesuit senior Josh Sealand, who made a tremendous leap from last year when he finished 70th at the state meet. He placed second to Oekerman at the Metro League district meet.

South Eugene, the defending champion, graduated four of its starting five runners, as did Crater, which finished third. The Rams return six of their seven scorers from last year.

Jesuit, which has - amazingly - never had an individual state champion, appears as the top contender for its crosstown rival. Senior Josh Sealand, who finished 59th at the state meet a year ago, leads a team that won the Metro League title with six runners placing in the top 11. Jesuit has won four team titles since 2000.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS

15:14   Dan Oekerman, Sr., Beaverton*

15:24   Kyle Thompson, Jr., Central Catholic*

15:42   Josh Sealand, Sr., Jesuit

15:42   Tanner Smith, Sr., Lincoln

15:49   Jackson Haselnus, Sr., Barlow

16:05   Jackson Darland, Sr., Sheldon*

16:19   Julian Heninger, Sr., Lakeridge*

16:32   Nathaniel Roberts, Jr., Sprague*

16:57   Nic McDaniel, Jr., McMinnville*

* District champion

Cleveland, Corvallis, Hermiston, Wilsonville - there're all among the teams aiming to unseat Summit atop the Class 5A boys cross country state ranks.

But, the Storm won't go easily. At the Central Oregon district meet, the team had six of the top 12 finishers and scored just 18 points led by seniors Travis Neuman and Eric Aldrott as well as sophomore Mathew Maton, who all crossed the finish line in 16:29. Neuman is among the individual favorites having won the title last year.

Cleveland, led by sophomore Nabi Amin, who did not run in the state meet as a freshman, carries the team hopes for Portland, which hasn't fielded a team winner since 1983. The Warriors placed their top five runners within the top 7 at the PIL district meet on a flat, fast course.

Hermiston placed its top 5 runners in the top 9 at the Central Oregon championships led by senior Eduardo Perez, who placed fourth at the state meet last year.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS:

15:57   Jackson Packham, Sr., Franklin*

15:57   Ty James, Sr., Wilsonville*

16:02   Nabi Amin, Soph., Cleveland

16:03   Adrian Hinkle, Sr., Cleveland

16:06   Christopher Black, Sr., Franklin

16:11   Ben Thomas, Sr., Wilsonville

16:26   Eduardo Juarez, Sr., Hermiston*

16:28   JP Kiefer, Jr., Marist*

16:29   Travis Neuman, Sr., Summit*

16:35   Maclean Panshin, Soph., Corvallis*

* District champion

A year ago, the Summit Storm won the Class 5A girls state cross country meet in the most dominating fashion - scoring only 16 points in the team race, which tied the meet record for all classifications and missed the lowest score possible by just one point.

That score capped a four-year run of team titles for the school. This  year, Summit's reign might come to an end, although it certainly won't be easy as the team again won the Central Oregon district meet.

Hood River Valley, led by junior Grace Grimm, and Corvallis, led by senior Malika Washmann, lead a pack of teams looking to win the team title thanks largely to the graduation of Summit's Megan Fristoe, who won the last three individual titles, and a group of three other seniors, all of whom finished in the top 7. Without the top scorers in the meet, the Storm will return to the ranks of solid, but beatable teams.

Cleveland, Marist, La Salle, Molalla are also among the title hopefuls. A win by Cleveland would be the first for the school in either boys or girls competition and the first for a girls team from a PIL school since 1978 when Lincoln won the large-school title. Sophomore Emma Wren of Cleveland is among the top contenders to take over Fristoe's role as state champion, a role not held by a PIL runner for 30 years.

The individual race, won by 23 seconds over senior teammate Ashley Maton last year, looks wide open this year.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS:

18:18   Grace Grim, Jr., Hood River Valley*

18:19   Marykate McGuire, Sr., Dallas*

18:38   Maggie Coleman, Sr., Hermiston

18:48   Taryn Rawlings, Jr., Wilsonville*

18:50   Sascha Bockius, Fr., Hood River Valley

18:52   Emma Wren, Soph., Cleveland*

18:54   Rachel Khaw, Fr., Liberty

18:55   Malika Waschmann, Sr., Corvallis

18:59   Monica Anderson, Sr., Marist*

19:00   Piper McDonald, Soph., Summit*

* District champion

It's been 42 years in the making, but the Klamath Union Pelicans seem ready to claim a team title at the 4A girls cross country championships Saturday.

Led by senior Alisha Luna, the two-time defending champion, Klamath Union is a heavy favorite to win the team title, which would be its first since girls championships were held in 1974.

Last year, Luna won the individual title by 25 seconds, but the team fiinished second to Scappoose by just one point. This season, the Pelicans figure as the team to beat in the team race, while Luna has plenty of competition for the individual title.

Luna, now a senior, has run well during the season, including a first-place finish at the Adidas XC Classic earlier this month. However, Kay Potter, a senior at Siuslaw, ran in the meet as well, but in the elite portion of it, which she placed 11th in. Their times were just three seconds apart - 18:11 for Luna, 18:14 for Potter.

Sierra Brown, a senior from Hidden Valley who finished second at the state meet last year, also figures to be in the mix at the head of the pack having won the Skyline Conference title ahead of Luna.

Klamath Union won the team race of its division at the Adidas Classic by 70 points over Scappoose, and had six finishers in the top 12 at the Skyline Conference meet.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS

18:25   Katy Potter, Sr., Siuslaw*

18:54   Amanda Welch, Soph., La Grande*

19:03   Sierra Brown, Sr., Hidden Valley*

19:10   Josie Lonai, Soph., McLoughlin

19:27   Alisha Luna, Sr., Klamath Union

19:33   Emily Bever, Jr., Molalla*

19:36   Dakota Steen, Jr., Ridgeview*

19:59   Zoe Falk, Jr., Sisters

20:02   Tia Carnahan, Sr., Scappoose*

20:02   Kristen LaChapelle, Jr., Cascade*

A year ago, the Siuslaw Vikings ran away with the team championship at the Class 4A boys state cross country meet. The only thing missing was the individual title, which junior Matthew Campbell missed by six seconds. This season, the Vikings are aiming for both the team and individual titles, something the team has not done.

While the school has produced team champions regularly - 1966, 1996, 2004 and last year, the Vikings have celebrated only one individual champion - Steve Savage in 1965. Last year, Campbell and teammate Mitchell Butler, now a junior, finished second and third behind Mazama's Paul Adams, who has since graduated.

Campbell and Butler, who've run at the top of Class 4A all season, appear as favorites for the individual title. Junior Mack Marbas, also from Siuslaw, has the third fastest qualifying time from a district meet.

Siuslaw is as much a favorite in the team race as any team at any classification this year, having won the Far West League title with the minimum 15 points.

Baker, led by senior Nic Maszk, leads the pack of contenders for second place in the team race as well as challengers to Siuslaw's individual title dreams.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS:

15:30   Matthew Campbell, Sr., Siuslaw*

15:32   Mitchell Butler, Jr., Siuslaw

15:48   Mack Marbas, Jr., Siuslaw

15:57   Pake Benthin, Sr., Molalla*

15:59   Nic Maszk, Sr., Baker*

16:11   Jonathan Cornish, Sr., North Valley*

16:12   David Cornish, Sr., North Valley

16:29   Deklyn Wood, Sr., Newport*

16:37   Jakob Hiett, Soph., Sweet Home*

16:58   Brett Willyard, Sr., Seaside*

* District champion

Oregon Episcopal senior Nick Obletz seems prepared to move up to the role of state champion having run well all season. And, for a change among the eight finals, the three runners who finished ahead of him last year graduated.

Obletz posted the fastest district time by 24 seconds and has a season resume that includes finishing directly behind Beaverton's Dan Oekerman, a favorite in the Class 6A race, at the Nike Pre-Nationals to continue a solid year. In spring, he won the Class 3A 3,000 meters and 1,500 meter titles during track and field season.

The race for second looks very competitive among runners from six schools.

Southwest Christian, led by junior Trevor Lane, East Linn Christian, led by senior Kody Osborne, and Cascade Christian are among the team favorites looking for their first title.

Defending champion Valley Catholic graduated much of its team and did not qualify.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS

15:57   Nick Obletz, Sr., Oregon Episcopal*

16:21   Sisay Gillock, Jr., Portland Christian

16:24   Cooper Roach, Jr., Valley Catholic

16:28   Trevor Lane, Jr., Southwest Christian*

16:30   Rich Fettig, Sr., Westside Christian

16:34   Kody Osborne, Sr., East Linn Christian Academy*

16:36   David Ribich, Jr., Enterprise*

16:51   Chris Merlos, Soph., New Hope Christian*

17:08   Zach Bellew, Jr., Creswell*

17:27   Thom Hallmark, Jr., Coquille*

* District champion

It’s not often that a freshman wins the individual title in one of the four state finals, but Creswell’s Olivia Powell was able to do that last year and she enters this year’s state event with a chance to become only the second runner to win four consecutive titles.

Her primary challengers this year are returnees from last year’s meet who finished directly behind her.

Defending team champion Union graduated only one of its top six runners and returns junior Katriel O’Reilly and junior McKenzie Evans, who finished second and third, respectively, in last year’s state run. A title for a Union runner would be the first individual title. The Bobcats have won nine team titles dating from 1985.

Only Billy Harper of Junction City, has won won four individual titles, claiming them from 1992-95.

Stephanie Croy, a junior from Cascade Christian, returns from a fourth-place finish from a year ago and has performed well at invitational events.

Senior Josephine Chau, who finished 43rd last year, posted the top time in a district meet, 32 seconds ahead of Powell.

HERE ARE THE TOP CONTENDERS:

19:31   Josephine Chau, Sr., Valley Catholic*    

19:41   Stephanie Croy, Jr., Cascade Christian*     

19:44   Katriel O’Reilly, Jr., Union*    

19:53   Olivia Powell, Soph., Creswell*  

19:57   Hannah Jaquiss, Sr., Catlin Gabel     

20:04   McKenzie Evans, Jr., Union    

20:06   Maricela Jaroch, Fr., Valley Catholic    

20:22   Nina Weaver, Sr., Southwest Christian*    

20:24   Sarah Cutler, Fr., Bandon*    

20:58   Lauren Stokley, Soph., Kennedy* 

* District champion