Alexa Efraimson cruised to another big victory, but the Camas girls suffered a rare defeat at the Class 4A bi-district cross country meet at American Lake Golf Course in Tacoma.
Efraimson breezed to the bi-district victory, winning the race on the 5,000-meter course in 17 minutes, 40 seconds. Union’s Alexis Fuller was the second part of a 1-2-3 sweep by Greater St. Helens League runners, finishing in 18:31. Camas’ Alissa Pudlitzke was third in 18:37.
Even with Efraimson and Pudlitzke providing a 1-3 finish, the Papermakers, the defending 4A state champions, lost the team title to Bellarmine Prep 63-66.
The difference for Camas may have been sophomore Maddie Woodson. Woodson, who has been running as Camas’ No. 4 run much of the year, didn’t run at the district meet last week as she nursed an injury.
She returned to the field Saturday, but did not finish in Camas’ scoring five. Freshman Marley LeFore placed ninth for Camas in 19:04.
Union placed seventh to advance to next week’s state meet in Pasco. Heritage’s Victoria Kehler, who placed 34th, was the lone local individual to advance to state.
The 4A GSHL will be represented at state by two teams as Camas placed fourth and Skyview was fifth. Union, who had to run without its No. 1 runner Said Guermali, placed 11th.
Camas’ Riley Hein was the top local finisher, placing ninth in 16:25. Last week’s district champion, Kaden Harbertson of Skyview, was 22nd in 16:48.
Heritage’s James Breen (31st) was the lone local individual state qualifier.
3A bi-district
The Prairie girls had a 1-2 finish with Nicole Goecke and Jamie Ferris in the 3A race at American Lake. Goecke, however, finished 1:18 ahead of her teammate.
Goecke won the race in 18:42, with Ferris following in 20:00.
Prairie edged out Peninsula of Gig Harbor for the team title 41-44, and Mountain View placed fifth to clinch a state berth. Columbia River just missed a state berth, but the Chieftains’ Emily Schauble (21st) earned an individual berth.
The 3A GSHL dominated the boys race as Columbia River’s Austin Blankenship placed first in 16:23, just ahead of Kelso’s Nick Mounier (16:25).
River easily won the team title with 45 points. Kelso was second with 65 points.
River’s Ian Rose placed sixth in 17:02, while Mountain View’s Nicholas Hurst (16th) earned an individual state berth.
2A district
No Clark County teams advanced to state out of the 2A district meet at Lewisville Park.
However, Ridgefield’s Bailey Birch earn a berth to state in the girls race by finishing fifth in 19:29. Washougal’s Thomas Normandeau (7th, 16:38) and Bailey Duncan (11th, 16:56) advanced from the boys race.
1A district
The La Center boys had the top three finishers and four of the first eight as the Wildcats breezed to a district title at Lewis River Golf Course.
Wildcats Kyle Degraaff (16:48), Jordon Bigler (16:57) and Travis Dennis (17:07) were the first three runners across the line. Jason Dorsey placed eighth as La Center easily outdistanced Elma 27-104 for the team title.
Woodland’s Matthew Young (5th, 17:25) and Michael Mentler (17th, 17:56) earned individual state berths.
Katie Whitten placed third in 20:12 to lead the La Center girls to a narrow win over Montesano in the girls race.
La Center and Monte tied with 51 points, so it was the Wildcats’ sixth runner, freshman Josie Elston, that put La Center into the win column. La Center also got a nice effort from sophomore Haley Stinson, who recently made the jump from junior varsity to finish as La Center’s No. 4 varsity runner.
King’s Way Christian’s Emily Dick (eighth, 21:22) and Seton Catholic’s Julianna Vidales (20th, 22:14) earned individual berths to state.
