Camas girls cross country team moves forward

CAMAS — It’s a new cross country season for the Camas girls. And for the girls there, it’s the same as its ever been.

But from the outside, it’s easy to notice a big difference.

RUNNERS TO WATCH

Jamie Ferris, sr., Prairie;

Alexis Fuller, sr., Union;

Alissa Pudlitzke, sr., Camas;

Katie Whitten, sr., La Center;

Cassie McKinney, jr., Union;

Megan Condon, sr., Skyview;

Bailey Birch, sr., Ridgefield;

Maddie Woodson, jr., Camas

The attention on the program, as of late, has been about who won’t be there: Alexa Efraimson, the two-time 4A state champion who decided to forgo her senior year of competition to sign a professional contract with Nike last month.

“It will just be different not having her at the meets or not being able to room with her on trips anymore and stuff,” senior Alissa Pudlitzke said. “But I know she’s doing what she needs to, and we’re here doing what we need to. She’s always there for us no matter what, and we’re there for her. So although she’s not like with us, she is.”

But make no mistake, the Papermaker girls still have lofty expectations and so does Pudlitzke.

Expected to be leading the pack for the Papermakers will be Pudlitzke, who finished in the top-five in the state last season and also qualified for the Borderclash run against some of the best runners from the state of Oregon on the Nike Campus.

“We’re going to miss Alexa, but it’s not like she made the whole team,” Pudlitzke said. “We all combined. She’s an amazing athlete, but she was part of the team. We’re really sad to lose her, but it will also help us realize we can’t depend on one person to push us.”

Junior Alexa Jones said where track and field is really individualized, cross country is a team sport.

“That’s the cool thing about cross country,” Jones said. “It will change the dynamic of our team, but it will also make us stronger for having to come together and create something new.

However, while Pudlitzke is accomplished in her own right there are only three returning varsity runners, which leaves two spots that are expected to be filled by freshman runners.

“I think we’d love to make it back to state and hopefully maybe be in the top-3,” Jones said. “Obviously you want to get first but I think it will be a little different.”

Pudlitzke, the lone senior on the squad, isn’t afraid to push the envelope of expectations.

“I think we have a good shot at it,” Pudlitzke said of Camas’ state chances.

In fact, she thinks the lack of experience for younger runners could end up helping them.

“I think we have a nice shot at winning state like we always have a chance,” she said. “We have a young team, and they’re all excited to run this year. And I think they will be really good because they are so energetic.”

Individually, Pudlitzke is a little bit more measured in her goals, stating she would like to place in the top-five in the state once again.

While their most accomplished runner and one of the most accomplished runners in Washington history walked away, the sense from the girls is they are pretty darn good too.

“Camas is going to come out and we’re ready to fight, so we’re excited about that,” Jones said.