1A District Cross Country: Seton Catholic doubles up on district titles

WOODLAND — David Carrion sprinted ahead at the start and never looked back.

Sydnee Dyer bided her time, then finished strong.

Both Seton Catholic runners ended up at the same place — crossing the finish line first at the 1A District 4 Cross Country Championships on Thursday at Lewis River Golf Course.

Dyer had both a strategy and the experience to know it could work. The sophomore won her second straight district title by surging at the race’s midway point.

That saw her pull ahead of a group that included teammate Lara Carrion and La Center’s Roselynn Martin and Natasha Lewis.

“I know (Martin) has a faster kick than me,” Dyer said. “I wanted to get ahead of her before the last mile so she couldn’t catch up.”

Dyer covered the soggy 5,000 meter course in 19 minutes, 20 seconds. Carrion was 13 seconds behind.

Lewis and Martin, who both placed in the top 20 at last year’s state meet, placed third and fourth, respectively.

La Center, which placed second in state last year, won the team title by placing five runners in the top 14. Behind Martin and Lewis, Emily Graham was seventh, Lauren Fox ninth and Sierra Harris 14th.

The Wildcats finished with 35 points, eight ahead of second-place Seton Catholic.

In the boys race, David Carrion led from the start. The junior gradually opened a gap on a three-man pursuing pack.

“I was trying to stay strong and steady during the first mile and a half,” Carrion said. “The last half, that’s where I was planning on kicking it in. It was a great race.”

At Lewis River Golf Course
5,000 meters

Top 2 teams, 14 individuals to state

Team scores — La Center 35, Seton Catholic 43, Columbia-White Salmon 65, Forks 97, Stevenson 112.

Individual champion — Sydnee Dyer (Seton Catholic) 19:20.

LA CENTER — 3, Natasha Lewis 19:39;  4, Roselynn Martin 19:51; 7, Emily Graham 20:31 9, Lauren Fox 21:05; 14, Sierra Harris 21:27.

SETON CATHOLIC — 1, Sydnee Dyer 19:20; 2, Lara Carrion 19:33; 11, Abigail Wall 21:17; 16, Alexandra Traffalis 21:53; 18, Jessica Pachl 22:06.

COLUMBIA-WHITE SALMON — 5, Joules Hope 20:26; 6, Lillian Nelson 20:27; 15, Danica Warren 21:43; 22, Hannah Leon 23:25; 29, Rhiann Black 24:30.

STEVENSON — 8, Isabella Spencer 20:31; 25, Sydney Cole 23:43; 37, Blue Jones 26:53; 42, Thea Bernt 29:02; 43, Samantha Smith 29:03.