Columbia River’s Jacob McManus overcomes illness, muddy course to repeat as 2A district cross country champ

WOODLAND — It was not a day for fair-weather runners.

That was doubly true for Jacob McManus. The Columbia River senior overcame both a respiratory illness and a treacherous course to repeat as the Class 2A boys winner at the District 4 Cross Country Championships.

One year after setting the course record, McManus entered Thursday’s race knowing he’d have to endure more than usual.

There were the coughing fits and decreased energy he had dealt with for the past few days. Add to that steady rain and muddy conditions at Lewis River Golf Course.

Still, McManus maintained a steady lead through the last two-thirds of the race. His time of 15 minutes, 59 seconds for 5,000 meters was 18 seconds ahead of Ridgefield’s Davis Sullivan.

“I was honestly not pushing the hardest through the first mile,” McManus said. “I did a surge and tried to maintain a distance from Davis since I know he has a kick. I could feel him on me the whole time, so I’m running scared.”

Though not a hilly course, the route had enough rolls and turns to become increasingly slippery by the 2A boys race, the last of four on the day.

“I have quarter-inch spikes in and that was not good enough,” McManus said. “I was slipping the whole time. It was very muddy. My white shoes are completely brown. But it’s fun running on a hard course because everyone is running on the hard course with you.”

As much toughness as he showed Thursday, McManus said he’ll need to summon more grit when he chases a state title Nov. 9 in Pasco. McManus finished second at last year’s state meet and owns the third-fastest time among all Class 2A runners statewide this year.

“I really need to get into that gear where you’re numb,” McManus said. “You don’t feel anything but you keep on going. I didn’t have that today.”

After placing 15th at last year’s district meet, Sullivan’s second-place finish led a championship performance by Ridgefield’s boys. The Spudders won the team title with 57 points, well ahead of second place Mark Morris (88).

Evan Hollis followed Sullivan in sixth place. Jack Radosevich (15th), Cooper Dollens (16th) and Aiden Raymond (18th) rounded out Ridgefield’s scoring runners.

Hockinson and Columbia River both scored 95 points to claim the last of four team berths to the state meet.

Hockinson girls roll to 2A title

The weather wasn’t going to rain on Hockinson’s parade of positivity. The Hawks claimed three of the top five spots in the 2A girls race to easily claim the team championship.

“We knew we had a good team going into this meet, so we were trying to keep it really positive out there,” said junior Lyla Taylor. “We killed it. We ran together.”

Graysen Aldridge placed third in 19:25, a personal-best by 29 seconds for the Hockinson sophomore.

“There’s such a good culture where everybody is proud of each other and working together to get better,” Aldridge said. “I’ve been struggling with mentally trying to go. It just finally clicked today.”

Taylor was fourth and Scarlett Sanders fifth. Claire Tapio (17th) and Kaydie Boettcher (19th) helped Hockinson claim the team title with 44 points.

Columbia River (87), Ridgefield (89) and R.A. Long (127) also earned state berths.

Ridgefield senior Danica Allen, the defending district champ, finished second in 19:20. That was nine seconds behind Aberdeen sophomore Ailyn Haggard.

La Center claims 1A boys title

Trico League champ La Center saw all five scoring runners finish in the top 14 and within 38 seconds of each other. That saw the Wildcats roll to the 1A boys district title with 46 points.

Carter Sherry led La Center in seventh place, immediately followed by teammates Sharp Young and Jacob Wasche. Lance Cole and Brady Sypher finished 13th and 14th, respectively.

Seton Catholic senior Sam Soto placed fifth in his quest for a third consecutive district title. His time of 16:37 was 18 seconds behind champion Gunnar Morgan of Rochester.

In the 1A girls race, Montesano sophomore Haley Schweppe repeated as district champion to lead the Bulldogs to the team title. Casie Kleine of Castle Rock finished third, followed by Trico League champ Lilah Zimmerman of Columbia-White Salmon.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

2A DISTRICT 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Lewis River Golf Course, 5,000 meters

Team scores (top 4 to state) — Ridgefield 57, Mark Morris 88, Hockinson 95, Columbia River 95, Washougal 169, Woodland 183, Tumwater 186, Aberdeen 188, R.A. Long 209, Hudson’s Bay 219, W.F. West 282, Centralia 328, Black Hills 392.

Individual champion — Jacob McManus (Columbia River) 15:59.

Local teams

COLUMBIA RIVER — 1, Jacob McManus 15:59; 14, Wyatt Nitzschke 16:57; 19, Aaron Barron Pintor 17:00; 30, Kohl Ripplinger 17:17; 31, Garrett Graham 17:24.

HOCKINSON — 10, Ian Guasco 16:56; 11, Tanner Hood 16:56; 13, Skylar Picard 16:57; 29, Liam DeViney 17:11; 32, Andrew McGettigan.

HUDSON’S BAY — 12, Brody Will 16:57; 23, Sylas Allen 17:04; 45, Jordin Martinez-Kearney 18:18; 59, Sloan Casanova 18:53; 80, Isaiah Salas 20:11.

MARK MORRIS — 8, Matthias White 16:51; 9, Tate Armstrong 16:53; 20, Isaiah Bradley 17:01; 25, Braydon Sweetin 17:08; 26, Zane Armstrong 17:09.

R.A. LONG — 4, Andres Orozco Stansbery 16:34; 40, Alexis Soto 18:00; 54, Skysun Holzer 18:43; 55, Adam Reyes 18:44; 56, Eric Martinez 18:44.

RIDGEFIELD — 2, Davis Sullivan 16:17; 6, Evan Hollis 16:46; 15, Jack Radosevich 16:59; 16, Cooper Dollens 16:59; 18, Aiden Raymond 17:00.

WASHOUGAL — 17, John Love 17:00; 28, Brandon Lee 17:10; 34, David Grice 17:43; 44, Joshua Grice 18:16; 46, Brodie Ostenson 18:19.

WOODLAND — 5, Alejandro Alvarado 16:44; 33, Danery Villagran 17:42; 38, Logan Speranza 17:53; 47, Bryce Curnutt 18:20; 60, Luis Santos-Mendoza 18:53.

1A DISTRICT 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Lewis River Golf Course, 5,000 meters

Team scores (top 4 to state) — La Center 46, Seton Catholic 91, Columbia-White Salmon 108, Tenino 116, Rochester 122, King’s Way Christian 132, Montesano 141, Elma 166, Stevenson 216, Kalama 305, Fort Vancouver 33.

Individual champion — Gunnar Morgan (Rochester) 16:19.

Local results

CASTLE ROCK — 17, Jack Kerker 17:42; 48, James Madden 19:21; 69, Thomas Higginbotham 21:16; 72, Ira Hatch 21:40;

COLUMBIA-WHITE SALMON — 6, Noah Slayton 16:57; 18, Cole Wooding 17:48; 30, Luther Thomas 18:22; 31, Colby Clark 18:25; 32, Jack Brooks 18:37.

FORT VANCOUVER — 42, Hector Varela-Betancourt 19:05; 78, Sergio Avendano 22:31; 79, Cesar Marin 23:13; 80, Josue Martinez 23:33; 82, Evan Stubbs 24:04.

KALAMA — 46, Samuel Kalimanis 19:18; 66, Jason Sanders 20:46; 68, George Sanger 20:56; 73, Dexter Phillips 21:51; 76, Isaac Mills 22:18.

KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN — 15, Caden Delamarter 17:37; 19, Luke Gomes 17:50; 26, Kaulin Butcher 18:06; 27, Jaeden Freitas 18:12; 56, Jordan Baker 19:45.

LA CENTER — 7, Carter Sherry 16:58; Sharp Young 17:00; Jacob Wasche 17:19; 13, Lance Cole 17:32; 14, Brady Sypher 17:36.

SETON CATHOLIC — 5, Sam Soto 16:37; 16, Max Moran 17:39; 20, Easton Ross 17:50; 24, Tynan Young-Byle 17:59; 34, Brennen Richardson 18:44.

STEVENSON — 23, Colton Hollis 17:55; 39, Brayden Hays 18:57; 44, Johnathan Thornburg 19:14; 57, Eddie Perez 19:46; 70, Elijah Stradley 21:17.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

2A DISTRICT 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Lewis River Golf Course, 5,000 meters

Team scores (top 4 to state) — Hockinson 44, Columbia River 87, Ridgefield 89, R.A. Long 127, Washougal 160, Hudson’s Bay 171, Tumwater 190, Centralia 198, Black Hills 217, Aberdeen 250, Woodland 258, W.F. West 305.

Individual champion — Ailyn Haggard (Aberdeen) 19:11.

Local teams

COLUMBIA RIVER — 9, Ainsley Morrisey 20:29; 10, Journey Yokum 20:29; 13, Mae Otoupal 20:54; 26, Savannah Reynolds 22:20; 36, Theresa Nehnevaj 23:23.

HOCKINSON — 3, Graysen Aldridge 19:25; 4, Lyla Taylor 19:38; 5, Scarlett Sanders 19:42; 17, Claire Tapio 21:33; 19, Kaydie Boettcher 21:41.

HUDSON’S BAY — 11, Ava Peterson 20:40; 21, Claire Marsh 21:51; 25, Kaylynn Wickwire 22:17; 50, Shianne Kasinger 24:45; 76, Helene Repman 30:15.

MARK MORRIS — 6, Elsie Herold 19:48; 15, Audrey Varney 21:05; 45, Olivia Sully 23:46; 60, Abigail Frazier 26:11.

R.A. LONG — 8, Elliana Higgins 20:04; 22, Kayleigh Spaulding 21:54; 24, Makyla Genung 22:11; 37, Sophie Brunelle 23:24; 46, Mariposa Perez 23:54.

RIDGEFIELD — 2, Danica Allen 19:20; 16, Piper Gannon 21:08; 20, Nicolette Hulse 21:42; 29, Sarah Proctor 22:57; Makaylah Jacobson 22:58.

WASHOUGAL — 12, Gracie Perry 20:52; 31, Audrey Thomas 23:04; 39, Lulan Soutter 23:32; 41, Chloe Franco 23:40; 47, Abby Glasen 23:57.

WOODLAND — 18, Kaylynn McSmith 21:34; 61, Olivia Boman 26:28; 63, Elizabeth Neibler 26:54; Jessica Lopez-Lopez 27:35; 69, Elizabeth Osorio 28:35.

1A DISTRICT 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Lewis River Golf Course, 5,000 meters

Team scores (top 5 to state) — Montesano 49, Columbia-White Salmon 52, La Center 110, Stevenson 123, Castle Rock 136, Tenino 151, Seton Catholic 166, Elma 176, King’s Way Christian 187, Fort Vancouver 203.

Individual champion — Haley Schweppe (Montesano) 18:53.

Local results

CASTLE ROCK — 3, Casie Kleine 19:55; 20, Ruby Birch 22:10; 32, Ellie Powers 23:07; 42, Myah Manzano 23:56; 45, Kadi Smith 24:15.

COLUMBIA-WHITE SALMON — 4, Lilah Zimmerman 20:09; 5, Kathryn O’Connor 20:16; 8, Helen Hoskins 20:43; 15, Maisy Kollman 21:46; 22, Maya Tama 22:30.

FORT VANCOUVER — 14, Sarah Gardner 21:36; 27, Nola Morrisey 22:43; 46, Veranika Sivaia 24:31; 63, Stephenie Richardson 27:44; 66, Andilyn Halker 28:54.

KALAMA — 56, Elysia Wuollet 25:48; 71, Elise Somero 31:03.

KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN — 28, Natalie Gomes 22:44; 31, Elsa Peterson 23:06; 38, Elina Pirolo 23:35; 41, Grace Nussbaum 23:47; 58, Cameron Sundstrom 25:58.

LA CENTER — 6, Sasha Pash 20:17; 16, Isabella Higgins 21:59; 23, Hannah Zylstra 22:36; 33, Kylee Adams 23:08; 37, Ona Collins 23:32.

SETON CATHOLIC — 19, Charlotte Hayward 22:10; 24, Remy Jenniges 22:37; 39, Naomi Jackson 23:37; 44, Carissa Puyleart 23:59; 48, Addison Miller 24:44.

STEVENSON — 12, Daisy Jones 21:26; 13, A’Layjah Johnson 21:32; 21, Ruby Langer 22:15; 35, Keeley MacAlevy 23:21; 49, Sarah Zeigenfuss 24:44.