Arlington cross country teams qualify for state after district finish

Senior Anabelle Klein finished the District 1/2 4A Girls Cross Country Championships in 18:15.8, a time that reclaimed the Arlington school record she had lost three weeks earlier.

The senior’s ninth place finish anchored the Eagles to a second place team score of 106 points at Lakewood High School on Saturday. Issaquah won the team title with 94 points. Glacier Peak secured the final area spot in the top five with 132 points, qualifying them for the state meet in Pasco next week.

Klein’s personal best came with a bit of friendly rivalry. Freshman Ellie Oakes ran 18:17.1 at the Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational on Oct. 10, breaking Klein’s previous mark by two seconds. Klein said the loss of the record motivated her to compete hard on Saturday. She stuck with the front pack through the second mile and gained ground in the final stretch to finish two seconds ahead of Redmond junior Lenorah McGarty.

Coach Jon Murray noted that Klein’s mental toughness helped her manage physical discomfort during the race. He described her as the toughest athlete his program has coached. Behind Klein, Oakes placed 15th in 18:36.7. Junior Iylee Belisle and freshman Brooklyn Koenigs finished 20th and 21st with times of 19:01.0 and 19:02.7. Junior Peyton Parsons rounded out the scoring five in 41st place with a time of 19:49.7.

The Arlington boys team also placed second in the district meet. They scored 72 points behind Skyline’s winning 53. Glacier Peak and Jackson finished third and fourth with 97 and 152 points, respectively, earning state berths. Jackson sophomore Carter Corrigan took the individual title in 15:27.3, beating Skyline senior Yashveer Brar in a final sprint around the track.

Senior Joshua Nguyen led the Eagles’ effort with an 11th place finish in 15:53.0. He described the race as faster than expected, with the first mile clocking around 4:50. As competitors began to fade near the two mile mark, Nguyen increased his pace to support his teammates. Junior Jadon Cairus finished fourth in 15:46.4, and junior Chase Koenigs placed eighth in 15:50.8. Junior Brenden Roehl and sophomore Colton Ramey finished 24th and 25th with times of 16:10.6 and 16:12.7.

The Eagles missed the state meet by one point last season, ending an 11 year qualifying streak. Nguyen said the team will maintain a positive mindset heading into next week. He emphasized that the runners compete for one another, a sentiment Murray echoed when praising the senior’s leadership and attitude.

Arlington also posted strong results in the special events. Senior Ramon Little won the District Ambulatory title in 11:44.8. Senior Derek Salmon took the Boys Unified race in 11:48.8. Freshman Kaelyn Roehl placed third in the Girls Unified event with a time of 17:02.2.

Both teams will travel to Pasco next week for the state championship. Klein said the team bond has strengthened over the season, giving the group confidence in their potential for a high placing at the state level.