A day that started with rain showers, ended up with sunny skies in the afternoon as the White River girls team swept the 2A District cross country championship Saturday at American Lake. Plateau teams and runners ran through some slippery slopes to punch state tickets for Saturday at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, Wash. The races begin at 11 a.m. with the 2A girls and cycle through the rest of the day.
WHITE RIVER
Hornet Courtney Gelmini made the final turn into the stretch in the 2A District championship and no one was within sight behind her. The senior took the district crown in the 5,000 meters in 19 minutes, 16.50 second, 43 seconds ahead of the second place runner Gracie Long from Port Angeles.
The girls team also stood on the top step for the district title scoring 102.
Gelmini took lead at the beginning of the race and said, “I felt like someone was right behind me the whole way.”
She said although her time wasn’t her personal best, she felt it was “one of my best races.”
Last season Gelmini took ninth at district in 21:13.50 and 34th at state in 20:11.0.
Gelmini said she is very excited to be making her final trip to Pasco.
Her championship district time was likely inspired by her grandfather, Peter Gelmini, who flew from California to see her race.
Joining Gelmini in Pasco will be junior Camryn Berryhill who ran sixth in 21:01.20; junior Hannah Swettenam running 23rd in 22:32.30; taking 25th was junior Natalie Franco in 22:38.30.
Freshman Jessica Taylor ran the course in 23:50.90 for 56th, junior Claire Lowe ran in 24:55.50 for 84th
Freshman Rachel Franco and sophomore Zoe Steffen are also listed on the team for Pasco.
The White River boys finished 11th at the district meet scoring 271, missing the cut for Pasco. The top six teams and 42 runners move on to the state meet.
Sophomore Joel Slominski will be running at the 2A state meet after placing 20th in 18:12.2.
ENUMCLAW
The Enumclaw boys took 15th at the state district scoring 332, missing the top five teams that move to Pasco.
The team will be sending two runners to the 4A meet.
Alec Ritter took 29th in 17:12.7 and Teagan Eldridge ran 36th in 17:17.7
The Hornet girls also took 15th with 337 points.
Junior Hunter Storm will be running in the state meet after taking 24th in 20:15.3 and Payton Roberson ran 20:43.5 for 50th.
BONNEY LAKE
The Bonney Lake High boys team ran fourth, scoring 122 points. The Panther team will make the trip to run in the 3A state meet Saturday.
The top runner for the Panthers was senior Mykel Fisher, taking 16th in 17:18, followed by William Glick taking 18th in 17:22.9.
Logan Free was 29th in 17:40.4. Senior Aspen Weddle ran 32nd in 17:44.2.
Filling out the team for the Panthers are Allen Fletcher, Billy Rohrbough, Cayan Dibble, Colten Graham, Max Lea and Casey Bennett.
The Panther girls ran 16th as a team scoring 401.
The top runner for the girls was sophomore Jessica Day taking 69th in 22:48.80.
SUMNER
The Spartans will be sending three runners to the 4A state cross country meet.
Junior Emma Sjolund took 11th in 19:49.3 and will run at the 4A girls cross country state meet.
On the boys side junior Dash Penney will be at state after taking 23rd at the district meet in 17:06.7 and Joel Mott a senior will join him after running 44th in 17:25.3.
