PORT TOWNSEND — It was no surprise that North Olympic Peninsula runners dominated the Class 1A/2A Olympic League Championships held Thursday on a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course at Port Townsend Golf Course.
Regular season results provided a preview of how the races would likely end up.
But there were a number of upsets along the way as Port Angeles, Port Townsend and Sequim athletes and teams raced to victories.
In an exciting boys race, Port Townsend senior Nathan Cantrell edged North Mason junior Noah Hasselblad by three tenths of a second to claim the individual championship with a time of 16 minutes, 20.33 seconds.
Port Angeles’ best individual time came from junior Adam Borde who placed sixth in 17:00.78, but the Roughriders qualified six runners for the Westside Classic district meet and claimed the team title with 48 points, just ahead of Klahowya (52).
Joining Borde at next weekend’s district race at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place are fellow top-10 finishers Jack Gladfelter, a freshman who came in seventh in 17:02.3 and senior Thomas Shaw who finished eighth with a time of 17:06.33.
Sophomore Naaman McGuffey was 13th for the Riders (17:32.99) while classmate Joshua Gavin was 14th in 17:35.48. Freshman Langdon Larson also made the district meet with a time of 18:13.01.
Port Townsend was fourth (119 points) and Sequim seventh with 157 points.
Senior Kincaid Gould was 11th for the Redhawks in 17:30.48, while teammates Max Allworth-Miles ended up 29th (18:22.35) and Silas DeWyse was 31st (18:40.15).
Seven Wolves runners are advancing to the district meet.
Junior Eli Gish had the best time for Sequim, coming in 20th in 17:50.37.
Kaleb Needoba was 30th with a time of (18:26.72), Koda Robinson was 32nd (18:45.52) and Jaxon Cogburn (37th in 19:08.45); Charlie Logan (38th in 19:10.4); Owen Randall (44th in 19:22.32) and Theo McMurray (46th in 19:46).
Pyeatt races to victory
The biggest surprise of the afternoon came when Sequim sophomore Riley Pyeatt ran away from Port Angeles junior standout Lauren Larson to claim the 1A/2A girls individual championship.
Pyeatt won by nearly 30 seconds over runner-up Alyssa Becker of Klahowya (19:16.11) and Larson who was third in 19:39.28.
Kynzie DeLeon was fourth for the Riders with a time of 19:49.74 as Port Angeles was beaten out for the team title by Klahowya by a 40-57 margin.
Six other Port Angeles runners will race at the district meet.
Senior Ella Holland was 14th (22:11.57); Kathryn Guttormsen was 16th (22:23.18); Jenna McGoff 20th in 22:31.41; Alisandra Baccus was 22nd in 23:06.58; Emma Weaver 23rd in 23:11.35 and Gracie Townsend was 25th in 23:18.52.
Port Townsend senior Anika Avelino came in sixth with a time of 20:36.55, edging Chimacum’s Rachel Matthes who was seventh in 21:26.5.
The Redhawks finished third as a team with 109 points.
Freshman Camryn Hines placed 15th in 22:20.76 and Willow Bennett was 38th in 24:21.73.
Sequim ended up sixth as a team with 121 points.
The Wolves will send four other runners to the district meet.
Jessica German came in 18th with a time of 22:26.66. Anastasia Updike was 27th with a time of 23:28.79, while Emily Silva was 34th in 24:01.45 and Aidyn Shingleton was 47th in 24:54.29.
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Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
Sequim’s Riley Pyett leads Port Angeles’ Lauren Larson partway round the 5K course to win the girls Olympic League Championship on Thursday at Port Townsend Golf Course. Pyett’s winning time was 18:55.
