WASHINGTON STATE MEET

Teeples Uses Late Uphill Push To Get Away From Coleman

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Isaac Teeples knew the long-awaited Washington state Class 4A cross country final would come down to one well-executed move. 

The Kamiakin senior came into the state meet feeling a bit like an underdog against Olympia's US#9 Ethan Coleman and yet he felt confident in his ability to win near his hometown with a lot of support from the crowd at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. 

As the wind kicked up with 25 mph gusts, Teeples (US#19) trailed Coleman through 2.3 miles and then picked a spot on an uphill grade to surge. In a matter of 400 meters, Teeples moved 50 meters in front. 

PHOTO GALLERY by Phil Yearian

In the final half mile, he extended his lead by another 30 seconds. 

"I don't know why I did it (there)," Teeples said. "I wanted to push the hills. I wanted to go for that. It was now or never. I pumped out more than I thought I had."

Teeples' move was one of the biggest moments of the weekend across the country. His time of 14:57.8 was the fastest yet on a course that was revamped in 2018. 

"Isaac is the best hill runner I've ever had," Kamiakin coach Matt Rexus said. "He's like a mountain goat. Usually, the kids with good speed are not the best hill runners."

Teeples made the move outside of the view of his coach.

Earlier in the week, Rexus had discussed strategy with Teeples. 

"Ethan Coleman is a top-notch runner," Rexus said. "We've been looking at it all year. All I know is, we didn't talk about it a whole lot, but then I went to him and said 'We have to have a plan. Tell me what you want to do. Do you want to push it in the hills?'"

Teeples didn't exactly follow the plan. After following Coleman through a 4:38 first mile, the rest of the field was left behind.

"He did take it out the first mile pretty darn quick," Teeples said. "I was kind of like 'Dang, what's he going to do?' It went that way through two miles and I was reading what he was doing."

A noisy crowd lifted him over the final straightaway to the finish line. 

"One hundred percent. I felt it so much," Teeples said. "I'm not going to lie. I was a low-key sleeper in this race. But I heard people I know screaming my name. That gave me confidence."

Teammate Grayson Wilcott was third in 15:50.3 and Kamiakin won the 4A title -- moving up three consecutive wins in 3A -- with 81 points. Kamiakin will move forward to the NXR Northwest meet on Saturday and then Teeples and Wilcott will travel to Alabama for the RunningLane Championships.

Kamiakin's team performance was superior to 3A champion Bishop Blanchet, which won its crown with 88 points. (16:12 team average to 16:13). 

Bishop Blanchet's William Schneider won the 3A race in 15:17.1 and the team put four in the top 19. The team's No. 5 runner was 66th. 

Kennewick senior Macy Marquardt, like Teeples, also had big plans for the state meet near her hometown. The US#18 runner, Marquardt crushed the 3A field by 58 seconds, running 17:31.6. 

Ella Borsheim of Bellarmine Prep returned to the top of the podium in the 4A race, where she last won as a freshman in 2018, in 17:51.0. Skyline teammates Anna Callahan (17:58.5) and Sydney Collier (18:06.6) went 2-3 behind her. 

Eastlake split 29 seconds on its scoring five and won the 4A title with 64 points. 

Mead took the 3A girls title with 109 points. 

Jamar Distel of Riverside ran earlier in the day at the 1A meet and nearly posted the fastest time of the day, pressing through the hilly 5,000-meter course in 15:00.4. He won by 76 seconds. 

Cooper Quigley of Selah won the boys 2A race in 15:38.3. He had a winning margin of 18 seconds. 

In the girls 2A race, Jessica Frydenlund of Anacortes ran to victory in 17:58.7. She was 20 seconds clear of Logan Hofstee of East Valley (18:18.7). 

Seton Catholic's Alexis Leone won the 1A race in 18:05.1 and Meridian's Kayla Aalpoel was right with her at 18:07.4. The pair were more than a minute ahead of third place. 

Team Champions - 

Class 4A - Kamiakin boys 81 points, Eastlake girls 64 points - RESULTS

Class 3A - Bishop Blanchet boys 88 points, Mead girls 114 points - RESULTS

Class 2A - Squalicum boys 77 points, Sehome girls 64 points - RESULTS

Class 1A - Lakeside (Nine Mile) boys 111 points, Seton Catholic girls 52 points - RESULTS

Class 1B/2B - Liberty Bell boys 50 points, Pope John Paul II girls 46 points - RESULTS