WASHINGTON STATE MEET 

Cruize Corvin, Logan Hofstee Fastest On A Windy Day in Pasco

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Phil Yearian Photos

INTERVIEWS

PASCO – On a day filled with so many memorable performances, the 2022 Washington State Cross Country Championships proved once again why it remains one of the best meets in the Pacific Northwest.

Battling through incredibly tough winds on a clear, sunny day, Washington’s best individuals and teams still managed to put on a good show this Saturday in Pasco at the Sun Willows Golf Course.

Four schools claimed team championships for the first time in their program’s history, highlighted by the Issaquah Eagles taking down KingCo League rival Eastlake in the 4A boys race in a stunning upset.

With six runners placing in the top 25, including five in the top 16 on the podium stand, the Eagles scored an impressive 58 points to take down the top-ranked Wolves’ score of 101 points. 

“These athletes set the goal to win two years ago, and they did it,” Issaquah head coach Liza Rickey said. “These guys are incredible. They have passion, they support each other, they show up each and every day and they usually listen to their coaches.”

The Eagles took a big step forward from last year’s state meet after finishing second overall with one podium finisher in 2021 from then-sophomore Brennen Rickey placing seventh. This year, Issaquah used a strong pack led by sophomore Connor Rickey placing eighth in 16:16.1, with senior Benjamin Konopka taking 10th in 16:22, junior Brennen Rickey earning 11th in 16:25.8, senior Jonathan Liu placing 13th in 16:28 and sophomore Elliott McIntosh finishing 16th in 16:34.6. 

“This is an incredible team,” Brennen Rickey said. “We’ve gone on amazing journey together. I love and support this culture…so having us on that podium in first place is an unbelievable feeling.”

Eastlake’s top individual finish came from senior Noah Zahn, placing sixth overall in a time of 16:10.9. 

Emerald Ridge senior Conner Wirth took home the 4A boys individual title in a time of 15:37.4, beating out fellow Puyallup runner Isaac Briggs of Rogers and his time of 15:39.7. 

The three other first time state champion schools were the Central Kitsap girls on the 3A side taking down South Sound Conference rival Gig Harbor 70-89, the Bellingham boys in 2A defeating inner-city rival Sehome 86-95 and the Bush boys in 1A taking down Emerald Sound foe Northwest 95-100.

East Valley (Spokane) junior Logan Hofstee pulled off one of the biggest wins of the day in the 2A girls race as she took down defending state champion, Anacortes senior Jessica Frydenlund, to win her first state championship of her career. 

“It means a lot,” Hofstee said, who took second last season. “I was crying when I came over the finish line. I always wanted to bring a state championship to East Valley. It’s been a long time in the making.”

A battle from the start, Hofstee and Frydenlund remained neck and neck with each other for the first 1.5 miles of the race, with Washougal senior Sydnee Boothby trailing not too far behind in third. Making their way up throughout the race onto the final lap, both Hofstee and Frydenlund opened up the gap to make it a two-runner race. 

With less than a mile to go, Hofstee began throwing in surges left and right over the rolling hills and would increase her lead more and more after every turn. As she climbed up the hill one was last time before hitting the homestretch, Hofstee’s lead had grown so much, no one could catch her.

“My plan was just to sit there and execute the last mile,” Hofstee said. “She can outkick me, so the further away we were apart, the better.”

Hofstee became the first EV girls runners to win a state cross country individual title since Brittany Aquino accomplished the feat back in 2015. 

The Sehome girls also played spoilers in 2A team race as they were able to take down Northwest Conference for Anacortes for the second consecutive season to win the 2A title. The Mariners tacked on 54 points to outlast the Seahawks 61 points. Senior Julie Gill finished seventh overall in a time of 19:25 to lead Sehome three individuals on the podium stand, with sophomore Abby Rusk finishing 14th in 19:49.2 and sophomore Sydney Harri taking 16th in 19:56.6. 

Tahoma and Issaquah settled for a close draw in the 4A girls race as both teams came away with 116 points apiece to tie for first, but it was the Bears in the end coming out on top as state champions for the first time since 2011 thanks to junior Ella Benjamin finishing in 63rd place and ahead of Issaquah’s sixth runner. 

“I knew we would be in the top three,” Tahoma head coach Jeff Brady said. “They had us ranked No. 1 all year, so you hate to have that target on your back and we had it last year. The girls just needed to finish it this year and they did and they performed really well.”

Senior Kate Sanders missed the podium stand by two spots for the Bears as earned 18th place in 19:22.9 to lead all Tahoma runners. 

Issaquah senior Katherine Yahn and junior Mary Jane Harig finished in the top-10 for the Eagles as Yahn took fifth in 18:43.1 and Harig was eighth in 18:51.3.

Skyline junior Anna Callahan won her first state individual title, taking the 4A girls race in a time of 18:03.5 to beat out Curtis junior Eliza White’s time of 18:24.3. 

Seattle Prep came away with a six-point win over Metro League rival Bishop Blanchet in the 3A boys race, 75-81, as the Panthers won their first state cross country for the first time since the 200 season. Junior’s Jack Henzke and Liam Riley both ran for top-10 finishes as Henzke crossed the tape first for Seattle Prep in fifth place in a time of 15:54 and Riley was seventh in 16:02.5. Sophomore Hudson Atrosh cracked the podium stand too, finishing 15th in 16:12.5. 

Lakes senior Cruize Corvin capped off his incredible career by capturing that illustrious title he’s been chasing for the last few seasons, winning the 3A boys race in the fastest boys time of the day in 15:30.1. Walla Walla’s Brody Hartley was second to Corvin in a time of 15:39.9.

Gig Harbor senior Reese Morkert used a late surge down the final homestretch to beat out Central Kitsap sophomore Clare Herring for the 3A girls individual title by a small margin of 18:24-18:24.1.

Sehome senior Zack Munson made his return to Pasco for the first time since his freshman season and came out this year a champion in a Sehome uniform for the final time as he won the 2A boys race in 15:37.1. Washougal junior Samuel Grice took second in the field, running 15:56.7.

Medical Lake senior Reid Headrick became the first boys cross country runner in the Cardinals program history to win the individual title as he took home the 1A crown in 16:01.5. Lynden Christian’s Andrew Luce finished second to Headrick, running 16:10.5. 

Junior Alexis Leone of Seton Catholic won the 1A girls individual title in easy fashion by 36 seconds as she ran 18:22.3 to repeat as champion. Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) won the team title for the first time since 2018 as they beat Overlake 94-101. Sophomore Sadie Meyring earned a runner-up finish individually in a time of 18:58.9 for the Eagles.

Tri-Cities Prep junior Ciaran St. Hilaire went onto win the 1B/2B boys individual title over Northwest Christian’s (Lacey) Asher Ingram by a margin of 16:27.4 to 16:50.1. Chewelah took home the team title, scoring 83 points to beat Pope John Paul II’s score of 121 points. Senior Cole Foster and junior Ty Crockett finished sixth and eighth, respectively, in times of 17:14.3 and 17:20.8 for the Cougars.

The Pope John Paul II girls completed a three-peat team championship in a close battle with Garfield-Palouse as the Eagles won 47-48. Senior Moriah Steinbrecher finished 11th in the field for PJP2 in a time of 21:46.5. St. George’s sophomore Josie McLaughlin captured the individual title in a time of 19:40.4.

Team Champions - 

Class 4A - Issaquah boys 58 points, Tahoma girls 116 points (tiebreaker) - 

Class 3A - Seattle Prep boys 75 points, Central Kitsap girls 70 points - 

Class 2A - Bellingham boys 86 points,Sehome girls 54 points - 

Class 1A - Bush School boys 95 points, Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) girls 94 points - 

Class 1B/2B - Chewelah boys 83 points, Pope John Paul II girls 47 points -