The East Jefferson Cross Country teams traveled to Lakewood High School October 7 to compete in the 41st Annual Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational, Alice Fraser wrote The Leader. Athletes competed throughout the day over a fast 5k course in temperatures up to 82 degrees. There were a total of 4,971 athletes registered to compete from schools ranging from WA, CA, WY, NV, MT, OR, ID, and BC,Canada.

The Rivals first competed in the Men’s JV Bronze which fielded 457 competitors. Sophomore Grady White was the top EJ finisher in 47th place with a time of 21:20. He was followed by freshmen Nico Errrichetti, who placed 51st with a personal record (PR) time of 21:27 and Kepler Edmundson (166th, PR 22:55). The JV team placed 27th out of 40 teams.

In the Men’s JV Silver race, the Rivals freshman Silas Klontz and sophome Dustin Hines finished together with Klontz taking 73rd out of 392 runners in a PR time of 20:08.8 and Hines 74th in 20:08.9.

The Women’s Varsity Silver race had 343 competitors and senior Sylvia Butterfield led the EJ girls with a 103rd place finish and a time of 22:22. Sophomores Leah Ferland (123rd, PR 22:42) and Michael Gregg (250th, 24:47) were the next two Rivals to finish.

Senior team captain Indigo Gould led the Rivals entered in the Men’s Varsity Silver race. Out of 351 competitors, Gould ran a PR time of 18:18 to take 72nd place. Freshman Josh Yearian (98th, 18:34) and senior Henri Huber (11th, 18:41) rounded out the EJ finishers in that division.

Soare Johnston was the sole EJ competitor in the Men’s Varsity Gold race. The race included 322 competitors and junior Johnston placed 48th in a time of 16:59.

In the last race of the day for EJXC, two senior girls raced in the Elite Women's division. Competing at the hottest point in the day, Aliyah Yearian raced to a 13th place finish in 18:24 out of the 155 competitors. She was followed by Fiona Fraser who placed 38th in 19:14. Yearian now holds the top 1A girls ranking in Washington state with Fraser in 2nd.

The next race for the Rivals is at the Port Townsend Golf Course on Tuesday Oct 17. Girls will race at 4 pm and boys at 4:45 pm.

East Jefferson harriers feel the Payne

The East Jefferson Cross Country squad competed in the 27th John Payne Invitational at Chambers Bay Golf Course in Union Bay Saturday. All competitors ran a rolling, mostly grass 5k course with The Junior Varsity Boys competing first. Senior Henri Huber was the first EJ competitor with a 8th place overall finish out of 299 runners in a personal record (PR) time of 18:10. He led the boys team to a 6th place overall finish out of 42 teams. He was followed by freshman Joshua Yearian (19th, PR 18:48), senior Indigo Gould (25th, PR 18:36), freshman Noah Isenberg (26th, PR 18:38), and sophomore Dustin Hines (92nd, PR 19:41).

In the Junior Varsity Girls race, senior Sylvia Butterfield led the girls to a 6th place overall team finish out of 22 teams. Butterfield took 6th place overall out of 184 competitors with a time of 21:49. She was followed by sophomore Leah Ferland (29th, PR 22:59), senior Tadu Dollarhide (29th, 24:07), and sophomores Hilina Taylor-Lenz (58th, 24:16) and Michal Gregg (60th, PR 24:21).

Junior Soare Johnston competed in the Boys Varsity Division 1 race where he placed 24th out of 178 in a time of 16:46 for a seasonal best time.

In the Girls Varsity Division 1 race senior Fiona Fraser was the top EJ finisher taking 6th place out of 109 runners in a PR time of 18:43. She was followed by senior team mate Aliyah Yearian who placed 7th in 18:44. Their performances currently have Fraser and Yearian ranked as number one and three in 1A in Washington state.

In the final race for Rival runners, freshman Luci Sarti led the boys in the Boys Junior Varsity Open team with a 63rd place finish out of 210 runners and a PR time of 21:45. He was followed by fellow freshmen Nico Errichetti (74th, PR 22:01), Kepler Edmundson (116th, PR 23:13), sophomore Oliver Moore (128th, 23:38), and junior Morgan Hanson (132nd, PR 23:58).