CdA, Mead boys hope to make a splash at Nike Cross Regional at Spokane Polo Grounds

The best high school cross country meet in the Pacific Northwest – and probably the most entertaining – takes place this weekend in Airway Heights.

The Nike Cross Regional, previously rooted in the Boise area, has been transplanted for a year to the Spokane Polo Grounds. This time next year, it will be held at its new home - The Course Spokane Valley.

NXR is a qualifier for Nike Cross Nationals.

Fifteen races begin unfolding Friday afternoon starting at 2:50 p.m., and conclude Saturday afternoon with the elite girls and boys championship showdowns, with the girls going at 2:15 p.m., capped by the boys at 2:55.

The top two boys and girls teams automatically qualify for NXR, which is Dec. 6 in Portland. The top five individuals not on qualifying teams also earn invitations to Portland.

Additionally, four at-large team berths are available. The Southwest region, near Phoenix, grabbed two of the four additional berths last year.

Because the boys field for NXR Spokane is so deep, an additional berth could be had, NXR regional meet director Ryan Canning said. He said a committee selects the at-large berths.

The Coeur d’Alene boys are seeking a second straight championship. Two weeks ago, they crushed the Idaho State 6A field, winning with four runners getting sub-15-minute times on the Lewis Clark State College course. Junior Wyatt Carr was second, sophomore teammate Rowan Henry was third and senior teammate Mitchell Reitze took fourth.

At the Washington state championship meets last weekend, Mead’s boys established themselves as possible Coeur d’Alene’s main threat. Mead, like, Coeur d’Alene, hammered the field with all five of its scoring runners finishing in the top 20.

“Coeur d’Alene is the favorite; look at how the state meet went,” Canning said. “They’ve proven it throughout the whole year. Mead just put themselves in the conversation. They absolutely dominated at state.”

Canning said others in the mix include Jesuit of Portland, Rocky Mountain of Meridian, Idaho, and Bozeman (Montana).

Canning is hopeful that Mead can challenge.

“It would be really cool if Mead made it the first year we come to Spokane,” Canning said. “It would be a fitting kick off and nod back to the good old days.”

Jesuit is ranked second in the nation and Coeur d’Alene is third.

Coeur d’Alene coach Emry Carr knows it will take his team’s best to prevail.

“NXR is going to be a dog fight,” Carr said. “Jesuit, Summit, Mead, Crater and others are all really good teams. If we run like we’ve been running we’ll be in the mix for the title for sure, but we have to execute.”

Mead coach Austin Stuchell is excited for his team to race one more time Saturday.

“We’ll be trying to earn something if there’s something to be earned,” Stuchell said. “We want to be the best in Washington. We know Oregon and Idaho have some great teams. We train for the end of the season, not the middle.”

Sehome, which has won five straight Washington 2A state titles, is the favorite in the girls. Lincoln of Portland, which won the Battle for the 509 on the same course in early October, and Rocky Mountain are teams to watch.

Admission is $10.

Canning expects scorching times on the flat course.

Canning, who lives in the Boise area, drove to Spokane on Monday to begin preparation for the races. The course was marked and set up Wednesday and Thursday.

More than 4,000 runners will compete in the 15 races, an increase over last year.

“We increased slightly so that’s a big win,” Canning said. “To throw people a wrinkle and change sites and still be able to grow speaks volumes to what NXR has become.”