Girls cross country: Saint George's Regan Thomas finishes second in quest for repeat state title

PASCO – Regan Thomas thought she had found the form that had eluded her after being derailed by a stress fracture that occurred just before state track.

As it turned out, Thomas never found it. But she displayed the herculean grit that has carried her this season. The Saint George’s senior, the State 2B/1B champ last year, took second in a time of 18 minutes, 51.4 seconds at the Sun Willows Golf Course.

Freshman Grace Walsh of Manson pulled away from Thomas in the second mile, winning in a time of 18:22.0.

“My coach always says it’s hard to repeat as state champion,” Thomas said. “The competition was a lot tougher this year. But I fell apart.”

A stress fracture kept Thomas sidelined through the summer, and she lost out on building a base. At the district meet, Thomas ran 18 minutes flat.

“I thought, ‘Wow, OK, this is me,’ ” Thomas said. “My goal was to give it all I had and I did and that’s all I can ask.”

Liberty Bell won with 94 points. Chewelah took second with 106. Saint George’s finished fifth (154), a spot out of a trophy.

Amber Eppel led Chewelah, taking third (19:13.2). Delaney Nachreiner of Saint George’s was fourth (19:28.4) and Audrey Santman of Freeman took fifth (19:39.1).

4A: Mead took third with 158 points. Issaquah won with 100.

Sophomore Erin McMahon of Gonzaga Prep took 11th (18:48.2).

Claire Philips led Mead, placing 25th.

3A: Jane Wycoff capped a sensational season by improving 13 places.

Wycoff, 18th a year ago, was in third with about 100 meters to go, but she was caught and took fifth (18:26.5).

Mt. Spokane took fifth with 165 points. Mercer Island won with 100.

“I battled well. I gave it my very best,” Wycoff said. “I’m proud of that. I started to kind of kick at the end, but then they sped up and caught me.”

1A: Lakeside took second with 117 points, 10 behind winner Meridian. Medical Lake was third (130).

Kaylee Dennler of Medical Lake took fourth (19:25.8).

Jillian Owen led Lakeside, finishing 20th.