State cross country preview: Top-ranked Mead boys hope to end Panthers title drought; St. George's Regan Thomas aims to repeat in 2B girls

Eastern Washington high school cross country athletes should be well represented at the state meets Saturday.

Certainly that has happened before, considering the region’s love affair with the sport. When all is concluded at Sun Willow Golf Course in Pasco, though, there should be much to be celebrated.

Here’s a look at the area teams and runners that will contend for trophies and medals.

4A boys

Race at 3 p.m. Defending team champ: Lewis and Clark.

Mead has been ranked No. 1 all season and has a similar recipe to success as state champ Lewis and Clark did a year ago – a tight pack. It’s been 17 years since the once powerhouse Panthers won a state title. That drought could end Saturday.

Seniors Jovanny Lieb and Jonah Wiser and sophomore Stejer Franklin have consistently led Mead this season. Filling out the scoring lineup is junior Aaron Pooler and senior Noah Reischman.

Their best pack during the regular season was 41.2 seconds. At the District 6 meet last Saturday, they were a season-best 26.2 seconds apart. The separation will be greater in a larger field at state, but if the Panthers are within 40 seconds of each other, they’ll secure the title.

Franklin led Mead on Saturday.

“We’re definitely going to try to close up the gap (at state),” Franklin said. “There’s definitely more left to give.”

Gonzaga Prep freshman Miro Parr-Coffin and senior teammate Zach Frazier finished 1-2 at district and will contend for a state title.

“My goal for state is top three,” said Parr-Coffin, who was consistently the top runner in the Greater Spokane League during the regular season.

4A girls

Race at 1:30 p.m. Defending team champ: Mt. Si.

No area team will challenge for a state title, but Mead and Gonzaga Prep will contend for a trophy. In the final coaches rankings Sunday, Mead was tabbed eighth.

Gonzaga Prep sophomores Erin McMahon and Claire Gee will contend for medals.

3A boys

Race at 2:30 p.m. Defending team champ: Mercer Island.

Mt. Spokane has featured teams with individuals who were threats to win individual state titles. No Wildcat will be in a title chase, but Mt. Spokane should contend for a championship.

The Wildcats will have to run better than they did at district. They were ranked third in the poll this week behind Mercer Island and Shorewood. Cheney was ranked fifth.

Mt. Spokane must tighten its pack to have a golden finish Saturday.

Wildcats coach Scott Daratha knows that he has a team that could bring home a trophy. But he doesn’t want his team to settle for anything less than striving for a state title.

“You go there with the idea you’re going to win it,” Daratha said. “We’ll do everything we believe we can do. We know the workouts we’re going to do and what we’re trying to accomplish.”

3A girls

Race at 1 p.m. Defending team champ: Mercer Island. Defending individual champ: Sophia Rodriguez, Mercer Island.

Mt. Spokane and University have waged a tug of war this season. The Titans beat the Wildcats during the GSL dual season and the Wildcats turned the table Saturday at district.

So the state title should break the tie and settle the season score. Both teams will contend for trophies. Mt. Spokane took fourth last year and U-Hi was seventh.

2A boys

Race at 12:30 p.m. Defending team champ: Sehome. Defending individual champ: Dylan Rowell, Anacortes.

It was a down year for area teams. No team has been ranked this season. No runner is ranked among the top 50.

2A girls

Race at 10:30 a.m. Defending team champ: Sehome. Defending individual champ: Lil Desler, Sehome.

It was a down year for area teams. No team has been ranked this season. Ada Harris of Pullman, who won the district title, is ranked 37th.

1A boys 

Race at noon. Defending team champ: Cedar Park Christian.

Lakeside and Colville finished 1-2 at the Bi-District meet last Saturday. They have a big hill to climb to finish among the top four at state.

Lakeside is ranked seventh and Colville eighth.

1A girls

Race at 10 a.m. Defending team champ: Cedar Park Christian.

Lakeside and Medical Lake finished 1-2 at the Bi-District meet last Saturday. Lakeside, second a year ago at state, is ranked second and could push favored Meridian. Medical Lake is ranked fifth.

2B boys

Race at 11:30 a.m. Defending team champ: Cle Elum-Roslyn.

Chewelah and Freeman will challenge for trophies. Chewelah is ranked fourth and Freeman is fifth.

2B/1B girls

Race at 9:30 a.m. Defending team champ: Rainier. Defending individual champ: Regan Thomas, Saint George’s.

Thomas is favored to capture a second straight state title. She hopes to lead the Dragons to a state title.

This could be one of the toughest battles for the team title across all classifications. Chewelah knocked off Saint George’s at district and rose to No. 1 and the Dragons were tabbed second.

1B boys

Race at 11 a.m. Defending team champ: Valley Christian.

Pope John Paul II is ranked first ahead of Valley Christian.

Ambulatory boys

Race at 2 p.m. Defending individual champ: Jacob Hopkins, Cascade (Everett).

Brycen Phillips of Mt. Spokane should contend for a state title.