By James Day
The Kennedy High girls cross country team is coming off a third-place finish at last fall’s OSAA Class 3A-2A-1A meet.
It was the highest state finish ever for coach Steve Ritchie, now in his 15th year with the Trojans.
Kennedy returns three girls who were key members of that state-placing team, Lauren Stokley, Liana Bryde and Erin Wall. The trio finished 23rd, 35th and 55th at last year’s state meet.
Ritchie, whose team recently spent a weekend bonding and altitude training at Eagle Crest, said he still is trying to figure out the prospects for this year’s squad.
“It’s hard to tell,” he said. “Usually I have a pretty good sense by this time. This year is different. The goal for the girls remains to contend for state and win the district championship.”
The Trojan boys team was extremely young last season, Ritchie said.
Kennedy boys cross country team finished fourth in the district meet.
Ritchie said that perennial power East Linn Christian likely will win the district this season but that “it might be realistic” for his Trojans to finish second at districts and earn the second team spot to the state meet.
Kennedy will host its annual invitational meet at Silver Falls State Park on Wednesday, Sept. 12. The high school state meet is Nov. 3 at Lane Community College in Eugene.
Former Kennedy runner Leo Jines, who ran for Warner Pacific last season, has transferred to Western Oregon and hopes to run for the NCAA Division II Wolves this season.
The Silverton High School girls cross country team will feel the loss of talented runner Morgan Anderson, who won the Mid-Willamette Conference district championship and finished sixth at the OSAA Class 5A meet. Anderson will be running for Oregon State this fall.
The Foxes are more experienced on the boys side than the girls, this season, said coach Erik Cross.
Returning boys runners include seniors Morgan Coxen and Micah White and juniors Jonathan Sisley and Garrett Palmquist. Robbie Leparc had an outstanding freshman season, said Cross, and “will most definitely be an important contributor again this season.”
Juniors Kelly Faulhaber, McKenna Kuenzi and Meagan Ratliff return from last year’s girls squad, and they will be joined by talented freshman Maddie Fuhrman.
“Our goals are to train smart, stay healthy, and prepare to give the league our best performances at districts,” Cross said. “Keeping those goals as our focus, I believe, will result in exciting things happening at the end of the season.”
The Foxes also will run at the Sept. 12 Silver Falls race. The district meet is Oct. 27 at Willamette Mission State Park and the state meet is Nov. 3 at Lane Community College in Eugene.
