Our season is officially underway.  Last Thursday we traveled to Cascade High School for the Darrel Deedon Invitational.   Thirteen schools participated.  The weather was hot and windy; not exactly ideal conditions for distance running.  And although we had one of our smallest contingents ever (only 17 runners participated and 13 of them were boys) we still let everyone know that Philomath was in the meet.

First up was the JV girls and we entered Kindra Coleman and Kirsten Bovbjerg.  Kindra blasted out to the lead immediately and never trailed in a field of 29.  She was given a spirited challenge in the final 400 meters but she fought it off to win the 3000 meter race in 13:19.  Kirsten held on to third place for the first 1500 meters and ended up a respectable 5^th overall.

The JV boys were next and they took off like it was the conference championship with James Golston  leading the field of 41 runners.    Right behind James were Warriors Clark Hellesto, Xayd Magana and big Keith Larson (our track team’s star discus/shot man) in 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th.  Clark eventually pulled away for the victory and Xayd and James had a fantastic battle down the final stretch to place 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.  Keith held on for 6^th place and our only freshman runner, Jensen Davis, came roaring up from the pack to finish 7^th.  The low winning score of 19 points was just four shy of the lowest score possible in cross-country!  Our 6^th man was Jeremy Sieperda who ran a tough race placing 21^st.  It was a great start for our JV boys.

Unfortunately we did not have a full varsity girls’ team, which is so rare for Philomath that I can’t recall another time in my 31 years of coaching when it ever happened.  Nevertheless, the two runners who were able to race, Meaghan Alba and Tegan Weaver, had fantastic performances in what was the most talented and deep field in the meet.   Meaghan placed 4^th overall and Tegan was 8^th. We hope to have at least five girls available for Silver Creek Falls this Wednesday, but we may not see our entire girls’ team, as small as it is, until the Oregon City Invite on Sept. 20^th.

Last up was the varsity boys.  Mitchell Thomas had a solid performance finishing 2^nd overall in a field of 84 runners with a fine early-season time of 17:29.  Tim McIllroy showed great improvement thanks to consistent summer training and was 5^th overall.  Our soccer/cross-country star Clay Youker put on a mighty finishing kick to place 9^th.  Backing our top boys up were Kurt Foster in 25^th, Marcus Weaver in 28^th, Karl Hellesto in 36^th and Hunter Foster in 39^th.

Sara and I have been a bit concerned (OK downright depressed) over the small turnout for what is the most successful sports program in the history of PHS athletics.  But as is always the case, the athletes themselves renewed our spirits and reaffirmed once again why it is such an honor coaching PHS cross-country runners.  They have guts.  They have courage.  And they always rise to the occasion.

We hope to see all of you this Wednesday, Sept.10th at “The Monster.”

Chief Joe