Sweet Home’s cross-country squads opened the season Saturday, Sept. 10, with the Newport Beach Run.
Although the Huskies didn’t place high in the standings, coach Billy Snow said he was pleased with their efforts.
“The kids ran very well. We were missing at least three kids who would figure into the scoring along with Jessica Trautwein not eligible to run until after Monday,” he said.
The final tally showed Sweet Home eighth among nine boys teams, led by Crescent Valley with 33. West Salem was second in 79, followed by Taft, Philomath, Central, Cascade (153), Newport, Sweet Home (192) and Mollala (209).
Top finisher for the Husky boys was Jess Keys in 18.24 for 21st place over the 5000-meter course. He was followed by Dallin Holden (19.09/37th), Anthony Ertsgaard (19.16/39th), Peter VanDerlip (19:22/40th) and Robert Callagan (20:32/55th).
Snow noted that the times were personal bests for all the Huskies who ran the course last year. He said that, with four runners under 20 minutes and one under 19, the Huskies’ goal is to pack their top five runners closer together and move up as a group.
“Jess Keys hit below 19 for only his second time ever,” he said. “Dallin was a minute faster that last year, Anthony 30 seconds faster, and Peter (who is not in shape yet because he has missed too much practice time) nine seconds faster. If they stay healthy and work, they’ll get much better.”
Snow said that he expects that boys team to improve if he adds Sam Bishop, who did not run Satruday, and moves Jake Smith, who ran 11:47 in the junior varsity 3000-meter race, to the varsity squad.
The Husky girls ran without a full team, as they were missing Jessica Trautwein in the girls varsity race.
Kambria Schumacher placed eighth in 21:20, followed closely by her sister Cassandra in ninth (6:54). Ashley Danielson was 26th in 23:17 and Staci Grove was 43rd in 25:54.
Snow said his results were somewhat incomplete, but among the finishers he had listed, Crescent Valley was first with 32 points, followed by Cascade with 99, Philomath (111) and Molalla (118).
“Cassandra had a great race, finishing just behind her sister. She really ran tough and had perhaps the best second half of the race as anyone ? boys or girls,” he said. “This is the first time Staci opened the season at 5000 meters.”
“On the girls, when Julia (Henthorne), Heidi Wilson, and Jessica run varsity, we will be stronger.”
Snow said the race showed that the Huskies can be competitive.
“On both sides ,we can lower our scores relative to our Capital Conferencer foes by
lowering times and bunching up our places,” he said. “When we get to the middle of
the pack, we are as astrong or stronger than the rest of the teams. It is getting that middle to move up in places as a pack.”