EUGENE — One of Philomath High’s top runners ran with nothing to lose. The other had a title to defend and a lot on her mind.
Olivia Hernandez, a freshman, came to the state meet with no nerves at all.
“I was going in like, this is my first year — let’s just show how fast I can do it,” she said.
Gallery: PHS cross-country at 4A championships (Nov. 7, 2026)
A collection of photos from Philomath High boys and girls cross-country at the 4A championships in Eugene on Saturday.
Cassidy Smart, a junior, was back from an injury-related layoff that kept her out of most of October. Her body felt fine but she admits the mental challenges of the sport got the best of her.
“My breathing was a little crazy, but that was because I was panicking in my head,” Smart said afterward, adding. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Hernandez finished third and Smart fifth at Lane Community College on Saturday to lead Philomath to second place at the Class 4A State Championships. La Grande won the girls team title with 51 points, and the Warriors scored 80, ahead of Banks (92) and Scappoose (101).
“They’re better than us,” Philomath coach Joe Fulton said when asked what separated the two teams. “La Grande is just a better team than we are. I don’t know what they’re doing over there — training at altitude, I suppose.”
Philomath improved on its third-place finish from last year, and Fulton noted it was the program’s seventh top-three trophy in the last eight years. Over that span, the girls have won two titles, finished second three times and placed third twice.
“I’m proud of the girls finishing second when you’re racing against a team that good,” Fulton said. “Nothing to be ashamed of. I know they’re a little disappointed.”
Scappoose freshman Katherine Kessi won the race in 18:14.3 after shooting out to a big early lead.
“After the first kilometer, I couldn’t believe how fast she took off,” Fulton said. “She did take it out a little quick and paid for it a bit, because the rest of the field closed on her.”
Hernandez, who won the district title last week, said her plan was to stick with Smart as long as she could.
“I’m just going to pretend there’s a string connected to us,” Hernandez said. “If we fall apart, then that’s it. But if I can stay as close as I can, as long as I can, I think I’ll do pretty good.”
Hernandez came onto the track running even with Banks sophomore Molly Schoolmeester. Over the final 300 meters, Schoolmeester had the stronger finish at 18:30.7 with Hernandez crossing in 18:38.8.
“Olivia, of course, ran out of her head,” Fulton said. “I had a feeling she was going to get caught on the track, because that Schoolmeester gal who took second has a good kick. But to finish third and fifth, that’s not bad at all.”
Smart, who won the individual state title last year, finished in 18:52.5. Her plan was to run with the lead pack and not let Kessi get too far ahead.
“I knew there was going to be a front pack, and then probably this one girl would be way out front, like she was,” Smart said. “So I didn’t really want to give her over a 50-meter lead or anything.”
Smart sat out the Oregon West Conference meet and spent the past week training on a bike instead of running. She believed she had kept her fitness, and that made the race harder to take.
“The thing that made me mad is I think I did stay in shape,” Smart said. “I’ve been doing the elliptical and biking a lot. So I thought I’d do better out here, and then I wasn’t, so that made me panic a little bit.”
Fulton said the time off showed.
“I was just happy that Cassidy could make it through,” he said. “She was not fresh. If she’d been running, I think she would have had a better race.”
Sophomore Sienna Bushnell was Philomath’s No. 3 runner by finishing 24th in 20:17.2. Sophomore Piper Pedder (35th) and junior Reagan Nuño (36th) finished 1.3 seconds apart to complete the scoring five. Freshman Sienna Smith (55th) and junior Libby Kramer (61st) also ran.
The Warriors’ gap between their No. 1 and No. 5 runners was 2:09.5, compared with La Grande’s 1:15.8.
“Obviously, first would have been nice,” Hernandez said. “I think we had the potential to do it. But I think the start is where we fell a little bit. We weren’t as close together.”
With no seniors in the top seven, Fulton already has his eye on 2027. La Grande loses its No. 3 runner, senior Frances Edelen, and Banks loses senior Lydia Shellman, who was fourth.
“They coalesced as a team,” Fulton said. “They like one another. They know they’re good, and they’re going to keep working at it. And now they’ve got a big goal for next year, because they’re all back.”
Then he added, “We might have to do a little altitude training. Might have to start working out on top of Marys Peak.”
Boys make the top 10
The Philomath boys, who reached state as a wild card after finishing second at districts, placed 10th with 222 points. That was one point ahead of Scappoose (223) and well ahead of Oregon West Conference rival Central (270).
Senior Galen Murch led the Warriors by finishing 17th in 16:48.5.
“If you look at last track season, how poorly he was running,” Fulton said. “He couldn’t even place in the district meet in track and field. Then all of a sudden, he comes roaring back and finishes 17th at state. Very proud of Galen. He had a great race, and he was a good team leader for this very young team.”
Murch said he was aiming for the top 10 but was happy with his finish. The toughest part came on the second trip up the course’s big hill.
“It took a lot to get back up to pace, and I really had to talk to myself positively,” Murch said. “That’s a really easy place to give up, especially because you still have so long to go.”
Freshman Riggins Bushnell was Philomath’s No. 2 runner, placing 35th in 17:25.7. Freshman Warren Smart (56th), senior Oakley Pausch (75th) and freshman Braven Beard (82nd) completed the scoring. Sophomores Cameron Barlow (92nd) and Milo Morrison (93rd) also ran.
“We’re lucky to get here, and they got the experience,” Fulton said. “They learned a lot today.”
La Grande won the boys title with 72 points, ahead of Molalla (101) and Valley Catholic (128). Marist senior Corbin Sage won the individual title in 15:18.9.
Murch, running his last cross-country race for Philomath, sees a bright future for the boys program.
“I definitely think we’ll have a good team a couple years down the line,” he said. “A shot at winning state, for sure.”
He added that his high school running isn’t quite over.
“It’s been an honor. I love my team,” Murch said. “I’m happy we still have track and that most of our team is doing that, so it’s not the final goodbye.”
Class 4A State Championships
Saturday at Lane Community College, Eugene
BOYS
TEAM SCORING—1, La Grande 72; 2, Molalla 101; 3, Valley Catholic 128; 4, Klamath Union 138; 5, Cottage Grove 138; 6, Stayton 164; 7, Phoenix 168; 8, Pendleton 172; 9, Marist 172; 10, Philomath 222; 11, Scappoose 223; 12, Central 270.
PHS RESULTS—17, Galen Murch, 16:48.5; 35, Riggins Bushnell, 17:25.7; 56, Warren Smart, 17:55.9; 75, Oakley Pausch, 18:39.0; 82, Braven Beard, 19:02.1; 92, Cameron Barlow, 20:10.2; 93, Milo Morrison, 21:01.9.
GIRLS
TEAM SCORING—1, La Grande 51; 2, Philomath 80; 3, Banks 92; 4, Scappoose 101; 5, Klamath Union 159; 6, The Dalles 167; 7, Marist 178; 8, Cottage Grove 198; 9, Phoenix 203; 10, Stayton 218; 11, Marshfield 253; 12, Estacada 293.
PHS RESULTS—3, Olivia Hernandez, 18:38.8; 5, Cassidy Smart, 18:52.5; 24, Sienna Bushnell, 20:17.2; 35, Piper Pedder, 20:47.0; 36, Reagan Nuño, 20:48.3; 55, Sienna Smith, 21:34.7; 61, Libby Kramer, 21:51.8.
