VENETA — Crescent Valley sophomore Alexa Montgomery led for almost the entire race on a hot Wednesday afternoon at the Country Fair Classic, but Philomath junior Cassidy Smart caught her as the two runners emerged from the trees with about 100 meters to go.
Despite Smart’s late-race kick, Montgomery was able to recover and the two runners ended up leaning at the finish line together. CV’s Montgomery got the win by a slim margin of four-tenths of a second.
Gallery: PHS cross-country at Country Fair Classic (Sept. 9, 2026)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s appearance in the Country Fair Classic at Veneta on Wednesday.
Smart ran the course in 18:29.5, her fastest 5-kilometer time since last season’s Oregon West Conference Championships. The runner-up finish set the tone for a dominant day for the Philomath High girls, who leaned on their depth to score 42 points and win the 14-school meet going away.
“The depth is what’s important,” coach Joe Fulton said. “We needed it today because a couple of our girls weren’t feeling good out there. So the other girls stepped up and took over.”
The Warriors placed all seven varsity runners in the top 19 out of 101 finishers, well ahead of runner-up Crescent Valley (91 points) and third-place Glide (124). Cottage Grove (141) and West Albany (159) rounded out the top five.
Freshman Olivia Hernandez was right behind Smart in third at 18:53.0. Reagan Nuno (10th, 21:19.1), Sienna Bushnell (13th, 21:35.7) and Libby Kramer (16th, 21:49.0) completed the scoring lineup. Piper Pedder (18th, 21:57.5) and Sienna Smith (19th, 21:58.7) were right there in the mix as well as the sixth and seventh runners.
Smart said she didn’t feel as sharp as usual after starting fast, but pointed to the team’s depth as a source of confidence heading into the postseason.
“My overall strategy hasn’t changed,” Smart said. “Knowing that the team is deeper definitely gives me more confidence. With scoring, I know there are many more girls behind me backing me up.”
Smart, who spent part of her summer mountain biking and on an out-of-state excursion to Utah, said she’s felt better through her first two races this fall than she did at this point a year ago. She’s hoping to help the team to a state title this season, with a top-two individual finish of her own.
Hernandez, in her first high school cross-country season, said she isn’t feeling pressure despite an immediate impact on varsity.
“I just came into the season saying I’m going to do my best, give it all I have, and not too much pressure because I’m just a freshman,” Hernandez said. “I have many years to come.”
Both runners pointed to team chemistry as a strength this season.
“Sometimes we’re pushing one kid, especially with the workouts,” Hernandez said.
Philomath’s next meet is Sept. 19 at the Mook Invitational, which is staged on the Alderbrook Golf Course in Tillamook. The Warriors will face Klamath Union, Scappoose and Banks — three teams Fulton said Philomath will need to beat to win a state title. La Grande is the only team among the Warriors’ state contenders they won’t see before the postseason.
Murch leads young roster
The Philomath boys placed seventh of 15 teams with 197 points, well behind champion Cottage Grove (85), as the Warriors continue to rebuild with a young and thin roster.
Senior Galen Murch was Philomath’s top finisher, placing eighth in 17:17.9. Freshmen Riggins Bushnell (16th, 17:47.1) and Warren Smart (27th, 18:22.8) followed, with sophomore Cameron Barlow (73rd, 20:53.8) and freshman Braven Beard (84th, 22:01.9) rounding out the scoring five.
“We need more kids,” Fulton said. “If a kid is out and if Philomath High School wants to try their luck and make a team that could still conceivably go to state, we’ll take them. We’ve barely got enough kids to build a team.”
Fulton said he was pleased with the races Bushnell and Smart turned in, along with a solid effort from Murch.
Murch, in his final season, has been working through a breathing issue that he said limited him during track season last spring.
“This summer, my workouts were like I couldn’t breathe at all,” Murch said. “I’ve been working with a physical therapist, and that’s helped a lot. So I’m happy relative to how I have been, and I definitely think I can run a lot faster than that.”
Despite a roster with realistic expectations for the postseason, Murch said he’s embraced a leadership role with the team’s younger runners.
“I love my team. I love this season,” Murch said. “I’m really enjoying the leadership position, and there’s a lot of wonderful people on the team. I think our chances at state aren’t great, but we’ll do the best we can. Hopefully we can get a full five, and I’m hopeful with these freshmen.”
Country Fair Classic
Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Oregon Country Fair Grounds, Veneta
BOYS
TEAM SCORING—1, Cottage Grove 85; 2, Molalla 97; 3, Crescent Valley 102; 4, Sheldon (OR) 108; 5, Regis 141; 6, Marist 150; 7, Philomath 197; 8, Glide 218; 9, Estacada 219; 10, Elmira 252; 11, West Albany 263; 12, Churchill 279; 13, Marshfield 280; 14, Junction City 342; 15, Lebanon 384.
VARSITY—8, Galen Murch, 17:17.9; 16, Riggins Bushnell, 17:47.1; 27, Warren Smart, 18:22.8; 73, Cameron Barlow, 20:53.8; 84, Braven Beard, 22:01.9.
PHS JV—14, Oakley Pausch, 20:25.7; 26, Milo Morrison, 21:19.6; 76, Mika Laukkanen Raskauskas, 24:02.7.
GIRLS
TEAM SCORING—1, Philomath 42; 2, Crescent Valley 91; 3, Glide 124; 4, Cottage Grove 141; 5, West Albany 159; 6, Marist 186; 7, Sheldon (OR) 195; 8, Marshfield 203; 9, East Linn Christian 221; 10, Estacada 225; 11, Molalla 237; 12, Junction City 294; 13, Lebanon 308; 14, La Pine 365.
VARSITY—2, Cassidy Smart, 18:29.5; 3, Olivia Hernandez, 18:53.0; 10, Reagan Nuno, 21:19.1; 13, Sienna Bushnell, 21:35.7; 16, Libby Kramer, 21:49.0; 18, Piper Pedder, 21:57.5; 19, Sienna Smith, 21:58.7.
PHS JV—2, Pyper Rutland, 23:36.5; 4, Ava Panico, 25:32.8; 8, Addie Kowalewski, 26:16.0; 10, Cassidy Grubbs, 26:44.0; 16, Scarlet Panico, 27:30.7; 18, Denae Imlach, 27:48.4; 28, Wren Pope, 29:18.6.
