Philomath High senior Leo Pausch shattered a 43-year-old school record Saturday at the Mook Cross-Country Invite.
Competing at Alderbrook Golf Course in Tillamook, Pausch finished the 5-kilometer course in 15 minutes, 10.5 seconds and placed fourth in the “Gold Varsity” race. The previous school record of 15:34.4 had been set by Michael Miner in 1982.
Earlier this year, Miner was inducted into the Philomath High School Hall of Fame.
“Fast course and great competition,” PHS coach Joe Fulton said. “The kids raced their hearts out.”
In addition to Pausch, Philomath also saw senior Lukas Hernandez move up to No. 5 on the school’s all-time list with a 15:58.3. Hernandez’s time of 15:58.3 was good for 20th individually in the race, which was loaded with running talent from Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
The team’s No. 3 runner, junior Galen Murch, had a PR as well with 16:12.0, which was good for 44th. Murch’s time also cracked the school’s all-time top 10 at No. 7.
Also running on varsity for the Warriors were junior Jacob Hernandez (118th, 17:34.9) and sophomore Sammy Hernandez (129th, 17:56.9) — both of those were PRs.
In the team standings, Philomath was 12th out of the 23 schools that had full teams. The Warriors ran the minimum five in the varsity race.
Central Catholic won the meet with Star Valley (Wyoming) finishing runner-up.
For the girls, Philomath’s top runner was not available to compete and the Warriors had just four entries in the varsity race. Freshman Sienna Bushnell was 26th in 19:36.2, sophomore Reagan Nuño finished 40th in 19:53.5, sophomore Libby Kramer ended up 71st in 20:33.2 and junior Ava Panico was 142nd in 22:20.8. All four of those times were PRs.
The times turned in by Bushnell and Nuño ranks 11th and 12th, respectively, on the team’s all-time list.
West Valley out of Yakima, Washington, was the team champion and Lincoln High from Seattle finished second.
Philomath’s next meet is scheduled for Sept. 27 at the Willamette Golden Hour 5K in Eugene.
PHS at The Mook XC Invite
Saturday, Sept. 20, at Alderbrook Golf Course, Tillamook
Boys
Team scoring: 1, Central Catholic 84; 2, Star Valley (Wyo.) 102; 3, Westview 182; 4, Clackamas 201; 5, Lake Oswego 225; 6, Siuslaw 232; 7, West Valley (Wash.) 263; 8, Neah-Kah-Nie 264; 9, Adrienne Nelson 265; 10, Oregon City 267; 11, Molalla 298; 12, Philomath 300; 13, Lincoln (Wash.) 314; 14, Ridgefield (Wash.) 317; 15, Hockinson (Wash.) 350; 16, Glencoe 371; 17, Newberg 385; 18, Meridian (Wash.) 415; 19, Washougal (Wash.) 437; 20, Tigard 440; 21, Liberty 479; 22, Hudson’s Bay (Wash.) 528; 23, North Salem 539.
PHS varsity results: 4, Leo Pausch, 15:10.5; 20, Lukas Hernandez, 15:58.3; 44, Galen Murch, 16:12.0; 118, Jacob Hernandez, 17:34.9; 129, Sammy Hernandez, 17:56.9.
JV results: 13, Braeden Colvin, 18:33.8; 32, Oakley Pausch, 19:02.1; 64, Everett Ferguson, 19:38.6; 78, Cameron Barlow, 19:48.8; 93, Milo Morrison, 20:00.6; 186, Wyatt Coen, 21:22.3; 228, Maddox Olsen, 21:55.7;
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Girls
Team scoring: 1, West Valley (Wash.) 69; 2, Lincoln (Wash.) 81; 3, Ida B. Wells 112; 4, Star Valley (Wyo.) 153; 5, Meridian 194; 6, Franklin 194; 7, Cleveland 206; 8, Squalicum (Wash.) 262; 9, Grant 267; 10, Central Catholic 268; 11, Bellarmine Prep (Wash.) 315; 12, Cedar Park Christian (Wash.) 319; 13, Ridgefield 342; 14, Clackamas 345; 15, Molalla 349; 16, Adrienne Nelson 375; 17, McMinnville 379; 18, Scappoose 398; 19, Siuslaw 406; 20, North Salem 466; 21, Newberg 518; 22, Catlin Gabel 602.
PHS varsity results: 26, Sienna Bushnell, 19:36.2; 40 Reagan Nuño, 19:53.5; 71, Libby Kramer, 20:33.2; 142, Ava Panico, 22:20.8.
JV results: 13, Pyper Rutland, 22:41.5; 54, Addie Kowalewski, 23:56.0.
For complete meet results, click here.