Cassidy Smart crossed the finish line first and the Philomath girls cross-country team followed her lead by winning the team title Saturday at The Ultimook Race at The Hydrangea Ranch near Tillamook.
In the eight years that Philomath has competed in the meet, the girls have won the title five times. The other three years they settled for runner-up.
Smart, a junior, won the individual race in 18:48.25 — roughly 20 seconds faster than the winning time she posted a year ago when she claimed the individual title.
Philomath scored 39 points to easily outdistance the field of 28 teams. Fountain Valley (Calif.) was second with 103 points, followed by Oregon Episcopal (109), Stayton (172) and Cottage Grove (191).
Behind Smart, the Warriors placed four more runners in the top 30 to seal the team win. Freshman Olivia Hernandez was third in 19:30.10, sophomore Piper Pedder finished 10th in 20:47.71, sophomore Sienna Bushnell was 11th in 21:01.78, and junior Reagan Nuño placed 27th in 22:04.81. Junior Libby Kramer rounded out the varsity scorers with 49th in 23:15.31.
The Hydrangea Ranch course is designed to give runners a demanding, old-school cross-country experience, featuring two shallow but wide river crossings and a mud pit that has claimed more than a few shoes over the years. The course also includes about a mile of wood-chipped trail and a half-mile stretch of packed gravel.
The varsity boys ran in a torrential downpour, Philomath coach Joe Fulton said. The Warriors finished eighth out of 41 teams with 270 points. Knappa won the team title with 75 points, edging Neah-Kah-Nie (79) for the crown. Washougal (Wash.) was third with 165 points.
Senior Galen Murch led Philomath by placing 24th in 18:18.68. He was followed by freshman Riggins Bushnell (37th, 18:52.10), freshman Warren Smart (53rd, 19:43.98), freshman Braven Beard (80th, 20:34.10) and sophomore Cameron Barlow (94th, 21:07.41).
Philomath returns to action Wednesday at the Country Fair Classic in Veneta.
The Ultimook Race
Saturday, Sept. 5, at The Hydrangea Ranch, Tillamook
BOYS
TEAM SCORING—1, Knappa, 75; 2, Neah-Kah-Nie, 79; 3, Washougal (Wash.), 165; 4, Stayton, 185; 5, Fountain Valley (Calif.), 188; 6, Kingston (Wash.), 247; 7, Kennewick (Wash.), 249; 8, Philomath, 270; 9, College Place (Wash.), 287; 10, Cottage Grove, 303; 11, Connell (Wash.), 315; 12, Kelso (Wash.), 398; 13, Estacada, 408; 14, Tillamook, 425; 15, Coupeville (Wash.), 520; 16, Newport, 533; 17, Toppenish (Wash.), 535; 18, Marshfield, 542; 19, Stanfield, 556; 20, Crosshill Christian, 576; 21, Sisters, 601; 22, Glide, 606; 23, Three Rivers Christian (Wash.), 611; 24, Portland Christian, 623; 25, Cascade, 655; 26, Gladstone, 671; 27, R.A. Long (Wash.), 690; 28, Clatskanie, 693; 29, Phoenix, 696; 30, Western Christian, 697; 31, Stevenson (Wash.), 703; 32, Riverdale, 724; 33, Culver, 786; 34, Madras, 831; 35, Horizon Christian, 838; 36, Seaside, 898; 37, McLoughlin, 932; 38, Scio, 937; 39, Rainier, 1036; 40, Gervais, 1069; 41, Fort Vancouver (Wash.), 1074.
PHS Results
VARSITY—24, Galen Murch, 18:18.68; 37, Riggins Bushnell, 18:52.10; 53, Warren Smart, 19:43.98; 80, Braven Beard, 20:34.10; 94, Cameron Barlow, 21:07.41
JV—28, Oakley Pausch, 21:32.29; 51, Milo Morrison, 22:23.58; 111, Mika Laukkanen Raskauskas, 24:23.47.
GIRLS
TEAM SCORING—1, Philomath, 39; 2, Fountain Valley (Calif.), 103; 3, Oregon Episcopal, 109; 4, Stayton, 172; 5, Cottage Grove, 191; 6, Glide, 210; 7, Catlin Gabel, 261; 8, Washougal (Wash.), 283; 9, College Place (Wash.), 304; 10, Stevenson (Wash.), 332; 11, Tillamook, 352; 12, Kingston (Wash.), 358; 13, Madras, 388; 14, Kelso (Wash.), 389; 15, Marshfield, 415; 16, Gladstone, 428; 17, Estacada, 446; 18, Phoenix, 476; 19, Cascade, 492; 20, Crosshill Christian, 504; 21, Western Christian, 506; 22, Mountain View (Wash.), 544; 23, R.A. Long (Wash.), 580; 24, Horizon Christian, 583; 25, Coupeville (Wash.), 588; 26, Evergreen (Wash.), 596; 27, North Mason (Wash.), 618; 28, Portland Christian, 728.
PHS Results
VARSITY—1, Cassidy Smart, 18:48.25; 3, Olivia Hernandez, 19:30.10; 10, Piper Pedder, 20:47.71; 11, Sienna Bushnell, 21:01.78; 27, Reagan Nuño, 22:04.81; 49, Libby Kramer, 23:15.31.
JV—7, Ava Panico, 24:47.56; 8, Pyper Rutland, 25:19.82; 17, Scarlet Panico, 26:39.17; 19, Cassidy Grubbs, 26:41.41; 24, Addie Kowalewski, 27:36.73; 40, Denae Imlach, 29:50.86; 42, Wren Pope, 30:01.45.