The Philomath High girls cross-country team showed Thursday that classification doesn’t mean much on a 5-kilometer course.
The Class 4A Warriors won the team title at the Grant Robison Invitational at Joe Dancer Park in McMinnville, finishing ahead of a 20-team field that included various 5A and 6A programs. Philomath scored 67 points to edge Jesuit (79), and the rest of the top five was all 6A as well, with Mountainside (94), Sunset (120) and Tualatin (141) following.
PHS junior Cassidy Smart led the way by winning the individual title in 18:19.2, which was 17.5 seconds ahead of Mountainside junior Grace Keene. Freshman Olivia Hernandez placed third with a time of 18:59.4.
Philomath’s depth sealed the victory. Sophomore Sienna Bushnell placed 18th in 20:29.3, junior Reagan Nuño was 21st in 20:38.7 and junior Libby Kramer finished 27th in 20:51.3 to complete the scoring five. Sophomore Piper Pedder (31st, 21:02.1) and senior Ava Panico (120th, 24:38.9) also ran in the varsity race.
On the boys side, Philomath did not have a full lineup to qualify for team scoring. Senior Galen Murch was the top Warrior by placing 20th in 16:41.8. Freshmen Riggins Bushnell (49th, 17:28.0) and Warren Smart (76th, 18:08.7) and sophomore Cameron Barlow (125th, 19:23.9) also competed in the varsity race.
Sunset won the boys team title with 73 points, followed by Wilsonville (83) and Mountainside (107). Tillamook senior Diego Velazquez won the individual race in 15:44.1.
PHS sophomore Milo Morrison finished first in what could be called a JV2 race — runners with times of 22 minutes and over were included. Morrison covered the course in 20:44.6.
Philomath’s next meet will be the Paul Mariman Invitational on the school’s home course on Oct. 10. The meet will include a two-mile race for middle schoolers (girls at 11 a.m., boys at 11:30 a.m.) and 5-kilometer races for junior varsity (girls at 1 p.m., boys at 1:30 p.m.) and varsity (girls at 2 p.m., boys at 2:30 p.m.).
Grant Robison Invitational
Thursday, Oct. 1, at Joe Dancer Park, McMinnville
BOYS
TEAM SCORING—1, Sunset 73; 2, Wilsonville 83; 3, Mountainside 107; 4, Knappa 139; 5, Oregon City 161; 6, Tualatin 173; 7, McMinnville 186; 8, Crescent Valley 226; 9, Tigard 294; 10, Valley Catholic 304; 11, Forest Grove 315; 12, Roseburg 372; 13, McNary 396; 14, Centennial 396; 15, Glencoe 400; 16, Central 404; 17, Tillamook 410; 18, Silverton 433; 19, Astoria 491; 20, Western Christian 549; 21, Seaside 598; 22, Westside Christian 619; 23, Woodburn 639; 24, Riverside-WLWV 722.
Note: Philomath did not have a full lineup to qualify for team scoring.
PHS RESULTS
VARSITY—20, Galen Murch, 16:41.8; 49, Riggins Bushnell, 17:28.0; 76, Warren Smart, 18:08.7; 125, Cameron Barlow, 19:23.9.
JUNIOR VARSITY (22:00 and Over)—1, Milo Morrison, 20:44.6; 136, Rex Sederlin, 26:54.6.
GIRLS
TEAM SCORING—1, Philomath 67; 2, Jesuit 79; 3, Mountainside 94; 4, Sunset 120; 5, Tualatin 141; 6, McMinnville 162; 7, Tigard 165; 8, Dallas 187; 9, Wilsonville 278; 10, Forest Grove 280; 11, Roseburg 306; 12, Silverton 329; 13, Crescent Valley 403; 14, Valley Catholic 405; 15, Glencoe 406; 16, Tillamook 420; 17, Astoria 447; 18, Western Christian 534; 19, Oregon City 545; 20, Woodburn 598.
PHS RESULTS
VARSITY—1, Cassidy Smart, 18:19.2; 3, Olivia Hernandez, 18:59.4; 18, Sienna Bushnell, 20:29.3; 21, Reagan Nuño, 20:38.7; 27, Libby Kramer, 20:51.3; 31, Piper Pedder, 21:02.1; 120, Ava Panico, 24:38.9.
JUNIOR VARSITY—53, Denae Imlach, 26:23.7; 79, Addie Kowalewski, 27:27.0; 86, Scarlet Panico, 27:51.3; 105, Wren Pope, 28:31.5.