Prep Cross Country | Top runners get a prep for state meet

LAKEWOOD — For Trevor Thompson, the disappointment turned immediately into determination.

Thompson, a senior at Lindbergh High School in Renton, had his sights set on winning the Class 3A boys cross-country race Saturday in the Westside Classic at the American Lake Golf Course.

Instead, he faded in the final 400 meters and finished fifth as Kyle Boe of Columbia River ran off with the title in 15 minutes, 38.6 seconds — 25 seconds faster than Thompson, who went into the meet unbeaten against 3A runners in Washington.

"I was pumped up ready to win, confident, ready to run a PR [personal record]," he said. "I battled with that dude [Boe] the entire race. I started feeling it. My legs got heavy, tired. I couldn't lift up my knees, and I just finished as strong as I could, unfortunately 50 seconds slower than I wanted to. ... I just had a bad race."

And he doesn't plan to have another one.

"I'm already pumped up for state," Thompson said. "It's my last year. ... I want it."

Overall, it wasn't a banner day for King County competitors in the Westside Classic, a mammoth meet featuring 10 races — five boys, five girls — encompassing four districts.

The top-ranked King's girls were the only local winners, cruising to the 1A title with 45 points — 77 points ahead of second-place Seattle Academy. Morgan Hamm, Mackenzie Taylor and Adele Eslinger finished 4-5-6 to lead the charge.

Auburn Riverside had hoped to take the 4A boys title, and came in as the highest-ranked team in the district at No. 3, but the Ravens came up short against No. 4. Gig Harbor, 75-86.

Riverside senior Kenny Krotzer finished third behind Shane Moskowitz of Central Kitsap and Conner Peloquin of Gig Harbor.

Moskowitz, second at state last year, is favored to win next Saturday in Pasco.

In the 4A girls race, second-ranked Gig Harbor repeated as champion with 50 points, 10 ahead of No. 3 Tahoma.

The Tides' Maureen Tremblay won in 18:42, and Kent-Meridian sophomore Alexia Martin was a strong second.

"I wanted to be top-three, and I got that," Martin said.

Notes

• Interlake fell just four points short of the 2A boys title as Kingston won with 56 points. Juniors Max Crowell and Ashish Suntosh finished 4-5 for the Saints. The Interlake girls also were second to Kingston, 29-61. Brooke Niemann (eighth) and Eleanor Tansely (ninth) led the charge.

• Bear Creek of Redmond placed second among 1B/2B boys as Josh Erickson placed fourth overall.

• Foster freshman Yohanna Salzano finished seventh in the 3A girls race. Bonney Lake senior Veronica Stinnett was fourth.