Young Peninsula cross country team eager to impress in postseason

Peninsula High senior Ashley Fahey didn’t run cross country in high school until her junior season. Even she was surprised it how well that turned out.

How about third in the Class 3A South Sound League championships? Sixth in districts? Twenty-second place at state?

Not bad for year No. 1.

“It was really fun,” Fahey said. “I didn’t expect to do so well. That was really exciting. I feel really good right now, so hopefully it will continue.”

Fahey struggled a bit at the Fort Steilacoom Invitational, but bounced back in a meet against Stadium and Lakes at Tacoma’s Wright Park, taking second with a time of 19 minutes, 54 seconds.

“I wasn’t necessarily looking to place, but it feels good,” Fahey said. “My time was really good.”

She’s hoping to break her personal record soon. Her PR is 19:27.4, set at last year’s league championships. How much is she hoping to break it by?

“Honestly, I just want to beat it,” Fahey said, with a laugh. “It doesn’t matter by how much, as long as I get past that.”

Fahey is the best returner on a girls side that lost a lot of talent to graduation. Sophomore Sadie Lucero and senior Grace Haugen are also in the thick of things this season.

“We lost some good seniors,” Fahey said. “But I think we’re doing well still. We have new people but they’re up there, working hard.”

On the boys side, senior Cameron Wenman has been the clear No. 1 for the Seahawks. Wenman took fifth in the first South Sound Conference meet earlier in the month, coming just behind Gig Harbor’s top four.

“I’m still kind of building up,” Wenman said. “I’m just trying to peak by postseason. I’ve done decent.”

As for the team, Wenman said the Seahawks are coming along well.

“I think we’ll be competitive,” Wenman said.

The boys team lost a lot of seniors as well, but improvement has been steady this year. Wenman was hampered by injuries a season ago and is learning to deal with the mental side of running, as well.

“I’m feeling better,” he said. “It’s senior year and I just want to go all out. I’m just having fun with it. That’s honestly it. I’m just focusing on the race, smiling through it but pushing myself. We want to get to state, and just run well at league and districts. For me personally, I just want to race my heart out at state.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2017 at 10:49 AM with the headline "Young Peninsula cross country team eager to impress in postseason."