Everything you need to know about the 2018 high school cross country state championships

2018 WIAA CROSS COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday, Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco

Schedule

Wheelchair division at 9:30 a.m.; 2B/1B girls at 10 a.m.; 1A girls at 10:30 a.m.; 2A girls at 11 a.m.; 2B/1B boys at 11:30 a.m.; 1A boys at noon; 3A girls at 12:30 p.m.; 4A girls at 1 p.m.; 2A boys at 1:30 p.m.; 3A boys at 2 p.m.; 4A boys at 2:30 p.m.

2017 team champions

Boys

4A — Lewis and Clark

3A — Kamiakin

2A — Sehome

1A — Medical Lake

2B/1B — Northwest Christian of Lacey

Girls

4A — Lewis and Clark

3A — North Central

2A — Sehome

1A — Colville

2B/1B — Liberty Bell

Returning individual champions

Boys

4A — Ryan Kline, Central Valley, sr.

2B/1B — Austen Apperson, Adna, sr.

Girls

3A — Erinn Hill, North Central, jr.

2B/1B — Novie McCabe, Liberty Bell, jr.

Top-ranked South Sound qualifiers

Boys

4A — Connor Griffith, Olympia, jr. (15:29.2); Brian Martinez, Tahoma, jr. (15:30.7); Ethan Martin, Tahoma, jr. (15:39.4); Ben Sherman, Bellarmine Prep, sr. (15:39.6); Marcus Sutrick, Auburn Riverside, sr. (15:42.6).

3A — Bradley Peloquin, Gig Harbor, sr. (15:06.5); Bryce Cerkowniak, Yelm, soph. (15:46.5); Samir Amin, North Thurston, soph. (15:54.7); Zach Marien, Stadium, sr. (16:10); Cameron McCann, Bethel, soph. (16:19).

2A — Zach Koivisto, Steilacoom, jr. (16:18.3); Pearse Popchock, Black Hills, sr. (16:19.7); Josh Newman, Tumwater, jr. (16:32.8); Francisco Lima, W.F. West, jr. (16:33.6); Truman Affeldt, Black Hills, jr. (16:33.8).

1A — Adam Briejer, Charles Wright, jr. (16:02.9); A.J. Taghavi, Charles Wright, sr. (16:58.4).

2B/1B — Noah Phillips, Northwest Christian of Lacey, jr. (15:40.5); Cameron Nielsen, Northwest Christian of Lacey, jr. (16:18.1); Garrett McSheffrey, Northwest Christian, jr. (16:31.6); Hamilton Summers, Northwest Christian of Lacey, sr. (16:40.1); Caden Deutscher, Pope John Paul II, sr. (16:48.4).

Girls

4A — Ella Borsheim, Bellarmine Prep, fr. (17:32); Maggie Bauer, Curtis, sr. (18:15.6); Faith Martinez, Tahoma, fr. (18:21.2); Roz Slichko, Emerald Ridge, soph. (18:28.3); Rees Jacot, Curtis (18:33.3).

3A — Patience Mwaura, Lincoln, sr. (18:37); Maya Nichols, Central Kitsap, soph. (18:39.3); Amiyah Johnson, Lincoln, jr. (18:55.4); Annika Van Vlack, Stadium, sr. (19:18.7).

2A — Madeline Drennen, Orting, sr. (19:29.8); Makayla Melcher, White River, jr. (20:34.7).

1A — Anna Haddad, Annie Wright, sr. (19:12); Brenna Sclair, Charles Wright, sr. (19:25.9); Erica Julian, Charles Wright, jr. (20:03).

2B/1B — Gabby Martin, Life Christian, fr. (18:32.8); Elaina Hansen, Rainier, sr. (19:23.3); Madison Hull, Life Christian, fr. (19:36.1); Ava Shackle, Northwest Christian of Lacey, sr. (19:52.9); Selena Niemi, Rainier, fr. (20:00.5).

The skinny

Boys — Lewis and Clark edged Central Valley by one point for the 4A team title last season, but has another program to fend off this season if it wants to repeat. Camas, which won the 4A West Centra/Southwest bidistrict meet last week, and had four runners finish in the top 10, is the top-ranked program entering Saturday in the latest coaches poll. Lewis and Clark is No. 2. Central Valley’s Ryan Kline is the defending individual champion, though Woodinville’s Luke Houser (14:57.2) has the top time in the state, and is the only racer in any classification to run sub-15 minutes this season. … 3A will crown a new individual champion with Lincoln’s James Mwaura graduated and off at Gonzaga. The top contender? Gig Harbor’s Bradley Peloquin, who took third last year, has the best time in the classification this season, and an eight-second cushion above the second-ranked runner. Kamiakin is the favorite to repeat its team title. … Sehome is the defending 2A team champion, and coaches project the Mariners to win it all again. Sehome topped second-ranked Liberty of Issaquah in last week’s Northwest District championships. … Northwest Christian of Lacey is seeking its fifth consecutive 2B/1B team title, and returned most of its team from last season. Adna’s Austen Apperson has the second-fastest time (15:05.1) in the state this season, and is a heavy favorite to repeat his individual title.

Girls — Last year’s team champions are projected to repeat in three of the five races, according to the latest coaches poll. Lewis and Clark (4A), North Central (3A) and Liberty Bell (2B/1B) are all favorites to take home another title. … After a runner-up finish last year, Lake Stevens senior Taylor Roe will seek her third 4A individual title. She won as a freshman and sophomore. Issaquah’s Julia David-Smith (17:16.4) has the state’s top time this season. … North Central’s Erinn Hill (17:43.2) is the defending 3A individual champion and ranked second in 3A, but her teammate Allie Janke (17:36.8) has the top time in the classification. Lincoln’s Patience Mwaura, younger sister of James, won the 3A West Central/Southwest bidistrict individual title last week. … Liberty Bell junior Novie McCabe is the two-time defending 2B/1B individual champion, and the favorite to repeat with a season-best time of 18:19.1 leading the classification.