Mustangs show strength in league cross country championships

Runners set fast times amounting to successful team results.

By Bruce Cyra • October 30, 2019 1:30 am
The Mustang girls cross the starting line (David Waterworth Photo).
The Mustang girls cross the starting line (David Waterworth Photo).

The McMurray Mustang and Vashon Pirate harriers competed in their league championships this past week, setting fast times and successful team results.

The Mustang girls and boys finished their season on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Titlow Park in Tacoma under cloudy skies and over a muddy course, negotiating 1.41 miles around a pond, through woods, and up and over a hill. The girls ran first, with all 17 runners setting personal bests over the course.

Madeline Yarkin led the close-knit team to third place against runners from six other schools, finishing with a time of 9:39. The top seven Mustangs following included Alexandra Waterworth, Taylor Huffman, Autumn Daly, Amelia Medeiros, Leah Kearns and Sailor Frith. The Mustang boys ran next, again with the top three within just a few seconds of each other, and all ten runners setting personal bests.

Christian Kincade led the team with a time of 8:54, followed closely by Alexander London-Chambers and Leo Ralston. The top seven Mustangs following included Oli Nielsen, Kean Timblin, Dominic Medeiros and Nathan Ulrich. Like a feather in the team’s cap, the Mustang boys finished in first place when the customary top five scoring system is used, thanks to a strong showing by the deep Mustang bench.

Thursday, Oct. 24, was a beautiful fall day at Fort Steilacoom for the Pirates, where a majority of the team set personal bests and everybody ran strong. Girls ran first on the 5k course (3.1 miles) with Ella Yarkin leading the two other Pirates, Isabelle Spence and Ellie Lande. The only full team was Charles Wright. The boys’ race featured a plan to finish Pirate runners under 18 minutes, with two succeedings.

Freshman Ben Larson and senior Sean Robertson both got under with times of 17 minutes and 58 seconds and 17 minutes and 59 seconds, respectfully, leading the Pirates to third place. Team Captain Simon Clark was the Pirate’s fifth, finishing in a personal best of nineteen minutes and 14 seconds, forecasting fast times at district and potentially qualifying for entry into the state championship and creating a wave of excitement for the coming week. The District Championships are at Chambers Bay on Saturday, Nov. 2.

— Bruce Cyra is the Mustang Cross Country Coach.