Pirates team runs to first place at league meet

Through careful planning and thorough training, VHS cross-country repeated as the league champions last Thursday when junior Adam Kraabel and freshman Annabel Allen chowed down their chocolate pies quicker than any other team. The Pirates and their supporters celebrated with hearty cheers.

By Bruce Cyra • October 27, 2015 3:15 pm
The Vashon High School women's cross-country team starts the league finals race Saturday at Fort Steilacoom.
The Vashon High School women's cross-country team starts the league finals race Saturday at Fort Steilacoom.

Through careful planning and thorough training, VHS cross-country repeated as the league champions last Thursday when junior Adam Kraabel and freshman Annabel Allen chowed down their chocolate pies quicker than any other team. The Pirates and their supporters celebrated with hearty cheers.

Prior to the pie-eating domination at Saturday’s league championship meet at Fort Steilacoom, the women harriers raced to first place for the second year in a row, led across the finish line by freshman Lucy Boyle in a personal record (PR) of 21:34, followed in short order by her teammates, many whom also set personal or season records.

Setting an example for her younger team mates, senior captain Natalie VanDevanter lowered her season best by one minute and 20 seconds. The Pirates scored all of their top five in the first 11 runners, resulting in a score of 33 points, ahead of Seattle Christian, Charles Wright and Bellevue Christian. Boyle was followed by juniors Selena Mildon, Jessica Merritt, Annie Muller (PR) and Eva Anderson to round out the scoring Pirates, followed by VanDevanter and junior Jane Oswald, completing the varsity seven. Returning to racing after three weeks of rehabilitation for a badly twisted ankle, junior Aria Mildon made a welcome return to the team.

Leading the Pirates men’s team to a third-place team final, sophomore Gianno Waller continued his personal pursuit to a state berth by lowering his 5K time by over 45 seconds to 17:53, giving his coaches hope for a top-30 finish at districts. Such a finish would qualify him to race on Nov. 7 in Pasco at the state competition.

Waller was followed by sophomore Hunter Justis, junior Isaac Hughes, exchange student Gabri Oliera and sophomore Theo Hu (PR) in scoring positions, with sophomore Collin Protzeller and freshman Garrett Mueller rounding out the varsity top seven.

Next stop for the Pirates cross-country teams is the district championships at American Lake on Saturday. The Pirates will race against 15 other teams, with the top five women’s teams and top six men’s teams qualifying for state championship berths, along with the top 25 women and top 30 men advancing. The Pirates’ races will take place at 11:05 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. respectively.

— Bruce Cyra supports the cross country team.