Vashon Island’s harriers successfully competed as a team on their home course Tuesday, Oct. 4, before heading off to a stormy invitational north of Marysville on Saturday.

Vashon competed against five teams at the Oct. 4 meet on the team’s 5k home course. The Pirate boys, led by Gianno Waller, came in second to Charles Wright, with three runners in the top 10. The Pirate girls, led by Lucy Boyle, also placed three runners in the top 10. In the 1.65 mile middle school race, McMurray’s Dalton Kearns set a personal best of 11:48.

The meet prepared the Pirates for a windy and rainy invitational on Oct. 8 at Lakewood High School in Snohomish County. Lakewood’s “Hole in the Wall” invitational draws 100 teams and 3,000 runners from as far away as Hawaii to make it Washington’s largest cross-country invitational. The meet, under the threat of lightning all morning and afternoon, was a mudfest as runners completed two laps around the complex, finishing on the school’s all-weather track. Most Pirate harriers set personal bests, and a few set season-best times. The Pirate boys were led by Isaac Hughes, who lopped 30 seconds off his 5k best time, finishing in 18:15. Hughes’ following mates all set personal bests. The Pirate girls were led by Lucy Boyle, who finished in under 20 minutes for the first time and who set a new personal best by 38 seconds. Boyle’s following mates, too, all set personal or season bests.

The meet gave Pirate Coach Laura Johnson her first opportunity to gauge the Pirates against their other district competitors as the teams prepare for the district meet on American Lake’s golf course on Oct. 29. The district meet determines which individuals and teams advance to the state championships.

The Pirates set sail to Lake Sammamish this Thursday to race against a dozen other teams.

— Bruce Cyra is a runner and cross country fan.