Three Vashon High School harriers made their way through a very cold Pasco cross-country course Saturday, Nov. 4, to compete in the state cross-country championships.

First to run at 10:30 a.m. were junior Lucy Boyle and freshman Ella Yarkin. The two have been running very close times and finishes all year and ran together in this race as well, crossing the finish line together in 22:27 on the 5K course. Both runners are expected to return and race on the Vashon team next year.

Next up at noon was the boys’ race, where senior Gianno Waller raced his last race as a Pirate harrier, finishing in 18:13. Waller has run cross country for VHS all four years, improving from a 20:04 pace and 33rd-place finish at League as a freshman to a 17:53 personal record and fifth-place finish in last year’s league championships. The Pirates will miss his talent and the example he set for the rest of the team.

The coaches said that one of the biggest factors affecting the runners in Pasco was the bone-chilling temperatures: The low was 24 degrees, and temperatures did not rise above freezing until 11 a.m.

— Bruce Cyra is an island runner and VHS cross-country fan.