Siegel sprints to SE victory

St. John/ Endicott’s Cody Siegel out-sprinted Nick Lumetta of TCP to win the SE district race last Thursday at Beachview Park in Clarkston. Siegel and Lumetta battled all the way to the finish with the Eagle senior getting the edge by less than a second.

The win topped a number-two team finish for the Eagles who can now put seven runners in the state race Saturday and Sun Willows Golf course in Pasco.

TCP took the team event with a 30 and the Eagles finished at 65, just two points ahead of Waitsburg/Prescott. All three teams will be in the state run.

Coach Andrea Miller noted the Beachview Park course sends runners up a 300 yard incline and then across a 200 yard flat stretch to the finish. Siegel, Lumetta and Seth Deal of WP led the pack with Siegel and Lumetta breaking out for a sprint over the final 200. Siegel’s winning time was 16:57 and Lumetta was clocked 16:57. Deal finished at 17:01.

Callie Kolb qualfied with a fourth in the girls race at 21:01 behind the 20:29 win by Laura Fowler of Asotin. Megan Gfeller finished at 22:24 for 12th place, two notches past the top 10 qualifications.

Other finishers for the Eagle boys were Caleb Rich, 11th at 17:57; Jason Swannack, 15th at 18:08, Brad Riehle, 19th at 18:51; Drake Hinkins, 22nd at 19:20; Alex NcCue, 31st at 20:11, and JohnQuinton, 35th at 20:59.

Asotin won the girls team title with a 33 and Waitsburg/Prescott, led by Kristin Potter at 20:53 for third, was second with 49. Tri-Cities-Prep girls place third with 50.

Total entry for the boys state race for both classifications is 152 runners. They will go off the line at 11:30 a.m. at Sun Willows.