Morgan Willson posts big win in state cross country

Colfax sophomore Morgan Willson booked a run-away win Saturday in the state 1B-2B championship race at Sun Willows Golf course in Pasco. Willson officially clocked 18:36 to finish 47 seconds ahead of Mikel Elliott of White Pass.

The senior from White Pass finished at 19:23. She had been considered the other contender to watch based on times posted around the state from district meets as a prelude to the state championship race.

St. John/Endicott runners break off the line on the way to a 10th-place finish. Cody Siegel, right, led the Eagles with a 9th place finish.

Willson opened up a gap of about 15 yards when the runners looped in front of spectators at the one-mile mark and continued to pull away over the last two miles.

Callie Kolb goes through the finish chute for SJE.

Morgan is the first Colfax winner at Sun Willows in 20 years. Robyn Slate Doloughan won the 1A race in 18:15 in 1989. Doloughan, who is coach of the Freeman team, was present Saturday to congratulate Willson along with Steve Olson, the other Bulldog XC champ who won the 1977 race.

Olson coaches Lakeside cross country runners from Nine Mile.

Willson was undefeated in nine races including her big win at Spokane’s Gonzaga Bullpup invitational at Finch Arboretum. The win in the B classification race qualifies her for the state team in the Oregon-Washington Border Clash Nov. 22 in Beaverson.

St.John/Endicott’s Callie Kolb, a number-four qualifier from the SE last week at Clarkston, finished 43rd at 23:18.

St. John/Endicott’s Cody Siegel, the SE champion last week at Clarkston, placed ninth in the state race at 17:42. A senior, Siegel cut 28 seconds off the time he posted for the Eagles last year.

St. John’s team finished 10th this year after qualifying as number-two out of the SE.

Other finishers for the Eagles team were Jason Swannack, 63 at 19:07, Caleb Rich, 85 at 19:38, Brad Riehle, 95 at 19:58, Drake Hinkins, 98 at 20:04, Dakota White, 105 at 20:14, and Alex McCue, 114 at 20:52.

Siegel, Swannack, Riehle and Hinkins are seniors.

Kyle Largent of Colfax clocked 19:22 for 75th and Cody Wuestney clocked 19:38 for 86th. They qualified as individuals in the District 7 final last week.