Skyline’s Anna Callahan battles high winds more than foes to capture 4A state girls cross-country title

PASCO — It took a few minutes, but Skyline’s Anna Callahan wasn’t going to be denied on Saturday.

The Spartans junior never trailed in the Class 4A girls race at the state cross country championships at Sun Willows Golf Course.

Callahan finished the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 3.5 seconds — well ahead of runner-up Eliza White of Curtis and her 18:24.30.

Runners battled 28 mph winds at times during the day.

For Callahan, those winds and her mental status had her concerned before the race even started.

“It was an amazing field,” she said. “And I psyched myself out before the race. I was thinking ‘Man, I don’t know if I can place in this race.’”

This, despite the fact that she had placed second in the 2021 race.

Then throw in the gusts.

“Some portions of the race I felt like I was running an 8-minute mile,” Callahan said.

But once she saw how she was competing with the rest of the field, her confidence came back in bunches.

“Once I got up that first hill after the start, I knew I could lead,” she said.

Other top 10 placers included Skyline junior Rebecca O’Keefe in third, Issaquah senior Katherine Yahn in fifth, Eastlake senior Jane Roos in seventh, Issaquah junior Mary Jane Harig in eighth, and Mount Si sophomore Hailey Cossey in 10^th.

Tahoma and Issaquah each finished with 116 points, but Tahoma won the team title with its sixth runner crossing before Issaquah’s.

“It’s been a battle all year between us, Issaquah, Eastlake and Mount Si,” said Tahoma coach Jeff Brady. “Today, it could have been anybody. But we have five seniors, and they’re really strong girls.”

Spokane’s Lewis & Clark (131 points) finished third, while Eastlake (155) was fourth.

Gig Harbor senior Reese Morkert came on in a hurry to outlean Central Kitsap’s Clare Herring at the finish line to win the Class 3A girls individual championship.

Morkert finished in 18:24.0, while Herring came in at 18:24.1.

“I felt amazing the whole time out there, until the final 400 yards,” said Herring, who transferred in to Central Kitsap this year from Japan. “The wind was blowing and it was definitely bad. I was so tired pushing against it. Then I heard the crowd and I thought ‘Oh no. Someone’s closing in on me.’ I still felt I ran the perfect race.”

Morkert was in tears after she found out she had won.

“I’m so happy,” she said. “I was patient that first mile. Then I made a move between the second and third mile.”

It helped Morkert that no one had taken control of the race, and she was within striking distance in eighth place with half a mile to go.

“It worked out really well,” Morkert said. “I knew at the finish line I had to get a lean in on (Herring).”

Bishop Blanchet sophomore Lily LaPorte placed third at 18:41.40.

Other top-10 finishers included Paige Gerrard of Snohomish placing fourth; Sabrina Colbert of Franklin in fifth; Tali Braester of Lincoln-Seattle in sixth; Julia Couch of Auburn Riverside in seventh; Madeline McKenna of Stadium in eighth; Electra Higgins of Peninsula in ninth; and Central Kitsap’s Audra Palmer at 10^th.

Herring found solace in her team winning the state title with 70 points, beating Gig Harbor (89 points) and Bishop Blanchet (121).

It was the first time Central Kitsap had ever won a team title, and the Cougars are just the second team from Kitsap to win a team title.

“My heart is full today,” Cougars coach Jeremy Duplissey said. “I have so much love for this group. We knew from the start of the season we had a good chance to win the state title.”

Notes

• Alexis Leone, a junior from Seton Catholic of Vancouver, defended her 1A girls title in 18:22.30. That was 36 seconds ahead of the next fastest runner. Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls earned the 1A girls team title.  

• Anacortes senior Jessica Frydenlund couldn’t defend her 2A girls title, as junior Logan Hofstee of East Valley-Spokane pulled away over the last mile to cross the finish line first. Hofstee had the fastest time of all girls regardless of classification with a 18:00.60. Sehome won another girls title with 54 points, finishing ahead of second-place Anacortes and its 62.

• Josie McLaughlin, a sophomore from St. George’s of Spokane, won the 1B/2B girls title in 19:40.30. Pope John Paul 2 High School of Lacey won the team title, edging runner-up Garfield-Palouse 47-48.

• Complete results can be found here.