CROSS-COUNTRY: Youth is served at Salt Creek Invite

PORT ANGELES — Youth was served at the 41st annual Salt Creek Invitational on Saturday.

And at the same time, Sequim senior Murray Bingham put the North Olympic Peninsula running scene on notice that he’s faster and more determined than ever.

Port Angeles sophomore Lauren Larson, coming off a 10th-place finish at last year’s state 2A cross-country championships, won the girls’ varsity race with a time of 18 minutes, 36.22 seconds, a full 17 seconds ahead of second place.

And that second-place finisher? Sequim freshman Riley Pyeatt running in her first Salt Creek Invitational. Pyeatt finished with a time of 18:53.96.

Fourth place was another Roughriders’ sophomore, Kynzie DeLeon with a time of 19:27.73.

Topped Vikings runner

To give an idea of how impressive Larson, Pyeatt and DeLeon’s performances were, only three varsity girls out of 64 runners cracked 19 minutes and only seven cracked 20 minutes. The trio also managed to beat North Kitsap sophomore phenom Madison Zosa, who finished fifth. Zosa won league and district last year as a freshman and finished fifth at the 2A state cross-country meet.

“I felt really good, I felt strong,” said Larson, who finished fifth at the Salt Creek race a year ago as a freshman. “I was really happy with my time.”

Her Salt Creek time last year was 19:10, so she bested 2017’s effort by more than 3o seconds.

The Port Angeles girls cross-country team, a power last year led byseniors Gracie Long and Maddie Dougherty, both of whom are now running cross country in college, remains strong with a bevy of sophomores and freshman. As a testament to how strong the team is, Roughrider freshmen dominated the JV race, taking six out of the top 10 spots, with freshman Kaylee Helgesen finishing second with a time of 22:18.43.

Port Angeles freshmen and sophomores took six out of the top 32 spots, with one junior, Ella Holland, finishing 14th with a time of 21:13.63, helping the varsity Roughriders team finish first with 60 points, edging out 3A Interlake by one point. Sequim was sixth with 124 points.

Larson doesn’t see herself as inheriting the role as a team leader from Long and Dougherty. She said it’s the rest of the team that supports her.

“No, the team is supportive, I just want to do well. I work as hard as I can for myself,” she said.

Pyeatt, who actually qualified for the USA Track and Field Nationals as an eighth-grader in the 400-meter run and the 800 meters, said, “I felt good, though I have a horrible side-ache right now.

”To finish second in her first-ever varsity race? “That was really cool,” she said.

The best Forks time was by Madelyn Archibald, who finished 15th at 21:16.18, the top 1A girls’ time at the meet.

Bingham ran a great race, as well, finishing fourth overall and finishing first among boys Class 2A runners. He was beaten only by three 3A runners, two from Nathan Hale and one from Shelton. Bingham’s time was 15:40.87, bettering his Salt Creek time last year by 18 seconds, when he finished eighth.

The next highest 2A runner was 10th, 20 seconds behind Bingham.

Bingham, winner of two cross-country meets last year and ninth at districts, said, “I’m stronger than I was last year. I’m PRing in every race. I ran a ton this summer.”

“This is the year I have to give it my all being a senior. I have high hopes for the future,” Bingham said.

The best Port Angeles boys time was by Thomas Shaw, who finished 11th in 16:20.93.

The Port Angeles boys team finished fourth as a team with 112 points and Sequim was sixth with 160 points.

Among Forks boys, junior Hugo Sandoval ran in the open division, finishing fourth with a time of 18:12.96. Melinda Galindo of Forks ran in the women’s open race, finishing second with a time of 22.39.22.

A total of 341 runners participated in this year’s event in varsity, junior varsity and open categories.

41st Annual Salt Creek Invitational

North Olympic Peninsula Results

Boys Varsity Race

Murray Bingham, Sequim, fourth, 15:40.87; Thomas Shaw, Port Angeles, 11th, 16:20.93; Gabriel Long, PA, 20th, 16:46.69; Cameron Butler, PA, 24th, 16:53.33; Adam Borde, PA, 27th, 17:20.05; Joshua Gavin, PA, 28th, 17:20.36; Logan Tyson, PA, 29th, 17:22.97; Liam Byrne, Sequim, 30th, 17:23.67; Aron Trubow, PA, 35th, 17:30.57; Alec Shingleton, 38th, 17:39.15; Naaman McGuffey, PA, 40th, 17:45.59; AJ Fischer, PA, 42nd, 17:53.81; Luis Perez, Forks, 44th, 18:00.10; Koda Robinson, Sequim, 45th, 18:01.16; Nathan Marple, PA, 49th, 18:12.15; Fischer Jensen, Sequim, 50th, 18:13.11; Wesley Camacho, Forks, 54th, 18:35.56; Jakob Pyeatt, Sequim, 58th, 18:50.40; Matthew Larson, Sequim, 65th, 19:05.46; Colton Duncan, Forks, 72nd, 20:09.44.

Girls Varsity Race

Lauren Larson, PA, first, 18:36.22; Riley Pyeatt, Sequim, second, 18:53.96; Kynzie DeLeon, PA, fourth, 19:27.73; Ella Holland, PA, 14th, 21:13.63; Madelyn Archibald, Forks, 15th, 21:16.18; Karen Ensastegui, Forks, 21st, 21:51.31; Kathryn Guttormsen, PA, 24th, 21:54.35; Jenna McGoff, PA, 25th, 21:56.69; Eleanor Byrne, Sequim, 26th, 22:00.32; Katie Cobb, PA, 28th, 22:20.94; Emma Weaver, PA, 32nd, 22:46.58; Jessica German, Sequim, 34th, 23:05.02; Aidyn Shingleton, Sequim, 38th, 23:26.98; Emily Silva, Sequim, 42nd, 23:48.44; Katelynn Glass, Sequim, 57th, 26:41.18; Lesae Pfeffer, Sequim 63rd, 29:06.27.