Port Angeles freshman Leia Larson runs up the final hill in a cross country meet at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Larson finished fourth in her first-ever varsity meet. (Rodger Johnson/Port Angeles Cross Country)

Port Angeles freshman Leia Larson runs up the final hill in a cross country meet at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Larson finished fourth in her first-ever varsity meet. (Rodger Johnson/Port Angeles Cross Country)

CROSS COUNTRY: Port Angeles’ Gladfelter, East Jefferson’s Manza and Yearian all win league races

BREMERTON — Port Angeles and Sequim runners fared well in the initial cross country event of the fall, an Olympic League Jamboree at Kitsap County Fairgrounds.

Roughriders senior Jack Gladfelter placed first in the boys varsity race, a 2-mile jaunt though parking lots, with a time of 10 minutes, 6 seconds, 14 seconds ahead of Kingston junior Lucas Lenz.

Gladfelter finished 10th overall at the Class 2A state championship meet last fall.

Sequim junior Colby Ellefson finished third overall, just behind Lenz in 10:21.7.

Two other Port Angeles seniors earned top-10 marks in their first action of the season.

Maxwell Baeder was seventh with a time of 10:54.4, while Langdon Larson ended up 10th in 11:21.4.

No team points were awarded at the event.

Other finishers for Port Angeles were senior Kowen Kasten (15th in 12:06.2); junior Jayden McLarty (34th in 12:56); senior Aidan Butterworth (36th in 13:14.7) and senior Brock Tejada was 42nd in 13:41.5.

Sophomore James Mason was 20th for the Wolves in 12:12.5, while senior Calem Klinger placed 24th in 12:17.8.

Sequim freshman Collin Feik was 28th in 12:33.7, with sophomore Connor Goff 31st in 12:42.8, senior Mirek Skov in 32nd after running a time of 12:44.4 and freshman Jackson Imholt in 38th with a time of 13:20.

In the girls’ race, Wolves junior Kaitlyn Bloomenrader had the best area time, finishing third in 13:19.1, 20 seconds ahead of Port Angeles freshman Leia Larson, who was fourth in her varsity debut in 13:39.5.

North Kitsap junior Salix Wartes-Kahl won the race in 12:38.1.

Bloomenrader finished 20th at the Class 2A state meet last fall.

Liberty Mavy also earned a top-10 finish, ending up seventh for Sequim in 14:26.

Wolves senior Anastasia Updike placed 12th in 14:59.5, while freshman Ahrya Klinger was 18th (16:18.6), sophomore Nikoline Updike was 19th (16:31.2), sophomore Emma Bergman was 20th (16:34.4), sophomore Aspen Goldner placed 21st in 16:48.5 and sophomore Mia Kirner was 28th in 17:25.9.

Port Angeles had one other runner, sophomore Faerin Tait, who ended up 15th in 15:34.

The Roughriders will host the 44th Salt Creek Invitational on Saturday at Salt Creek County Park west of Port Angeles.

Races begin with middle schoolers running a 1-mile course at 9:15 a.m.

A 3-mile open community run is set at 9:45 a.m.

Varsity races will kick off at 11:30 a.m. (boys) and 12:01 p.m. for girls.

A total of 12 teams are expected at the meet, including Sequim and Forks.

East Jefferson meet

SILVERDALE — East Jefferson runners Sebastian Manza and Aliyah Yearian recorded the top individual times in the first Nisqually League cross country meet of the season on Wednesday at Klahowya Secondary School.

Yearian outpaced Klahowya’s Natalie Oathout by nearly 49 seconds to claim the girls’ 5,000-meter run in 19:03.8.

Camryn Hines was third for the Rivals in 21:36.7 and Tadu Dollarhide was fifth in 22:53.4.

The Rivals ended up second overall in the team standings with 29 points, five behind the host Eagles.

Manza came out on top with a time of 16:35 in the boys race, 8.6 seconds ahead of Vashon freshman Bodie Thomas.

The Rivals ended up fourth overall with 113 points, behind boys team winner Bellevue Christian (56).

Indigo Gould placed 29th in 21:04.1, while Aidan Nichols was 37th in 21:43.9.

East Jefferson will run at Saturday’s 43rd Carl Westling Invite at South Whidbey.

________

Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@ peninsuladailynews.com.

Forks’ Aliya Gillett (10) blocks this Kalama kick at the net in front of Spartans’ goalkeeper Natalie Horejsi. Also in on the action is Forks’ Katelynn Wallerstedt. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)

Forks’ Aliya Gillett (10) blocks this Kalama kick at the net in front of Spartans’ goalkeeper Natalie Horejsi. Also in on the action is Forks’ Katelynn Wallerstedt. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)

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