JOYCE — For the first time in a few years, the North Olympic Peninsula is without an established cross country star.
An area that has produced four state champions since 2005 — not to mention numerous top-10 finishers — is now searching for a new runner to carry the Peninsula banner.
What better place to find one than at Saturday’s 34th annual Salt Creek Invitational at Salt Creek Recreation Area?
With a total of 22 teams expected to compete, including all five Peninsula entries — Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, Chimacum and Forks — the three-mile run promises to be a stiff test.
As is usually the case, it should also provide a sneak peak at who’s who on the Peninsula prep cross country scene.
While the expected lead runner in the girls varsity race is fairly obvious — Kingston’s Marina Roberts returns after winning the race going away last fall — the boys race should be up for grabs.
One male runner who’s looking to make a mark early on in the season: Port Angeles’ Nick Schindler.
A year after missing state by just two spots, the senior has his eye on filling part of the void left by so many key Olympic League departures, Roughrider boys coach Pat Durr said.
“Nick has come back with a vengeance. He’s running pretty strong,” Durr said.
“Nick has been studying the other competition, and he’s been running very hard and he wants to make a big splash.
“This is his senior year, and this is his year now.”
No doubt, there are several others in the area who see an opening.
All nine Olympic League teams will compete on Saturday, so whoever has spent the summer doing their road work will stand out.
“It might be a more even race [because of the lack of an obvious front-runner],” Durr said, “which might make it way more exciting for spectators.”
Among the others invited to Saturday’s races are 4A schools Auburn, Central Valley, Kentlake and Shelton; 3A schools Bainbridge, Bellevue, Lake Washington, Nathan Hale and Sammamish.
The Invitational also added a new wrinkle this year with combined girls/boys one-mile races for second- through sixth-graders and for seventh and eighth graders.
The first race starts at 9:15 a.m. and will be followed by the middle school event at 9:30 a.m.
The open race is then at 9:45 a.m., with the JV boys running at 10:30 a.m. and the JV girls at 11 a.m.
The varsity boys race is schedule for 11:30 a.m. and the varsity girls for noon.
Here are preview capsules for each varsity team:
Boys
Port Angeles (2A)
■ Last year: fifth in league, eighth at districts
■ Top returning runners: Nick Schindler (Sr.), Tony Dalgardno (So.), Evan Herbert (So.)
■ Top newcomers: Kyle Tupper (Jr.), Michael Ahrens (So.)
■ Outlook: Port Angeles is young with just one senior but brings in a pair of new runners in Kyle Tupper and Michael Ahrens that should give the team depth.
“We should be OK. We’ll certainly compete,” Port Angeles boys coach Pat Durr said.
Sequim (2A)
■ Last year: sixth in league
■ Top returning runners: Adrian Clifford (Jr.), Joel Christopher (Sr.), Dylan Chatters (So.).
■ Top newcomers: Peter Ohnstad (Fr.), Mickey Cobb (Fr.).
■ Outlook: The Sequim boys are green without any state runners returning.
“Just a wait-and-see season,” Sequim coach Harold Huff said.
Port Townsend (1A)
■ Last year: fourth in league, fourth at districts, eighth at state.
■ Top returning runners: Xavier Frank (Jr.), Dylan Bruneau (Jr.), Tristan Story (So.), Griffin Hoins (Sr., Chim.), Quinn L’Hereux (Sr., Chim.)
■ Top newcomers: Ryan Clarke (Fr.), Levi Yearin (So.), Luca Freie (Fr.), Brian LeMaster (Jr.), Harry Goodrich (So.), Dillon Ralls (Jr.), Sean Dwyer (Fr.), Justin Mead (Sr.), Addison Harper (Jr.)
■ Outlook: The Redskins are deep with several new additions, plus a collection of six Chimacum runners training with them.
Port Townsend must begin life without Bereket Piatt and Habtamu Rubio — the duo finished 1-2 at state in 2009 — and has been focusing on its core work early on.
Forks (1A)
■ Last year: Ninth at districts
■ Top returning runners: Omar Estrada, Rex Shaw, Ryan Johansen, John James
■ Top newcomers: Abasai Garcia, Aaron Krume.
■ Outlook: Head coach Brian Weekes said the goal is to get the entire team to state this fall.
With two runners returning who placed in the top 20 at the SWL-Evgreen Division meet — Omar Estrada and Rex Shaw — the Spartans have a solid foundation to build on.
Girls
Port Angeles (2A)
■ Last year: third in league, fifth at districts, 14th at state
■ Top returning runners: Hannah Wahto (Sr.), Khason Politika (So.), Taylor Jones (So.)
■ Top newcomers: Bailey Reader (So.), Lizzy Stevenson (So.), Annika Peterson (Fr.)
■ Outlook: The Riders lost two valuable seniors from last year’s team in Jaime Gladfelter and Alison Maxwell, the latter finishing 13th at state.
With a strong mix of returners and newbies led by Hannah Wahto and Khason Politika, head coach Kelsey Kenck is optimistic.
“The girls enjoy running together and bond well as a team,” Kenck said. “They are young, but have strong potential to compete well throughout the season.”
Sequim (2A)
■ Last year: fifth in league, 12th at districts
■ Top returning runners: Jasmine McCullen (Jr.), Amelia Ohnstad (Jr.), Natalie McMurray (Jr.)
■ Top newcomers: Brittany Vereide (Sr.), Sidney Hastings (Fr.), Emma Barrell (Jr.), and Siana Turner (Fr.)
■ Outlook: The Wolves must make up for the loss of four-time state runner Audrey Lichten.
As is the case with the boys, the Sequim girls are very green and are looking for a few runners to step up.
“Not deep and I do see some potential,” Sequim coach Harold Huff said of the boys and girls.
Port Townsend (1A)
■ Last year: fourth in league, 11th at districts
■ Top returning runners: Brittany Grant (Jr.), Grace Piatt (Sr.), Freya Piatt (Jr.), Olivia Gibbons (Jr.), Peri Muellner (So.), Kyra Wiedner (So.)
■ Top newcomers: Molly Brown (So.), Rebecca Lukens (Jr.), Kelsie MacDonald (Jr.), Holly Garland (Sr.), Michelle Garland.
■ Outlook: The Redskins are led by captains Grace Piatt, Peri Muellner and Brittany Grant, the latter a state runner last fall.
All three placed in the top 35 at the Olympic League meet.
Forks (1A)
■ Last year: No team placement
■ Top returning runners: Kristin Larson (Sr.)
■ Top newcomers: Kari Larson
■ Outlook: The Larsons are hoping to double to state this fall.
Kristin has already been there each of the previous three years in her varsity career. She finished 61st at state last fall.