Kingston boys, girls teams head to state

Kingston’s boys and girls cross country teams are heading to state together for the first time since 2017.

The Buccaneers will be sending seven boys and six girls to state at Pasco Nov. 5, with a school record nine meeting state qualifing times.

Coach Spencer Hunt took over this season after being an assistant for several years. Both teams fought adversity and found their way to state in different ways.

The boys team dominated every meet. Kingston won every Olympic League meet this season and finished in the top 15 at the huge Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational. In addition, the boys won the Westside Classic District Championships for the first time since 2009.

“We have gone above and beyond, and the results speak for themselves,” Hunt said. “Was that our goal at the beginning of the season? Definitely, but it’s cool to see it come to fruition.”

The boys team actually began its push for dominance in 2020. “Right when the pandemic happened, the boys got together and worked during the off-seasons,” Hunt said. “Even when I’m not there, they still do the workouts. They’re familiar with what they need to do to get to the next level, which is awesome to see as a coach.”

Kingston’s boys team is led by junior Lucas Lenz, who fell just six seconds short of shattering the school record this year. His leadership in the offseason gave him hope the Buccaneers could shock the cross country scene. “We were pretty confident heading into this season because of how our training was going and looking at the other teams in the league,” Lenz said. “I believe we are contenders for the top five at state.”

Lenz will be the factor in a run to the podium. However, Hunt said, “To have a team of not just four other runners to back him up but seven or eight runners and have a deep team makes us successful.”

Compared to the boys team, the girls scraped their way to the state championships after having two runners there last year. The girls team finished sixth at districts.

The girls team is very young, led by junior Alice Moe, one of the two who ran at state last year. “I’m excited to be able to share the competitive nature of running with a new group of girls,” Moe said. “It’s exciting to go as a team because the vibes will be better than focusing on yourself.”

The team is a long shot to reach the podium because they are only sending six runners, but five are sophomores and freshmen so the future looks bright. “It’s been a really big learning experience for a lot of us,” Moe said. “We are not losing anyone next season and hope to continue this exact same dynamic. We also have a lot of different levels of experience and really used everything we had.”

Hunt believes this season is about developing the girls and leaving a mark at state. “I’m looking forward to seeing what these girls can do next year, and we should have a girls team that is just as strong as the boys team,” Hunt said.

As the state meet gets closer, Kingston’s teams are looking to lace their shoes a few more times and make an impact for their program. “It’s a great way to set the bar high,” Hunt said. “If you have a successful season one after another, it brings more kids out and better team spirit.”