Cross Country
Bainbridge
Coach: Anne Howard Lindquist
Key runners: Seniors Will Browning and Abe Cole, juniors Bodie Strom, Lily Curtis and Elise Gonzales, and sophomore Gabrielle Farley
Outlook: Lindquist has a variety of options on the girl’s side to fill the shoes of Eden Michael and their 14th place finish at state while the boy’s side looks to improve off of last year’s 17th place state finish. They can be on the outside looking in for a Top 10 finish at states.
Schedule: Sept. 3, Ultimook Race; Sept. 10, Tahoma Coed Relays; Oct. 1, John Payne (Curtis) Invite; Oct. 29, Westside Classic district XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 3A State XC Championships
Bremerton
Coach: Scotty Renner
Key runners: Seniors Jamie Stenwick, Cooper Herold, Elliot Berney, Gordon Frazier and Sarah Beaumont, along with sophomores Leon Hinds and Ruby Hyde.
Outlook: After finishing last in the Olympic League, nearly the entire Bremerton squad returns as seniors. As for the girl’s side, the team was very young. Four of the top-five girls are incoming sophomores.
Schedule: Sept. 17, 44th Salt Creek Invitational; Sept. 21, vs. Olympic and Kingston; Sept. 28, vs Sequim at Port Angeles; Oct. 1, John Payne (Curtis) Invite; Oct. 7-8, Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational; Oct. 12, North Mason; Oct. 20, Olympic League Championships; Oct. 29, Westside Classic District XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 2A State XC Championships
Central Kitsap
Coach: Jeremy Duplissey
Key runners: Juniors Blake Reynolds, Jackson Moyer, Eva Huff and Camryn Bishoff, and sophomores Taylor Palmer and Michael Vlach
Outlook: Both the girls and boys teams lost great runners, four boys and three girls. However, each returns its top runner, Reynolds and Bishoff. Even though the team results may not be the same, expect Reynolds and Bishoff to make Top 10 finishes at state.
Schedule: Sept. 10, 27th Annual Capital Invite; Sept. 14, SSC at Sehmel Homestead Park; Sept. 17, Fort Steilacoom Invitational; Sept. 21, XC on the KP; Sept. 24 Bellevue Cross Country Invitational; Sept. 28, CK RR Dual Meet; Oct. 1, Nike- 15th Annual Twilight XC Invitational; Oct. 5, River Ridge 5K at the Rack; Oct. 7-8, Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational; Oct. 20, South Sound Conference XC Championships; Oct. 29, Westside Classic District XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 3A State XC Championships; Nov. 12 NXR Northwest Regional Championships; Nov. 19, GearUp Sports/Pacific NW Regional XC Showcase
Kingston
Coach: Lee Wilson
Key runners: Senior Kaeden Peterson, juniors Emmanuel Moes, Lucas Lenz, Alice Moe, Ariana Forbes-Prater, and sophomore Biyanca Parker-Henson
Outlook: Kingston’s boys team lost a few crucial members. As for the girls, they return their top-five runners, including Moe and Forbes-Prater, who qualified for state.
Schedule: Sept. 10, Tahoma Coed Relays; Sept. 17, 44th Salt Creek; Oct. 1, Nike-15th Annual Twilight XC Invitational; Oct. 7, Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational; Oct. 29, Westside Classic District XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 2A State XC Championships; Nov. 19, GearUp Sports/Pacific NW Regional XC Showcase
Klahowya
Coaches: James Felty, Mart Kraftcik
Key players: Senior Shane Porter, juniors Alison Fletcher, Hannah Bench, Aidan Smith, Malachi Mardo, and sophomore Natalie Oathout.
Outlook: Felty returns as the league’s girls coach of the year. Although the girls lost a few of their best runners, their top runner, Oathout, returns. The boys took a harder hit. However, they will have a few upperclassmen who finished Top 25 at districts.
Schedule: Sept. 10, Tahoma Coed Relays, Sept. 17; 44th Salt Creek Invitational; Oct. 1, John Payne (Curtis) Invitational; Oct. 7-8, Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational; Oct. 29, Westside Classic District XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 1A State XC Championships.
North Kitsap
Coach: Richard Christopher
Key runners: Senior Alec Ibarra, juniors Quinny Stuart, Matthew Fee, Kendall Becker, Eally Ondusko, and sophomore Macy Berndtson
Outlook: The boy’s side lost a few top-tier seniors. The girl’s side has the potential of being better. Despite losing their best runner, Genesi Funston, all their top runners have at least two more years of eligibility, making them a young and powerful core.
Schedule: Sept. 17, 44th Salt Creek Invitational; Sept. 21 vs. North Mason at Sequim; Oct. 1, John Payne (Curtis) Invite; Oct. 12 vs. Port Angeles at Olympic; Oct. 20, Olympic League Championships; Oct. 29, Westside Classic district XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 2A State XC Championships
Olympic
Coach: Chad Rehahn
Key runners: Seniors Miles Cole and Josiah Ferraro, and sophomore Cassia Whittier
Outlook: Olympic’s cross country team had only six runners at districts. Half of them return this season.
Schedule: Sept. 21, vs. Kingston at Bremerton; Oct. 1, John Payne (Curtis) Invite; Oct. 5, Sequim; Oct. 12, North Kitsap and Port Angeles; Oct. 20, Olympic League Championships; Oct. 29, Westside Classic District XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 2A State XC Championships
South Kitsap
Coach: Ed Santos
Key runners: Seniors Makayla Jackson and Hazel Allen, junior Jaden Kirscher, and sophomores Jefferson Smith, Karter Warner and Lauren Laws
Outlook: Both the boy’s and girl’s team is loaded. In addition, the top runners on each side are underclassmen. So the team results may not improve much this season, but the next few seasons show signs of promise for South Kitsap. Smith will look to lead the boys after finishing Top 50 in state while Laws looks to compete for a state title after finishing 18th last year.
Schedule: Sept. 6, vs. Sumner at Puyallup; Sept. 10, Gear Up Northwest XC Preview; Sept.17, 2022 PLU Invitational; Sept. 23, SK SPSL Meet; Oct. 1, John Payne (Curtis) Invite; Oct. 7-8, Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational; Oct. 20 SPSL 4A XC Championships; Oct. 29, Westside Classic District XC Championships; Nov. 5, WIAA 4A State XC Championships; Nov. 19, GearUp Sports/Pacific NW Regional XC Showcase
