CROSS COUNTRY DISTRICT ROUNDUP

4A District 1 Championships at Camp Rilea in Warrenton...Seaside's Ashley Mayfield took home the girls individual title, but it was a race a little further back in the pack that landed the Astoria girls team in the state meet field. Astoria's Maia Donachy edged Paloma Newcombe of Seaside by less than a second at the finish line to place 18th. The difference between Astoria's sixth runner and Seaside's fourth proved to be significant, as Astoria beat Seaside by a point to claim second place and an automatic state berth. Bridgette Nurding led the Fishermen girls with a fourth place finish (22:06). The Fishermen boys finished well out of the running in third place, as Tillamook came on strong to take the team title with 38 points, led by Miguel Velez' fourth place finish. Astoria's Mike Pounders finished 13 seconds ahead of Velez in third place and will head to state along with teammate Ross MacDougall (13th place, 18:46). Scappoose won a state berth with a second place finish, led by individual champion Jered Graham (17:21). Seaside's Tom Benson placed second in 17:26 to qualify for the state meet aty Lane Community College next weekend.
3A/2A/1A District 1 Championships at Tualatin Hills Recreation Center in Beaverton...Knappa's qualified its boys team and two girls for the state meet. Josh Frye led a group of Knappa runners with a fifth place finish, immediately followed by Kevin Martens, Ryan Isom and Steve Allen in "Kenyan Style" according to first-year head coach Kenboi Chesimet. Nate Boardman crossed the line just ten seconds behind that group in 12th place. Knappa's boys finished just short of the district team title, much to Chesimet's dismay, as Catlin Gabel scored 34 points to Knappa's 38. The Logger girls finished third in the team race with 90 points behind Catlin Gabel (25) and Valley Catholic (67). Gretchen George (5th place, 20:45) and Anna Hain (12th place, 22:13) qualified for the state meet. Warrenton's Janessa Gramson finished in 14th place with a time of 22:55.