PREP CROSS COUNTRY: Shanahan earns first varsity win at Sandpoint invite
SANDPOINT — As far as drama went, the girls race stole the show on Saturday, as Sandpoint played host to 11 teams at the William Johnson Invitational cross country meet at rain-soaked Travers Park.
The girls race featured a tight pack of runners pushing the pace from the start, with four — Sydney Shanahan, Kaitlyn Blume, Katherine Kaul and Caitlin Conway — in position to win as they entered the spectator-lined 100 yard finish area.
As everyone awaited a photo finish, Post Falls freshman Sydney Shanahan kicked it into high gear, surging ahead and breaking the tape first in a time of 18:55.29. Her win was a byproduct of unselfishly trying to help push teammate Ida Mae Brooks to the front of the pack.
“I wanted to help Ida get her goal to beat Caitlin Conway,” said a happy Shanahan after the race. “I crossed the ribbon first.”
Blume finished second, Kaul third and Conway fourth, as the four broke away and ran together in the final lap of the 5K course, with the race decided by kicks.
The Sandpoint girls, winners of two of the past three 4A state title, ran away with the team title, posting a 41 point score less than half of the runner up Vikings.
“It as the second fastest time she has ever run,” said Bulldog girls coach Angie Brass of Kaul, who collapsed of exhaustion at the finish line. “Breakthrough season races for entire girls varsity team, placing us in a great position coming into the regional meet.”
The boys race held far less drama, as Lewiston’s Austin Bryer set a blistering pace and built a sizable early lead, cruising to a win in a time of 15:20, nearly 40 seconds faster than Lake City’s Alex Walde and Sandpoint’s Fin Lund-Andersen, who finished second and third, respectively.
“We are thrilled with the results today,” said Bulldog boys head coach and race host Matt Brass. “Fin had another very solid race, putting him in a strong position at the state level.” Coeur d’Alene finished second, 23 points behind Lewiston as a team.
Regional championship meets begin Oct. 20.
GIRLS
TEAM SCORES — 1, Sandpoint 41. 2, Coeur d’Alene 83. 3, Post Falls 87. 4, Timberlake 99. 5, Lakeland 151. 6, Lewiston 161. 7, Lake City 174. 8, Bonners Ferry 186. 9, Coeur d’Alene Charter 189.
TOP 25 — 1, Sydney Shanahan, PF, 18:55.29. 2, Kaitlyn Blume, Lew, 18:57.18. 3, Katherine Kaul, Spt, 19:00.67. 4, Caitlin Conway, Cd’A, 19:04.36. 5, Abigail Peightal, TL, 19:37.32. 6, Ida Mae Brooks, PF, 19:30.97. 7, Hannah Davidson, Spt, 19:41.09. 8, Rainey Woodward, Spt, 19:45.17. 9, Brooklyn Shell, Cd’A, 19:49.98. 10, Abigail Gorton, BF, 20:02.27. 11, Dana Beaty, Spt, 20:03.67. 12, Niah Brass, Spt, 20:06.07. 13, Jordan Young, BF, 20:06.42. 14, Kassidy Hammond, TL, 20:32.92. 15, Sharon Rowe, Spt, 20:35.52. 16, Heather Wallace, Spt, 20:43.43. 17, Enara Deurne, PR, 20:47.98. 18, Merceydes Smith, Cd’A, 20:48.76. 19, Leana Reed, LL, 20:49.28. 20, Bailey Shanahan, PF, 20:49.8. 21, Isabelle Kirk, LL, 20:54.41. 22, Elsa Longhurst, FRE, 21:03.88. 23, Savannah Caudle, TL, 21:05.02. 24, Ana Wilson, FRE, 21:14.38. 25, Kelsey Vershum, LC, 21:19.78.
BOYS
TEAM SCORES — 1, Lewiston 30. 2, Coeur d’Alene 53. 3, Sandpoint 89. 4, Timberlake 101. 5, Coeur d’Alene Charter 136. 6, Lake City 162. 7, Priest River 171. 8, Post Falls 191. 9, Lakeland 204. 10, Bonners Ferry 266. 11, Newport 328.
TOP 25 — 1, Austin Bryer, Lew, 15:20.85. 2, Alex Walde, Cd’A, 15:58.26. 3, Fin Lund Andersen, Spt, 16:00. 4, Joey Perez, Lew, 16:02.51. 5, Chad Humphreys, Cd’A, 16:20.07. 6, Caden Byrer, Lew, 16:23.8. 7, Landon Davis, TL, 16:25.1. 8, Cooper Haney, LL, 16:28.08. 9, Sakti Woodbury, Lew, 16:33.67. 10, Connor Turpin, Lew, 16:36.17. 11, Gabe McCombs, Cd’A, 16:41.21. 12, Brayden Menti, TL, 16:42.19. 13, Jackson Ricks, Cd’A, 16:43.92. 14, Karson Peach, Cd’A, 16:45.17. 15, Cole Dillon, Spt, 16:47.16. 16, Jacob Shoup, Cd’A, 16:48.17. 17, Carter Gordon, LC, 16:50.47. 18 — Cameron Parkes, PR, 17:10.61. 19 — Clay Rasmussen, Spt, 17:13.36. 20 — Caleb Gleason, PR, 17:13.8. 21 — Luke English, Cd’A, 17:18.17. 22, Cross Pilgrim, NIC, 17:19.1. 23, Reilly Wolfe, Spt, 17:19.55. 24, Hoah Norwood, Lew, 17:21.36. 25, Alex Ayers, LC, 17:21.66.