PREP CROSS COUNTRY: Coeur d'Alene comes up ninth in the nation
Courtesy photo The Coeur d'Alene High boys cross country team finished ninth at the Nike National cross country meet on Saturday at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland. In the back from left are Zack Cervi-Skinner, Mitchell Rietze, coach Emry Carr, coach Allison Howard, Rowan Henry and Wyatt Carr. In the front are Max Cervi-Skinner, Wyatt Morgenstern and Gabe Heule.
PORTLAND, Ore. — "They ran with heart, and I couldn't be prouder of them."
The Coeur d'Alene boys cross country team, winners of two straight state championships, finishing ninth in the Nike National race at Glendoveer Golf Course on Saturday out of 22 teams.
Senior Max Cervi-Skinner, the top local finisher in 37th, finished in 16:06.6. Other Coeur d'Alene finishers were senior Zack Cervi-Skinner (82nd, 16:32.4), sophomore Wyatt Carr (93rd, 16:35.4), junior Mitchell Rietze (109th, 16:46), freshman Rowan Henry (127th, 16:55.5), freshman Wyatt Morgenstern (138th, 17:01.9) and sophomore Gabe Heule (149th, 17:12.1) out of 198 runners.
"It feels good," Coeur d'Alene coach Emry Carr said. "But to be honest, everyone from top to bottom is a little disappointed, but it shows where their goals and minds were at. It was a tough day weather-wise, but the guys battled the entire way through."
Coeur d'Alene, ranked fifth in the latest Dyestat National Rankings, was 11th at nationals in 2023.
"It didn't quite go the way we hoped, but the guys ran the best they could," Carr said. "As a coach, I'm super, super proud of the boys. They did everything we asked them to do. We were hoping for a better outcome, but that's the way it goes sometimes."
Niwot (Colo.), ranked third nationally, won the national title with 70 points.
"Last year, we lost two seniors and nobody thought we'd replicate that," Carr said. "We'll lose two seniors again, but have five underclassmen ready to step up. Our expectations are to come here again next year and do a heck of a lot better."
Rain and mud affected most of the field according to Carr.
"It was terrible conditions," Carr said. "It was really sloppy, and that favors and older, thicker crew. Every course favors a certain type of runner, and it was tough for us today. But the boys ran with a ton of heart, and I couldn't be more proud."