Kodiak harriers keep up the tempo on Whidbey Island

LANGLEY, WA – Cascade High seniors and freshmen have been leading the charge for the school’s surging cross-country team this year, and that trend continued Saturday on Whidbey Island at the 32-team SW Carl Westling 45th XC Invitational. 

Seniors Caroline Menna (3rd overall), Grace McDevitt (4th), and Alice Farell (7th) paced the girls’ team to a second-place finish at the race, while senior Ben Jerome (12th) and freshmen Lane Bedard (23rd) and Kolston Breaux (25th) led the boys to fifth.

The South Whidbey meet, a 5k race over grass, gravel, and hilly forested trails brings together many of Washington’s leading Division 1A teams to serve as State Championship preview of sorts, and both the girls and boys squads came out looking like contenders.

The lady Kodiaks were rounded out at the varsity level by seniors Napiqua Gibbs and Harber Baker, junior Gwen Pehowski, and freshman Piper Copson; their male counterparts by senior Cruz Martinez, junior Miles Porter, and freshmen Ryder Fiano and Cooper Krejci.

The Kodiak runners next lace up their spikes on Saturday, September 28, on Ski Hill at the challenging Leavenworth Invite. All are welcome at the free, fan-friendly race, at which the varsity and JV girls have a noon start; varsity boys at 12:45; and JV boys at 1:15. For more information on the team and its results, visit https://cascadecrosscountry.weebly.com.

Caroline Menna is an intern for Ward Media and a senior (Class of 2025) at Cascade High School. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Cascade High School Publications Group.