Mixed results for Grizzlies at state meet

McMinnville freshman Whitney Rich placed 28th Saturday at the 6A state cross-country meet at Lane Community College in Eugene.

Rich, who won the Pacific Conference district meet two weeks ago, finish in 19 minutes, 45 seconds earning Honorable Mention All-State honors.

“That’s pretty good actually,” McMinnville coach Vic Downs said. “To be a freshman and run down there, she set herself up pretty well.”

Downs said Rich got sick during the race, but she battled the nerves and hard exertion to finish in the top quarter of the 108-runner meet. Sara Tsai of South Eugene won the meet in 17:42.

Rich fared better than Mac’s two boys runners. Sophomore Ronnie Graham finished in 17:54 in 81st place. Junior Nic McDaniel was 93rd with a time of 18:21.

“Both guys tried to go for that magic race,” Downs said. “Nic pushed into the top 10 early, but things started going downhill and he fell off the pace. The wheels came off.”

Downs said Graham also pushed hard.

“It’s a pretty good lesson for the two of them,” he said. “State is just a different race.”

Jackson Darland of Sheldon won the 6A boys meet in 15:40.

Yamhill-Carlton

The Yamhill-Carlton girls cross-country team finished 11th in the team scoring at the 4A state meet Saturday, scoring 261 points. Savannah Gardner finished in 31st place with a time of 21:22, and her sister Samantha was next for the Tigers in 35th place with a time of 21:31. Journey Adams finished in 22:17 and in 56th place for Y-C, and Cheyenne O’Loughlin was 87th.

Mariah Schock and Livia Haberli were 97th and 104th respectively for the Tigers.