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Boys - Girls
by John Dye
BEAVERTON OR 11/10/01 -- The BorderClash tally is even after 2
years -- each state sweeping once -- and there is no clear favorite
for the third edition tomorrow. The meet scores the top 10 runners
from each state, so depth counts as much as quality. Eight runners
will be competing in their third BorderClash.
Boys
Oregon won the inaugural BorderClash, 69-103, with Ian Dobson,
and Washington evened the score last year 104-109 behind Michael
Kiter.
Each state has blue chip quality at the top this year.
Washington is led by the trio who were 1-2-3 in the Washington
4A state meet last Saturday: Mead sr Jesse Fayant, Auburn
sr Chris Lukezic, and Mt. Spokane sr Cameron Schwer.
They were followed closely by Auburn sr Tyler Campbell and
Shadle Park jr Richie Nelson. All five finished within 10
seconds, so the northerners have the makings of a very solid front
pack. Lukezic was 5th at the Great American Festival and has won
every other race except the state meet; he has the fastest 3-mile
time in the field (14:45) and second fastest 5k time (15:11).
Oregon leads with Klamath Union's dynamic duo, jr Lauren Jesperson
and sr Jacob Gomez, who were 1-2 in the Oregon 4A championship
a week ago in a near dead heat. Sunset sr David Axel and
Grant jr Alec Wall followed 3 and 9 seconds later, Oregon
has a strong 4-pack to throw at Washington's 5-pack. Wall's 15:07
win at Clackamas September 15 is the fastest in the field this season
and ranks him in the top 10 nationally on DyeStat's XC
Leader List. Jesperson won the big Lava Bear Classic in October.
Girls
Oregon won 2 years ago, 95-117, behind Paris Edwards, and Washington
last year, 87-130, behind Jodee Adams-Moore.
The injury to Alison Tubbs, winner of the Great American
Festival in the fastest 5k time in the nation this year, hurts Washington,
so the leadership role falls on the three state champions: Olympia
sr Jessie McLaughlin (18:20 5k in 4A), Eastmont soph Amanda
Miller (18:29 in 3A), and Mount Baker sr Bobeya Krishnek
(18:22 in 2A). Also strong contenders are Seattle Prep sr Ray
Rogers, whose 17:35 5k at the Bellevue Inv in September is the
only time not belonging to Tubbs in the top 4 seasonal times by
Washington and Oregon girls; Davis sr Meredith Crane, 2nd
to McLaughlin in 4A in 18:29; and North Central sr Laura Hodgson,
3rd in 4A in 18:32.
Hood River Valley jr Christy Paul (17:56) is the only Oregon
girl in the top 10 times for the season by Oregon and Washington
girls, and she won the Oregon 4A title last Saturday. Other contenders
for Oregon are Philomath soph Brianna Anderson-Gregg, 3A
champion; Tualatin soph Meghan Armstrong, runner-up in 4A;
Mountain View jr Emily McMahon, winner of the Lava Bear Classic;
and McKay sr Dawn Morgan, a disappointing 15th in the state
meet but a strong runner the last 2 years.
And of course there will be surprises which I can't identify now,
or they wouldn't be surprises.
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