The local cross country scene is experiencing a transformation as new athletes step into the spotlight following the graduation of standout runners like Jayden Warner, Wyatt Jacobson, and William Laman. On August 28, the Knappa and Astoria cross country teams opened their seasons, making significant impressions at their respective meets.
The Knappa boys team, the defending 2A State Champions, demonstrated their strength at a competitive meet held at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon. Competing against larger schools from the 4A to 6A classifications, the Loggers secured a commendable third place out of 30 teams, finishing behind 6A McMinnville and 5A Corvallis. Knappa's score of 108 placed them just ahead of Corvallis, which tallied 103 points, while McMinnville led with 95 points.
With most of last year's team returning, Knappa is poised for another intense title race alongside rivals Union and Bandon. Junior Rowdy Justus emerged as a standout performer, finishing fourth overall and achieving a personal best time of 8:44.04 in a race that was one of the fastest for this early in the season. North Eugene senior Ashenafi McKinnis set a new course record for the 3,000-meter distance at 8:20.9, inspiring many runners to achieve their personal bests. Justus's impressive time marked a significant improvement from his previous best of 9:17.
Following Justus, sophomore Kyler Rodriguez finished 18th with a time of 9:16.62, dropping over a minute from his previous personal best. Other notable finishes for Knappa included Logan Affolter in 24th place with a personal best of 9:25, senior Paul Thompson in 34th with a time of 9:31.88, and Trey Lempea in 38th at 9:34.67. Tanner Jones, who did not score for the team, also achieved a personal best of 9:46.78, finishing 56th.
On the girls' side, freshman Bristol Weichal led her team with a 67th-place finish, clocking in at 12:16.38. She was closely followed by Zoey Lackey in 69th place at 12:17.0, and Danni Finn, who finished 134th with a time of 13:56.28. The Loggers are set to compete next at the Ultimook Race on September 5.
Meanwhile, the Astoria cross country teams also showcased their potential at the Valiant Opener hosted by Valley Catholic. Head coach Jeremy Boutin expressed confidence in his teams, which have seen significant growth with a talented freshman class and an overall increase in team size. This optimism was validated as both the boys' and girls' teams were led by freshmen at the meet.
Grady Tillotson emerged as the top finisher for the boys, placing sixth with a time of 10:16.90, marking a personal best by 30 seconds. For the girls, freshmen Ila Canessa and Mavis Allen finished fifth and tenth, respectively, with times of 12:40.85 and 13:18.7. Astoria's boys finished second overall with 78 points, while the girls scored 62 points, narrowly losing to Catlin Gabel.
Additional scorers for the boys included sophomore Turner Boslar, who achieved a personal best of 10:30, and Recker Harvey and Braedon Long, who clocked times of 10:48 and 11:29.26, respectively. The girls' team also saw strong performances from Teslyn Wintersteen, Addie Earl, and Lucy Jannusch, finishing third, fourth, and fifth in their race.
With the season just beginning, both Knappa and Astoria have laid a solid foundation for what could be a competitive year, with aspirations for league titles on the horizon. The next challenge for Astoria will be at the Cowapa League Preview on September 2.
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