PENDLETON – Pendleton Community Park will be the site of the 3A District 3 championships for the boys of Burns, Enterprise/Joseph/Wallowa, La Pine, Nyssa, Riverside, Umatilla, and Vale. The athletes will leave the start line on Friday, November 1.
The top two teams will advance to the state meet with the top team crowned as the district champ. In addition, a runner, if not a member of the top two teams, finishes in the top five, the runner will also make the trip to state.
With seven teams starting off the race, here is the runners to pay special attention in those last 100 yards.
Boys
- Enterprise sophomore Henry Coughlan is over 40 seconds quicker than the remaining field and the lone runner with a race under 16 minutes. Coughlan has blazed a course in 15 minutes, 52.2 and will be the favorite on Friday.
- Fellow Enterprise sophomore Zac Knapp has clocked a time this season of 16:42.9, but did run 20 seconds quicker last season.
- The Burns Hilanders enter the fray with senior JP Friedrichsen in the third slot. Friedrichsen’s best time came very early in the season, 16:45.2 on September 21.
- Enterprise is back on the list with one more sophomore as Bayden Menton comes in with a time of 16:54.2
- The lone La Pine runner and first freshman on the listing is Wyatt Montgomery. Montgomery makes the most of his first year of running, breaking the 17-minute mark at 16:59.4.
- Burns strengthens the position for a team title with the next four quickest runners in the district. Senior Calvin Bates, with a time of 17:07.2, leads the list.
- In his first year, Burns freshman Carter Lardy and his 17:09.2 time will assist the Hilanders towards the district title.
- Burns sophomore Masson Shaw is just seven tenths of a second behind his teammate Lardy with a best this year of 17:09.9.
- In his final year of cross country, Burns senior Ryan Robles makes a bid for a district title with his time of 17:18.8.
- Nyssa senior Myo Castro is the lone Bulldog in the top ten runners. Castro will be trying to improve on a time of 17:32.0 at district.
Easternoregonsports.com pick:
Enterprise does have the elite runners and barring injury, no runner will catch Coughlan. However, Burns has the depth and numbers to be crowned district champions. Look for the Hilanders to be going to state, but again meeting Enterprise runners upon arrival.
