Cruisers Shine at PLU Meadows Cross Country Meet

The Eatonville Cruiser cross country teams showed both their depth and determination Wednesday, Sept. 24, as they took on Franklin Pierce, Orting and Washington High School at the PLU Meadows Disc Golf Course.

The flat, fast course offered prime conditions for quick times, and the Cruisers didn’t disappoint, producing standout performances and several personal bests on both the boys’ and girls’ sides.

On the boys’ team, sophomore Gabe Kolsrud had a great day with a personal best time of 17 minutes, 34 seconds to finish second overall. His performance set the tone for Eatonville, which placed four runners inside the top six.

Senior Colton Rush followed close behind in third with an 18:00 finish, while junior Titus Lowe (18:38) and senior Corey Dempsey (18:50) secured fifth and sixth place.

Adding to the depth, freshman Stephen Patton delivered a personal best 20:05 to place 14th. Sophomore Blayne Cabana also turned in a PR at 22:05 to finish 22nd overall.

“The boys, led by Gabe, had a great day,” head coach Geoff Olson said. “A few ran really good PRs, and it shows the progress they’re making as a team.”

The Cruiser girls were equally impressive, led by senior standout Grace Coonrod, who stormed to victory in 20:11. Coonrod’s decisive win set the pace early, and her teammates followed her lead.

Senior Bridget Stumph grabbed third place in 22:22, while junior Hannah Bieker took fourth in 23:04, giving Eatonville three runners inside the top five.

Behind them, senior Alice Alexander turned in her best race of the season, running a personal best of 31:39 to finish 24th. Seniors Savanna Price (35:15) and sophomore Madi Sarpy (36:59) rounded out Eatonville’s lineup, continuing to gain valuable experience.

Olson noted that the girls’ team was shorthanded, missing sophomore Jenny Lowe, who was out sick. “I feel with Jenny the girls would have taken first place,” he said.

With four personal records, a first-place finish on the girls’ side and four top-six runners on the boys’ side, the meet at PLU Meadows was another strong step for Eatonville. The Cruisers return to action Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Orting’s Cardinal Stadium, where they will take on the Cardinals along with both Fife and Foss high schools.