Eatonville Girls Team Places 3rd, Qualify for State Alongside Three Cruiser Boys at District Championships

The Eatonville Cruiser cross country teams took on challenging competition at the District Championships held at Chambers Creek on Saturday, November 2, with the girls’ team finishing an impressive 3rd place out of 12 teams to secure a spot at the upcoming state meet. The boys’ team put forth a strong effort as well, earning 7th place in the 12-team field.

Eatonville's cross country team members that have qualified for the State meet pose with coaches Geoff Olson and Jessica Morrish. Photo: Geoff Olson

Junior Grace Coonrod led the Eatonville girls with an outstanding performance, placing 2nd overall in the girls’ 5,000-meter race out of a field of 90 runners. Coonrod crossed the finish line at 20:13.3, just seconds behind the top finisher, showcasing her strength and determination in the championship atmosphere. Coonrod’s high finish highlighted Eatonville’s team effort and helped push the Cruisers to the podium.

Alongside Coonrod, junior Bridget Stumph clocked in at 21:32.0, placing 14th overall in a solid display of consistency and endurance. Sophomore Hannah Bieker, who finished 23rd with a time of 22:40.2, contributed crucial points toward Eatonville’s team score. Senior Cheyanne Price added her experience to the lineup, securing 33rd place with a time of 23:36.2, and freshman Paisley Ashcroft came in 55th, finishing in 25:39.2. Rounding out the Eatonville lineup, juniors Savanna Price and Alice Alexander completed the course with times of 34:53.1 and 37:45.5, respectively.

The Eatonville boys' team, while falling just short of a top-five finish, demonstrated grit with a 7th-place overall finish. Leading the charge was junior Colton Rush, who took 18th place with a competitive time of 17:44.1. Right behind him, sophomore Benjamin Bernt finished in 23rd at 17:50.0, and freshman Gabriel Kolsrud earned 25th place, clocking in at 17:52.1. Together, Rush, Bernt, and Kolsrud’s performances earned them individual qualifying spots for the state meet. Sophomores Titus Lowe and Corey Dempsey finished 53rd and 56th with times of 19:12.5 and 19:19.0, respectively, while seniors Joey Callon and Ben Morrish completed the race in 20:15.4 (76th place) and 20:50.1 (83rd place).

Eatonville's qualifying runners will compete at the WIAA 2A State Championships, scheduled for Saturday, November 9, at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, WA. The girls’ team, thrilled with their 3rd-place district finish, sends all seven runners to state looking to build on their momentum, while individual boys qualifiers Rush, Bernt, and Kolsrud aim to represent Eatonville proudly among the best in Washington state.