Port Townsend cross-country sweeps top three places

Posted

The Port Townsend High School cross-country team traveled to North Mason to compete in its last regular season meet Oct. 11, and both boys and girls ran home with wins.

The course was a 5K forested loop that was as PT cross-country head coach Alice Fraser’s athletes described to her as “dangerous,” “ankle-breaking,” “beautiful,” “difficult” and “rocky.”

“Due to the nature of the course, as well as the health of many of the athletes, I elected to have the boys all run in the Junior Varsity race at 4 p.m.,” Fraser said. “This gave some of our top boys the opportunity to use the race more like a good workout session, and keep them from running harder than I wanted them to and possibly risking injury.”

Fraser reported that the PT boys’ team “easily” won the JV race over North Kitsap and North Mason, with sophomores Seamus Fraser (19:09), Kincaid Gould (19:10) and Nathan Cantrell (19:13) finishing first, second and third, respectively.

“They did a great job practicing pack running and controlling their pace,” Fraser said, adding that senior Jesus Duran was seventh overall with 20:00, and Skylar Zabransky was the first freshman in the race, taking 11th place with 20:23.

All the girls raced at 4:30 p.m., and North Kitsap freshman Madison Zosa won the event with a time of 19:16. The PT girls were led by sophomores Anika Avelino (sixth with 23:15) and Rachel Matthes (10th with 24:42).

PT freshman Erin Fenton (19th with 31:16), junior Akwe McDaniels (21st with 33:05) and sophomore Skylar Stekly (22nd with 33:22) rounded out the girls’ team.

“It was great to have Skylar back, since she’s been battling knee issues for most of the season,” Fraser said.

The PT team races next Oct. 19 at the Olympic League Championships at The Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course in Sequim. It’s another 5K course, with JV boys running at 4 p.m., girls at 4:30 p.m. and boys’ varsity at 5 p.m. The Blue Heron Middle School cross-country team races a 2-mile course prior to the high school athletes, with boys at 3:25 p.m. and girls at 3:30 p.m.