Blaine runners get personal bests at weekend invitational

By Oliver Lazenby

Hard work is paying off for Blaine’s cross country teams, as the majority of Blaine cross country athletes ran their fastest-ever times at the Hole in the Wall Invitational on October 6 at Lakewood High School in Arlington.

Blaine head coach Gabe Bolton attributed his teams’ fast times to three factors: its training schedule, lots of competition and a fast course.

“I think the team is coalescing at the right point,” Bolton said. “Our training schedule has them peaking at the district championships, so we should see their fastest times of the season then.

The 2A District Championship is October 27 at South Whidbey High School. The top seven athletes from both the boys and girls teams will compete at the district championship.

At Hole in the Wall, Freshman Eleeshiyah Faulkner crossed the finish line first for the Blaine girls, coming in 41st out of 275 runners in 20 minutes, 28.3 seconds, a personal best time. Junior Taylee McCormick finished in 21 minutes, 44.6 seconds; freshman Claar French finished in 23 minutes, 43.2 seconds and sophomore Milanna Fredericks finished in 24 minutes, 3.4 seconds – all personal best times.

For the boys, freshman Connor Hettinga finished 258th out of 379 runners with a personal best time of 18 minutes, 47.3 seconds. Other Blaine boys varsity runners to beat their personal records include sophomore Ben Arps (19 minutes, 25.6 seconds), freshman Jack Cheatham (19 minutes, 26.9 seconds) junior Aiden Simpson (19 minutes, 40.8 seconds), sophomore Landen Carlton (19 minutes, 58.2 seconds) and sophomore Bailey Bleazard (20 minutes, 41.5 seconds).

Blaine cross country teams compete next at the Lake Lap at Lake Padden at 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 11.