Geoducks compete in cross-country preview in Portland 

The Evergreen State College fielded its best cross-country student-athletes again in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Cross Country Preview Invitational held at Rose City Golf Course in Portland, Oregon, on the morning of Saturday, September 20. 

The Geoducks men’s team finished 5th out of six participating CCC schools in the men’s 8-kilometer run with a cumulative rank score of 138 points and average time of 27:50 from seven participating runners. The women’s team, however, failed to field a full team of at least six players as reflected in the Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) website. 

Leading the pack for the men’s team was sophomore Jaydon Blackburn, who placed 28th out of 94 runners with a time of 26:25.3, or a blistering pace of around 3:18/kilometer or 5:19/mile. Last week’s Geoduck leader Max Baeder was second in the Geoduck XC squad as he took 41st place at a time of 26:50.5. 

Joining the Geoduck men’s team are Rowan Hicks, finishing in 60th place at 27:53.1, Luis Esquivel, who finished 71st with a time of 28:47.3, Harlan Estrada at 74th clocking in at 29:16.9, Osvaldo Calderon at 80th with the time of 30:09.1, Atticus Lauderdale at 92nnd place as he recorded a time 33:07.9, and River Scheuerell clocking at 35:16. 

In the women’s 6-kilometer trail race, Mara Schwenneker continued to lead the Geoducks with a 41st place overall finish as she recorded a time of 26:08.1, or a pace of around 4:21/kilometer or a 7:01 mile. Joining her in the race was Maddie Morgan with a time of 31:13.6, while Nadya Miller did not finish the race. 

The College of Idaho won the team’s events for both men’s and women’s races, proving early their supremacy in the sport as the 5th in the nationals. The top three spots for the men’s 8k run belong to the Yotes, with Daniel Butler crossing the finish line with a time of 24:32.7. In the women’s event, Kahea Figueira from the same school led the conference finishers with a time of 21:53. 

The Geoduck Cross Country teams are expected to continue to find form at the trail, resting for two weeks before returning to the field with their next event at the 49th Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational at Bush’s Pasture Park in Salem, Oregon on October 5.