Eatonville Cross Country logs strong results at SPSL League Meet and John Payne Invitational

Eatonville High School’s cross country teams had a remarkable week of racing, posting strong individual and team performances. Eatonville competed in the SPSL 2A League meet at Camp Arnold on Monday, Sept. 30, and the HOKA 28th Annual John Payne Invitational at Chambers Creek Regional Park in Tacoma on Saturday, Oct. 5. Both the boys' and girls' teams excelled, highlighted by top finishes and several personal bests.

SPSL 2A League Meet Recap

At the league meet on Monday, held at Camp Arnold, Eatonville’s boys showed depth and consistency, placing multiple runners in the top 20. Junior Colton Rush led the way with a 6th-place finish, completing the 2-mile course in 11:29.00. Freshman standout Gabriel Kolsrud continued his breakout season, placing 8th in 11:46.30, a personal best for him. Sophomore Benjamin Bernt also broke into the top 10, finishing 9th with a time of 11:59.60.

Eatonville’s depth was bolstered by solid finishes from sophomore Titus Lowe (15th, 12:24.00), senior Joey Callon (16th, 12:44.00), and junior Corey Demsey (17th, 12:53.30). Senior Ben Morrish crossed the line in 13:18.70 for 20th place, while sophomore Tytus Goode (21st, 13:34.60) and senior Ethan Carter (22nd, 13:39.00) contributed important finishes, with Carter setting a personal best. Seniors Reed Monroe (35th, 15:24.20) and Jasper Beck (39th, 16:35.90) rounded out Eatonville’s efforts.

The girls’ team dominated their race, with junior Grace Coonrod taking 1st place in 13:05. Teammates Hannah Bieker (2nd, 14:15) and Bridget Stumph (3rd, 14:54) completed a clean sweep of the podium for Eatonville. Senior Cheyanne Price finished 4th with a time of 15:19, and freshman Paisley Ashcroft secured a 6th-place finish in 15:57.

Sophomore Savanna Price set a personal best, finishing 18th in 22:34, while junior Alice Alexander finished in 23:50, placing 19th.

John Payne Invitational Recap

Eatonville’s success carried over to the HOKA 28th John Payne Invitational on Saturday, where both teams faced stiff competition from larger schools. The boys’ team placed 14th out of 41 teams, while the girls finished an impressive 5th out of 31 teams, further showcasing the strength of the Eatonville program.

In the boys’ race, junior Colton Rush once again led the team, finishing 29th overall in a time of 17:39.3. Freshman Gabriel Kolsrud continued his strong form, placing 48th with a personal best of 17:57.5, breaking the 18-minute barrier for the first time. Sophomore Benjamin Bernt ran a steady race, finishing 83rd in 18:26.2.

Sophomore Titus Lowe set a personal record, placing 121st in 18:53.3, while junior Corey Demsey also notched a personal best, crossing the line in 19:43.5 for 194th place. Senior Ben Morrish finished 211th in 19:53.5, and senior Joey Callon rounded out the boys’ scoring, finishing 235th in 20:03.3.

The girls' team was led by junior Grace Coonrod, who finished 3rd overall with a personal best time of 19:55.0, breaking the 20-minute mark for the first time in her career. Junior Bridget Stumph also posted a personal best, finishing 32nd with a time of 21:55.5, while sophomore Hannah Bieker came in 66th in 23:16.3.

Senior Cheyanne Price finished 93rd in 24:05.2, and freshman Paisley Ashcroft recorded another personal best, finishing 101st with a time of 24:17.8. In the later stages of the race, sophomore Savanna Price posted a personal best with a time of 34:44.2 for 230th place, and junior Alice Alexander completed the course in 37:11.6, placing 232nd.

Looking Ahead

The Eatonville Cruisers will look to build on this week’s success as they continue their journey toward postseason competition. The combination of consistent top finishes and multiple personal bests has Eatonville poised for a strong finish to the season.

Next up, the Cruisers will compete in the 2A SPSL League meet on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at Cardinal Stadium in Orting, WA. This event will be another key opportunity for the team to sharpen their form as they approach the final stretch of the season.