District XC crowns earned by Lady Sparts
By JOHN GALBREATH Sports Editor
Stanwood’s Natasha Verma sprints for the finish line at Saturday’s district cross country meet. Verma’s third place helped propel the local girls’ team to the district championship. The entire seven-runner squad will compete in the state XC meet in Pasco this coming Sat., Nov. 7th. PHOTO BY JOHN GALBREATH | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
Led by the resolute Minna Fields, the Lady Spartan cross country squad literally ran away with its second straight District I Cross Country Championship.
That victory will allow head coach Jordan Sneva to take a full team of seven runners to Pasco this coming Sat., Nov. 7, for the Washington State XC Meet. Details about the state meet can be obtained by calling the SHS athletic director’s office at 629-1322.
With Fields, the top 4A finisher with a time of 18:57, Natasha Verma, who was third overall with a course coverage of 19:20 and freshman Jordin Stephenson (10th, 19:45) leading the way, the girls from Stanwood easily outdistanced all the other 4A participants and finished with 54 points. Arlington’s Eagles, who accumulated 118 points, and Oak Harbor (134) are the other two area schools who will send full 4A squads to the state meet.
“As expected, Minna led the whole way,” said Sneva. “(In addition), it was great to see Natasha earn her second straight third place at Districts and it was terrific to have Jordin ‘the Natural’ Stephenson place in the top ten as well.”
The indomitable Jade Borseth, who won the individual district champ in 2008 when she was a freshman, grabbed a gutsy 17th place while covering the slimy course in 20 minutes, 29 seconds. “Jade is so tough,” Sneva noted. Due to an injury sustained before the season began in August, Borseth was participating in only her third race of the 2009 campaign.
Improving on her time by seven seconds and beating a number of runners who had finished ahead of her in the divisional last week, junior Maddi Davis (23rd, 20:39) ran perhaps the finest race of her three-year career at the district meet held at South Whidbey High School in Langley. “Maddie came up big with her fastest 5K ever, and she said after the race she has more to give!” her excited coach added.
A pair of ninth graders, Megan Wyles (43rd, 21:26) and Alexandra Yerigan (77th, 22:52), ran excellent races as well and will accompany Sneva and his first five to Pasco this weekend. “Megan continues to improve and show toughness. Alexandra stepped up big to run in the place of Natalie Bergstrom,” an admiring Sneva said.
Bergstrom, who was a member of the Spartan district and state teams a season ago as a freshman, didn’t participate in the district race due to illness.
