Staff report
Columbia Gorge News  Â
THE GORGE — Columbia High School senior Lilah Zimmerman set a school record for 5,000 meters two weekago and came within six seconds of the all-time mark for three miles this past week in winning an Oct. 14 Trico League cross country meet in White Salmon.
Zimmerman won the race in 18 minutes, 40 seconds, pacing teammate Kathryn O’Connor to a personal best 19:30 and a runner-up finish. The Bruin boys were led by Colby Clark, who was third in the boys varsity race in 17:08 – a personal best for three miles.
Eagles run at Putnam
Hood River competed Oct. 14 at a Northwest Oregon Conference meet at Putnam. The Eagles trained through the week as they begin preparations for the Oct. 28 district meet. HRV’s Savina Davis won the girls 5,000-meter race in 19:24 – two and half minutes faster than any other varsity finisher. Sandy, which figures to be the favorite for the 2026 girls district title based on results thus far, had the third through sixth finishers.
The Hood River boys placed five runners among the top 10 spots among the six scoring teams. The Eagle boys will also be favored at district and were led at Putnam by Gus VandenHeuvel, Josh Carley and Sam Schwager, who were third, fourth and sixth. Ethan Clough (ninth) and Copeland Louis (tenth) completed the HRV team score.
The Dalles competes in Estacada
The Dalles High girls, favorites to win the Tri-Valley Conference title this fall, were third at the Estacada Invitational Oct. 14. The top five (team scoring) runners for the Riverhawks were: Flamingo Duyck, fifth, 19:32; Marley Perry,15th, 20:39; Alessandra Meza, 22nd, 20:57; Gabriela Dominguez Bahena, 27th, 21:15; and Elle Brock 44th, 22:07. Duyck’s time was a personal best and the No. 9 cross country time in school history for 5,000 meters.
The Riverhawk boys were 11th in the varsity race at Estacada, and were led by Luke Sorenson and Zeb Stelzer, who were 20th and 21st in 17:05 and 17:10.
Trout Lake runs at Umatilla
Trout Lake’s Melody Stock continued her stellar senior season, winning the Oct. 16 girls varsity race at the Foot Race to Valhalla meet in Umatilla over some familiar competitors. Stock won the 5,000-meter race in 18:54; Lilly Weer of Enterprise was second; and Imbler’s Piper Braseth was third. At the 2025 Class 1A state track and field meet, Stock, Braseth and Weer finished 1-2-3 in the 1,500-meter final. Braseth edged Stock for the 800-meter crown.
The Trout Lake boys were led at the Valhalla meet by senior Joby Steward, who was 12th overall.
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