The Dalles girls win Tri-Valley district meet

THE DALLES — The state meet streaks continue for The Dalles High (TDH) boys and girls cross country teams after their Oct. 29 performances at the Tri-Valley Conference district meet at Sorosis Park.

The Riverhawk girls won the 2025 conference title — their third straight crown — and qualified for the Nov. 8 Class 4A state meet in Eugene. The Dalles’ boys team finished second at district behind Molalla and also qualified for state. Coach Jill Bell’s girls team extended the program’s state meet appearance string to eight years, scoring 31 points at district. Madras was second with 54, edging Molalla by a point.

The Riverhawks were led by sophomore Flamingo Duyck, who finished third behind Molalla High sisters Annalyse and Anika Jensen. Duyck ran the tough Sorosis Park course in 21 minutes, 12 seconds, a lifetime best.

Just as impressive was the pack mentality of the Riverhawks. The Dalles’ next six runners finished within the top 12 places. Frosh Rozlyn Elliott and senior Abigail Pope finished fifth and sixth in 21:30 (PR) and 21:34; Josie Brace, Alessandra Meza, and Kestley Hodges were eighth through 10th (21:53, 22:06, 22:16); and Laura Black was 12th in 22:21.

The Dalles boys also ran in a tight pack, outside of senior leader Tyson Long, who finished fourth overall and joins a selective group of runners (including Pope of the Riverhawk girls team) to have qualified for the state meet four times. Long ran the 5,000-meter race in 17:24 leading the Riverhawks to their runner-up finish with 42 points. Champion Molalla, led by a 1-2-3 finish (junior Nick Wood won the race), scored 27 points.

The Dalles’ second through seventh runners were bunched in an impressive 20-second pack, from eighth through 13th place. In order were Luke Sorenson, Lazarus Taylor, Aiden Erickson, Zeb Stelzer, Noah Preston, and Phoenix Nanie — from 17:55 to 18:15.

The Dalles boys have now qualified for the state meet seven successive seasons; the Riverhawks have also won a state meet trophy (top four finishers) the past three seasons.

The state meet is Nov. 8 at Lane Community College in Eugene. The Class 4A boys race is scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m.; the girls race begins at 12:20 p.m.