CHS boys claim third-straight Trico XC title

“Will took charge from the start to be the individual league champ,” said Bruins Coach Jill Cole.

Nuckoles shaved 29 seconds off his 5,000-meter time. He placed third at the league meet in 2014 and 2015.

Freshman Dylan Beneventi and senior Colin Howe weren’t far behind Nuckoles.

Beneventi finished with a PR of 17:14 and Howe followed in a career-best time of 17:16. Howe was runner-up at the league meet the previous two seasons.

Sophomore Ethan Andrews and freshman Finn Coffin placed seventh and ninth overall to round out the CHS scoring five.

The Bruins three-peated with a final score of 22. The rival La Center Wildcats placed second with 48 in the six-team field.

Juniors Declan Liddiard and James Bell also completed the varsity course with PRs. Liddiard posted a time of 18:08, while Bell stopped the clock at 18:13.

“Our boys team dominated the race from the start and left no doubt who the fastest team was in the league,” Cole noted.

The CHS girls faced competition from three schools last Wednesday. Despite losing junior front-runner Haley Blair to a severe calf cramp just over a mile into the 5,000-meter race, the Bruins rallied to come in second to La Center, 42 to 20.

“Our girls team is young, and the girls are realizing their great potential just at the right time of the season,” Cole said.

Freshman Joules Hope took a big step forward in Blair’s absence by placing third in a PR time of 20:52 (an improvement of 2 minutes, 32 seconds).

Junior Rachel Luther (6th, 21:41), freshman Lillian Nelson (7th, PR of 22:00), junior Andrea Ochoa (11th, 23:10), and freshman Hannah Leon (15th, PR of 23:47) completed the CHS scoring five.

Next up for the two teams are the Southwest District 1A Championships on Saturday, at the Lewis River Golf Course in Woodland.

The girls race starts at 9:30 a.m. The boys race will begin at 10:50.

Cole said Blair is back in action and will be ready for the district meet. Cole said the third-year runner will be one of the top individual competitors.

The boys team, she said, will be a contender for the district title. The Bruins’ main competition, she add-ed, will come from La Center and Montesano.

From district, the top 21 individuals and top three teams in each race will advance to the WIAA State Championships on Nov. 5 in Pasco.