Chewelah, Kettle Falls Cross Country Runners Advance to State

Chewelah’s cross country teams are headed to state, and three Kettle Falls runners will join them after another standout performance at the District 5/6 Class 1B/2B Regional Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 31 in Reardan “It’s a busy course, hilly and challenging,” Chewelah Head Coach Kindra Tapia said. Chewelah secured state berths for both its boys and girls teams, while Kettle Falls qualified junior Mason Reeves, eighth-grader Yale Edwards, and sophomore Avery Tobias for the WIAA State Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 7, in Pasco.

“It’s very important,” Chewelah Head Tapia said of getting state berths for both teams. “That’s how you win.” The Chewelah girls finished second in the regional team standings with 83 points, trailing champion Liberty Bell, which scored 53. Freeman placed third with 98 points, followed by Saint George’s School with 125. In the boys competition, Chewelah finished third with 64 points, just six points behind runner-up Northwest Christian of Colbert, which scored 58. Freeman claimed the regional championship with 49 points.

Chewelah’s boys were led by junior Justice Whittekiend, who placed fourth overall in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 16 minutes, 52.5 seconds. Senior Blake Schlining followed with a sixth-place finish in 17:29.6, while junior Kyle Foster crossed the line seventh in 17:46.3, giving the Cougars three runners among the top seven finishers. Senior Francis Sety added a 16th-place performance in 18:22.7, while senior Titan Tapia completed Chewelah’s five scoring positions with a 31st-place finish in 18:47.3.

Freshman Max Nesiba finished 36th in 18:54.6, and senior Deon Richardson rounded out the Cougars’ varsity lineup with a 44th-place finish in 19:45.7. The Cougars’ girls were equally impressive, placing two runners among the top six finishers and five among the top 42. Senior Amber Eppel led Chewelah with a fourth-place finish in 19:55.1, breaking the 20-minute barrier over the 5,000-meter distance. Sophomore Josie Carter followed closely behind, finishing sixth in 20:16.4. Senior Rin Parsons placed 22nd in 22:03.1, followed by sophomore Mei Parsons in 25th at 22:10.9. Sophomore Diana Durham finished 42nd in 23:00.2 to complete Chewelah’s scoring five. Sophomore Morgan Siegel added a 68th-place finish in 25:21.9, while junior Liberty Whittekiend placed 74th in 25:34.6.

All seven runners on each Chewelah varsity squad earned qualifying marks for the state championships. “Our best race should be at state,” Tapia said. “That’s what we train for. We will light up our workouts for this week. We want rested legs but not too rested.

For Kettle Falls, the regional championships brought individual success and an emotional afternoon for head coach Monty Jones, who watched three Bulldogs earn state berths. Reeves led the Kettle Falls boys with an eighth-place finish in 17:49.7, putting the junior among the region’s top ten. Jones praised Reeves’ continued development and his place within the Bulldogs program. “Mason continues to make his mark in Kettle Falls cross-country history,” Jones said.

One of the day’s most notable Kettle Falls performances came from Edwards, an eighth-grader who finished 35th overall in 18:49.4. Competing against a field that included experienced high school runners, Edwards earned a trip to the state championships. Jones was particularly excited about the youngster’s accomplishment. “The future is bright for this young Bulldog,” Jones said. Sophomore Charles Kelly placed 66th in 21:35.6, followed by sophomore Troy Benwell in 71st at 23:17.7. Senior Ben Rubin finished 75th in 24:03.2, and senior Casen Corvino placed 79th in 26:24.7.

In the girls race, Tobias completed Kettle Falls’ trio of state qualifiers with a 29thplace finish in 22:20.9. Freshman Bella Anninnizo finished 75th in 25:36.9. While not every Bulldog advanced to state, Jones emphasized that the accomplishments of his entire team went well beyond the finishing times. “They fought, they competed, and they represented Kettle Falls with pride,” Jones said. “I’ll admit it. There might have been a few tears shed by this old coach today. But they were tears of joy. Watching these kids work so hard, overcome challenges, improve throughout the season, and finally see that hard work pay off is something special. Those are the moments that make coaching worth every single minute.

The coach said the Bulldogs were already discussing next season shortly after completing the regional meet, a sign of the enthusiasm and commitment that has developed within the program. “That’s what I love about this group. They aren’t just celebrating what they accomplished today,” Jones said. “They’re already thinking about what they can accomplish tomorrow.” With Chewelah sending both varsity teams and Kettle Falls advancing three individual competitors, the two Northeast Washington schools will have a strong presence at the state championships. The WIAA State Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, in Pasco.