Colville Boys Repeat as League Cross Country Champions

The Crimson Hawks are champions again.

For the second straight year, the Colville boys cross country team claimed the Northeast A League championship, using a dominant front pack led by brothers Malik and Isaiah Ortiz to edge Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) and Medical Lake in a tight, three-way battle for the crown on Saturday, Oct. 25, in the West Plains. The Crimson Hawks finished with 35 points, topping Lakeside’s 47 and Medical Lake’s 51. Riverside took fourth with 92 points.

Junior Malik Ortiz cruised to the individual league title, blazing through the 5,000-meter course in 16 minutes, 10 seconds, well ahead of the field. His older brother, senior Isaiah Ortiz, followed in second at 17:16, setting the tone early for Colville’s repeat performance.

Behind the Ortiz brothers, Connor Schneider (seventh, 17:51) and Jerrin Patrick (eighth, 17:59) packed tightly to keep Colville near the front. Junior Daniel Aguilar rounded out the scoring five in 17^th place with a personal best of 18:47, while Isaac Ballance (19^th, 18:55) and Layden Moore (23^rd, 19:13) provided valuable depth for the Crimson Hawks.

The victory marks Colville’s second consecutive league title.

On the girls’ side, senior Zaidence Zier continued her stellar season by placing second overall in 20:25, just behind Medical Lake’s Kaylee Dennler (20:13). Zier’s strong performance helped lead a young Colville girls squad that placed fourth overall with 91 points.

Freshman Paxton Jones impressed with a 20^th-place finish (23:35), while Madelyn Andres (21^st, 23:56) and Gracee Suiter (22^nd, 24:00) showed promise for the program’s future. Amaryllis Nokes (26^th, 27:09) and McKenzie Mitchell (27^th, 27:12) rounded out the lineup for the Crimson Hawks.

Lakeside captured the girls team title with 28 points, followed by Medical Lake (41) and Riverside (71).

Both Colville squads will now turn their attention to the upcoming district meet at Apple Ridge on Saturday, Nov. 1.