Deal Takes 3rd In Hermiston XC Meet

HERMISTON - The WP Cardinal cross country men's team showed off its numbers and placed a re­spectable fourth place at its first meet of the season last Saturday in Hermiston, Ore.

The team competed at the Runner's Soul XC Fest and earned 111 points. The cross country men's team from Hermiston won the meet with 30 points. WP Coach Joanna Lanning said the finish is impressive because WP was the small­est school at the meet that fielded a team.

"We had a great day even though it was very hot," Lanning said. "The boys' varsity 5K took place at 1 p.m. and it was about 95 degrees."

The reason the Cardinals scored well was the skills of senior and team captain Seth Deal, who came in third in the men's varsity race last Saturday. He fin­ished in a time of 16 min­utes and 40 seconds.

Behind Deal in seventh place was Jubilee Youth Ranch athlete Tewedros McDowell, who finished in 17 minutes and 46 seconds.

"(McDowell), a fresh­man, ran extremely tough in his first-ever cross coun­try meet, placing seventh," Lanning said. "He would have placed higher. He was so exhausted he faltered several meters short of the finish line, but managed to successfully cross."

EJ Meserve took 28th and finished in 19 minutes, 50 seconds. Jacob Ding­field took 45th place, and finished in 21 minutes, 15 seconds. Corey Braxton rounded out the Cardinal team and took 50th place, and finished in 22 minutes, and 14 seconds. There were 57 varsity men who com­peted last Saturday.

The WP middle school men performed well also. Kyle Gradwolh placed 11th and finished in 10:34, Dylan Knowles was 18th and fin­ished in 11:04 and Andre Potts, 27th and finished in 12:06.

"I was very happy with everyone's performance and effort, especially under such torrid conditions," she said.

The team boasts more runners and more will likely compete in the future. Lan­ning said Trent Hafen is trying to get over an IT band issue and Kevin Kamel was not eligible yet.

The WP team competes next on Wednesday, Sept. 12 in a league meet in Tri Cities at 4 p.m.