Adams Wins Middle School Race

RICHLAND - WP run- ners kept up with the pack last Saturday in Richland at an invitational against 60 middle school and high school teams full of tough competition.

The highlight of the day for WP cross country coach Joanna Lanning was seeing middle school runner Em- ily Adams blaze past the competition in the 2-mile middle school race with first place and a time of 13:06.75.

Even suffering from a cold, Lanning said Adams was in it to win it.

"Just before the finish line (Adams) passed the runner in first place beating her by less than 2 seconds," Lanning said. "She told me this was 'her plan!'"

Maribel Mendoza also ran for the middle school girls and placed 76th with a time of 21:39.96.

The middle school boys were a bit awed by the num- ber of competitors in their race, which numbered 106, Lanning said.

Trent Hafen, back from an injury, ran in the 3-mile freshman/sophomore race and placed 47th with a time of 18:47.06. Corey Braxton finished that race in 83rd place with a time of 19:35.84.

E.J. Meserve ran the ju- nior/senior 3-miler and placed tenth with a time of 18:05.97.

Lanning said this was Meserve's best race of the season and she is very proud of him.

Seth Deal competed in the 3-mile Division 1 race and placed 52nd with a time of 16:29.79.

"Seth took his SAT test on Saturday morning at Richland High, finishing just shortly before he was scheduled to compete," Lanning said. "I feel that affected his perfor- mance in the very competitive Division I race."

Looking ahead to Wednes- day's league meet at the Whit- man Mission, Lanning said the team had been without its no. 2 runner, Tewedros McDowell. She said she's hopeful he will be back and that all seven high school boys will run for the first time this season at the league meet.