Maddie Carney became Caldera's first state champion in cross country Saturday. (Photo by John Gunther)

EUGENE — It was a big day for the girls from two of Bend’s schools at the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union cross country state championships Saturday at Lane Community College.

Maddie Carney became the first cross country state champion for Caldera, the newest of the city’s schools, and Summit returned to the top of the 5A ranks after a string of 15 straight titles was snapped by Crater last fall.

Carney and teammate Miley Morical, who was fifth, celebrated with Summit’s Sophia Capozzi and Eva Dicharry as they walked toward the podium to receive their individual awards, proclaiming a great day for Bend.

Carney pulled away from Crater’s Brynn Davenport to win the 5,000-meter race in 17 minutes and 50 seconds.

“It feels amazing,” she said. “There are so many great girls in this race, it could go to anyone.”

She was excited to be the first champ for her school.

“It’s really special,” Carney said. “Being able to bring this home, I help this will help our program and it’s growth.”

Caldera already is solid, and finished sixth Saturday.

Summit returned to the top, though Capozzi and Dicharry didn’t realize the team results until just before getting their individual medals. They feared they had finished second behind Crater again.

“We’re super proud to be bringing this home,” said Capozzi, who finished third behind Carney and Davenport.

With no long streak to protect, the team went into the race with a different attitude.

“This year was a different pressure,” said Dicharry, who was seventh Saturday. “We used it as a silver lining. We were coming in as underdogs.”

“We just wanted to go in, have the best race we could, be confident in ourselves and race for our teammates,” Capozzi said. “It’s really fun to truly be racing for your teammates on the course.”

Capozzi, Dicharry and fellow senior Skye Knox, who was 13^th Saturday, will graduate with three state titles.

They were helped to this one by first-time team winners Kloey Drewsen, a freshman who was 15^th, and Abigail Carpenter, a sophomore who was 16^th. Sophomores Cassidy Carmichael and Keeley Michelsen were 23^rd and 27^th, respectively.

Summit had 51 points, while Crater had 83, Ashland 100 and Corvallis 108.

In addition to Davenport, Mari Dunlap was sixth for Crater. Ashland was led by Natalie Kupka, who was eighth. Lucia Williams was ninth for Corvallis.

Kelsey Rodli was fourth overall for Dallas.

6A GIRLS: Ellery Lincoln won the individual title and led Lincoln to its second straight team crown in the final race of the day.

Lincoln overcame a strong effort by Nelida Dalgas, passing the North Salem senior in the final kilometer and finishing in 17:11. That time was the fastest ever for 6A, a shade faster than Chloe Huyler’s time for Lakeridge last fall, and second only to the 17:05 run by four-time 5A champion Emily Wisniewski of Crescent Valley in 2023.

“It was a really hard race,” Lincoln said. “Nelly is difficult to beat. She races real hard.”

Dalgas finished in 17:24 and finished in the top three for the third straight year.

Lincoln was delighted to learn her school also won.

“It was a good time for a state title with the momentum of these girls,” she said. “We graduated three of our top five (from last year). The build has been insane. Today is just a reflection of how amazing a team bond we have.

“I can only feel pride here. To come and win a state title and also win a team title is unbelievable.”

Lincoln scored 94 points to top South Eugene (120) and Jesuit (122). Sherwood was fourth (145).

Elyse Henriksen also made the podium for Lincoln, finishing 10^th.

Behind Ellery Lincoln and Dalgas, South Eugene’s Evangeline Johnson Hess was third, West Salem’s Avery Meier fourth and Tualatin’s Lauren Gerlach fifth. Jesuit had two in the top 10 with Eleanor Wyatt seventh and Maeve O’Scannlain ninth. Sunset also had two on the podium with Naomi Cesar sixth and Elissa Schaeffer eighth.

4A GIRLS: Philomath’s Cassidy Smart, part of the champion team the past two years, won the individual title this year, beating defending champion Brooke Perry of La Grande.

Perry got to take the blue trophy home with her teammates though, with the Tigers winning their first title since she was a freshman.

Smart finished in 18:33, followed by Perry (18:47) and her La Grande teammate Lindsey Brown (18:57).

Smart was delighted to win.

“It was my goal the whole season,” she said. “I’m so happy.”

She and Perry ran together much of the race, but she surged ahead late.

“I knew I could kick faster than her,” she said.

Perry, meanwhile, was just fine with her individual finish, given the team’s reward.

“It’s so much better than an individual title to me,” she said. “It’s amazing to do something together.”

And it came with four new runners.

Brown moved this year from Pine Eagle while sisters Rose and Frances Edelen, who were 16^th and 31^st, came from Colorado. Adele Olson, who was 19^th, lived in La Grande in the past, but spent the last two years in Idaho before moving back.

“It’s such a blessing we all came at the same time,” Brown said. “It’s been an amazing year.”

La Grande scored 51 points to hold off a strong Klamath Union team, which had 65. Philomath (133) was third and Cottage Grove (139) fourth.

Hallie Pyfer was fourth overall to lead Klamath Union, had all five of its scoring runners in the top 25. Molalla’s Annalyse Jenson was fifth.

3A-2A-1A GIRLS: Coquille sophomore Ella Henthorn followed in the footsteps of her mom, Holli, as a state champion for the Red Devils with an impressive effort in the first girls race of the day.

Henthorn pulled away from Lily Nichols of the combined Heppner-Ione squad and Sophie Schoolmeester of Banks a little less than halfway into the race and dominated, finishing in 18 minutes and 11 seconds, a time bettered Saturday by only seven girls in the biggest two classifications.

Holli, won the state title for Coquille when she was a junior in 2004.

Henthorn, who was fourth as a freshman, has been eyeing the state title since then.

“I am ecstatic,” she said. “We’ve been talking about this all season. That was my goal.”

To get there, the goal was to build separation against Schoolmeester.

“My plan was to leave her as fast as I can,” Henthorn said, knowing Schoolmeester has great speed in a sprint as one of the state’s top 800-meter runners.

Ultimately, Nichols finished second in 18:41 and Schoolmeester third in 18:51.

Being able to compete at state, much less win, was a blessing for Henthorn, who came down with mononucleosis during the season. Doctors told her she probably wouldn’t be able to come back this fall.

“By the grace of God I was healed,” she said. “We all prayed about it and asked for healing and it worked. I think the reason he healed me was so I could be here today and tell everyone about it.”

Though Schoolmeester finished third, she also got a big prize when Banks won the team trophy.

The Braves finished with 56 points to beat the combined Enterprise-Joseph-Wallowa team, which had 72. Oregon Episcopal (103) was third and Union-Cove (188) fourth.

Freshman Molly Schoolmeester was the next finisher behind her sister in 18:54 and Lydia Shellman also finished in the top 10 for Banks, crossing seventh.

Molly Schoolmeester gave her older sister credit for the Braves’ success.

“She really got everyone to come out and do the work,” Molly said. “It’s cool to see it pay off.”

The Braves ramped up their summer work after finishing fourth last fall and then just missing a team state title in track and field.

“Last year we did well,” Sophie said. “We kind of knew we could do something special.”

Lilly Weer finished fifth to lead the Enterprise-Joseph-Wallowa club.