One of the more intriguing subplots for this cross country season is if South Eugene's Eva Johnson Hess can improve enough on her brilliant freshman year to push Lincoln senior Ellery Lincoln, the reigning 6A champion.
Hess, who took third in the 6A meet last year and was runner-up to Lincoln in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters in the 6A track meet last spring, got her sophomore season off to a solid start Saturday by winning the 6A/5A division of The Ultimook Race at The Hydrangea Ranch in Tillamook.
Hess covered the muddy, 5,000-meter course in 19 minutes, 46.70 seconds to finish far ahead of the runner-up, senior teammate Cora Ludwig (21:05.84), and lead the Axe to an easy victory in the 16-team race. The course was chopped up from a dozen previous races and a mid-day downpour, but Hess was able to navigate it successfully.
“It was like racing on ice skates,” said South Eugene coach Jeff Hess, Eva's grandfather. “People were just trying to stay on their feet. What happens in that meet doesn't mean much of anything. It's an adventure race, and kind of a fun way to start the season.”
Hess said that Eva's training has been “excellent” as she prepares to take a step forward as a sophomore. She has been pushed by South Eugene's large group of talented freshman boys.
“They've provided an excellent training group for her,” Jeff Hess said. “She's looking really good. Strong and healthy, and in good early-season fitness.”
Closing the gap on Lincoln is a big challenge for Johnson Hess. She finished 41 seconds behind Lincoln in the state cross country meet and was 12 and 17 seconds off Lincoln's time in the 1,500 and 3,000, respectively, at state track.
“I can't say anything about what Ellery is going to do, but I know that Eva will run considerably faster than she did a year ago,” Jeff Hess said. “She's aerobically fitter, her lactate threshold is higher, and she's more muscular. She does all the right things in terms of taking care of her body.
“As her coach, I have no issues with the way she approaches her training. As her grandfather, I'm really proud to see that she takes care of all the pieces and doesn't just try to run fast off of talent.”
South Eugene, runner-up to Lincoln in the 6A team scoring last season, appears to have the ingredients to threaten the Cardinals' two-year reign.
The Axe showed their strength at Ultimook with Johnson Hess, Ludwig, junior Julianna Bawden (fourth) and sophomores Eleanor Diment (10th) and Claire Reeder (11th). With 28 points, they finished about 100 points ahead of the second-place team, Corvallis.
South Eugene's lineup goes about 10 deep, according to Jeff Hess.
“We have a group of sophomore girls who are really working well together,” he said. “We had some great development with the sophomore girls over the track season and it's continued through the summer.”
Add Ultimook
Philomath junior Cassidy Smart, the reigning 4A champion, dominated the 4A/3A/2A/1A division at Ultimook in 18:48.25. The race was run in the late morning before course conditions further deteriorated.
Oregon Episcopal senior Abby Wilson took second (19:02.83) was second and Philomath freshman Olivia Hernandez was third (19:30.10). Philomath (39 points) outscored Fountain Valley, Calif. (103), and Oregon Episcopal (109) to win the team title.
West Linn senior Leo Brown won the 6A/5A boys division in 16:57.44, holding off South Eugene junior Khalil Sabzalian (17:03.50) and Camas (Wash.) junior Carson Chambers (17:04.70). South Medford and Hood River Valley tied for first place at 84 points.
In the 4A/3A/2A/1A boys race, Neah-Kah-Nie senior Gus Kirby (16:16.19), Knappa junior Rowdy Justus (16:35.80) and Neah-Kah-Nie senior R Weiss (16:37.10) claimed the top three spots. Knappa outscored Neah-Kah-Nie 85-90 to win.
Shibata out
South Eugene senior Yosuke Shibata, last year's 6A boys champion, did not run at Ultimook. Jeff Hess said Shibata had tenderness around his Achilles after the team's camp last week.
“It wasn't bad at all, but I didn't want him to run on that course,” Hess said.
Shibata, who also won the 1,500 in the 6A track meet, is sorting out his college options. He recently visited Yale and plans to visit Duke this weekend, which will keep him out of the Ash Creek Invitational, according to Hess.
Shibata is scheduled to make his season debut Sept. 26 in the Bob Firman Invitational in Spokane.
Marist Invite
North Eugene senior Ashenafi McKinnis picked up his second win of the season Saturday in the Marist Invite at Marist Catholic High School.
McKinnis clocked 14:43.00 to pull away from Marist Catholic senior Corbin Sage (15:17.90), the reigning 4A champion. The times are the best in the state this season.
McKinnis, who placed 18th in the 5A meet last year, opened the season with a victory on the 3,000 course in The Opener at Ash Creek Preserve.
jerryu@osaa.org
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