Another year of dominance by the Sehome Mariners this last fall as they won their seventh consecutive 2A state championship. With the returning individual champion coming back this season, all eyes are on Pullman's Kabasenche to chase after the state crown. But who is going to challenge him this season?
Here is a look at the 2A runners to watch for and hope to see down the road at Pasco.
Eliason Kabasenche - Pullman
Eliason Kabasenche stands alone on top, at least right now, as the clear favorite to repeat as the state champion. He ran 15:44.7 in his state championship win, but ran a personal best time earlier in the year at the Battle for the 509 Invite in 15:42. To go along with state cross win, Kabasenche won the 1,600 (4:18.39) and 3,200 (9:09.2) titles as well this spring to complete the distance triple crown.
Rafe Holz - Sedro-Woolley
Just after one year of intense training, Rafe Holz was able to break the Sedro-Woolley High School record for a 5k by quite a bit. From his sophomore to junior year, Holz dropped his cross country times by 1 minute, 22 seconds running a new best 16:20.9. Was 42nd at the 2A state meet, but I believe he is much better than that. He placed seventh in the 1,600 at the 2A state track meet in the spring and was 12th in the 3,200. Ran 9:25.16 in the 3,200 and 4:24.35 in the 1,600 for new personal bests. A tough competitor with very high goals for himself.
Isaiah Ellis - Lynden
Isaiah Ellis ended his junior cross country season with one of the best performances out of anyone at the 2A state meet. Running a personal best time of 16:09.5, Ellis placed fifth overall, and what appears to be the highest state placing ever in Lynden cross country history. A rough start to his track and field season turned around at the Northwest Conference Championships as he defeated Sedro's Holz in the 1,600. By the end of the year, he made an appearance at the state meet in the 800 and 1,600. He placed 16th in the 800 and was ninth in the 1,600.
Shea Mattson - Selah
Selah's top runner in Shea Mattson finished in the top 10 at the 2A state cross meet in the fall where he ran a personal best time of 16:14 placing eighth. In the spring, he placed third in the 3,200 and was the runner-up in the 1,600 at the 2A state track meet. In those races as well, he would PR in both of them running 4:21.53 in the 1,600 and 9:17.24 in the 3,200. Arm sleeves or not, Mattson is someone else to watch for to make a title run against Pullman's Kabasenche as he has the speed and endurance to keep within the defending state champion.
Alex Williams - Mountlake Terrace
Winning his first district cross country title this past fall, Alex Williams set himself up for success the following week as he made the podium at the 2A state meet placing 11th overall running 16:24.9. His personal best came at the WESCO Championships as he ran 15:50.7. An unfortunate end to his track season, Williams didn't make the podium in the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state meet. He finished 14th in the 1,600 and 11th in the 3,200. He did run two personal best time of 4:24.52 and 9:33.3 so the talent is there.
Kolby Green - West Valley (Spokane)
Kolby Green is an underrated runner that not very many people know about, but will hear more towards the end of this upcoming season. An impressive track season this past spring makes a case for Green being one of the top runners at the 2A level as he ran 4:27.57 in the 1,600 and 957.32 in the 3,200. He placed 35th at the state cross meet last year running 16:48.1, but ran a personal best in an early dual meet in a time of 16:32. Big confidence from track and the love of running will help Green in the long term.
Jacob Alexander - Sehome
Sehome's Jacob Alexander looks for a bounce back running season after struggling in the spring during track. But besides that, Alexander is another runner who could be in the individual title talks if everything goes to plan for his health. Placed 12th overall at the 2A state cross meet last season running 16:28, but ran a personal best time of 15:53.2 at the Hole in the Wall Invite. He was also the Northwest Conference Champion for cross too.
Top 5 Teams
1. Sehome
2. Steilacoom
3. Ellensburg
4. Anacortes
5. Mountlake Terrace