Lilac Bloomsday Run

High School Runners to Compete in National Meets This Weekend

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

December 4, 2013—This Saturday, December 7^th, will be a big day for high school runners from the Spokane area, as the region’s top harriers head south for post-season meets in California and Oregon. Nearly 50 individuals will be competing in the Foot Locker West Regional Cross Country Championships at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt.SAC) in southern California, racing against their counterparts from eleven other Western States. On the same day a boys team from North Central will try to put Spokane in the national spotlight again at Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon, a meet that North Central won in 2008. Nike Cross Nationals are held at Portland Meadows race track in a meet that features 22 of the nation’s best high school cross country teams, with the winning team crowned the national champion.

The Spokane contingent at the West Regional meet—one of four Foot Locker competitions held across the country—is led by Gracie Ledwith of Lewis & Clark and John Dressel of Mt. Spokane. The top ten boys and girls will advance to the Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals in San Diego on December 14, joining top qualifiers from the Northeast, South and Midwest. Last year two Spokane runners—Andrew Gardner of Mead High School and John Dressel of Mt. Spokane—qualified for the meet, with Gardner finishing 11^th and Dressel 14th.

The North Central Boys Cross Country team, meanwhile—competing as North Spokane at National Cross Nationals—is led by 2013 State Champion Tanner Anderson. The team seeks to add further laurels to their fall campaign, which included an eighth consecutive State 3A title.

For the twentieth straight year, over 30 Spokane-area runners had their airline tickets to the Foot Locker meet donated by the Lilac Bloomsday Association. The Bloomsday Association provides airline tickets and ground transportation to runners based on times at regional cross-country meets held in the fall.

“The Spokane area has a long and storied history of running as evidenced every year by the success of local runners who compete at the high school level,” said Lilac Bloomsday Association president Steven Jones. “Bloomsday is proud to recognize their achievements by sponsoring this trip to Foot Locker where Spokane’s finest high school runners can test their mettle against the best from the west.”

More information on the Foot Locker Regionals and Nationals may be obtained by logging on to www.footlockercc.com/west. Information on Nike Team Nationals is available at www.runnerspace.com/nxn.

Runners sponsored to Foot Locker Meet by the Lilac Bloomsday Association:

Girls

1. Gracie Ledwith Lewis & Clark

2. Lauren Dunnell ShadlePark

3. Cyra Carson Gonzaga Prep

4. Sarah White Central Valley

5. Anisa Allaet Ferris

6. Gabi Gomez Wint ShadlePark

7. Ann Moloney Gonzaga Prep

8. Kearan Nelson Central Valley

9. Ashley Hauger ShadlePark

10. Amanda Kinzel Ferris