Jose Macias & Alejandro Cisneros by Trinh Vo
The Hood River Invitational offered a competitive race between teams from the Columbia River Gorge and the Portland Interscholastic League. With many of those schools being in the 5A division, the races also lent some insight into potential at the State meet. Like last fall Hermiston won the first round against rival Franklin with the buys’ winning 35 to 44. Alejandro Cisneros of Hermiston won the individual honors with his time of 16:19 and was followed by Jackson Packham of Franklin, who took second with 16:22. Jose Macias, who had won the Runner’s Soul meet last Saturday in Hermiston, placed third with a time of 16:25. The fact that both Hermiston & Franklin were well matched was evidenced, when Franklin runner Christopher Black earned forth in 16:38 and the Eduardo Juarez of Hermiston was close behind in 16:42. It was Juarez’ first race of the year. Ethan Livermore of Cleveland broke up the Hermiston – Franklin string with his sixth place effort of 16;50. Efrain Jaime of Hermiston added a key seventh place finish for Hermiston with his 16:54 clocking and was followed by Franklin’s Noah Leonard, who came in with 16:55. Ricardo Castillo was the top Hood River runner with his ninth place mark of 16:57 and Roba Sultessa of Cleveland ran 17:09 for tenth.
Maggie Coleman of Hermiston made her first race of the year a winning effort by finishing well ahead of any potential challengers in 19:08. Grace Grim of Hood River placed second in 19:47 giving her a seven second margin over Hermiston’s Katie Markwick, who ran 19:54. Saschia Bockius of Hood River placed fourth with 20:10 and Pendleton’s Delaney Clem garnered fifth with 20:29. Zoey Garcia of Hermiston followed in sixth (21:07) and the Franklin harriers Isabel Leonard (21:11) & Margarita Lauer (21:23) took 7th & 8th respectively. Cleveland’s Emma Wren (21:35) & Pendleton’s Evelyn Perez (21:43) rounded out the top tn with Lauren Robinson of Hood River securing eleventh. The team race was very tight but Hermiston was victorious by a 46 to 49 margin.