Four Ilwaco runners advanced from Saturday’s District 4 cross country meet Saturday to the WIAA 2B state championship races in Pasco next Saturday. Left to right are senior Jacob Mathison, sophomore Nora Soule and juniors Sammy Lloyd and Wyse Mulinix.

RAINIER — Ilwaco is sending four runners to the WIAA 2B cross country championships in Pasco next Saturday.

Three boys, senior Jacob Mathison and juniors Wyse Mulinix and Sammy Lloyd, had solid runs at the District 4 meet in Rainier Saturday.

Nora Soule, a sophomore, placed eighth with a time of 23:16.18 to qualify. She had just missed qualification in her freshman year. The race was won by a trio of Rainier runners on their home course, with the winner timed at 20:50.02.

“She ran a smart race,” said head coach Sarah Taylor. “She was really nervous, but she ran her race and had a kick at the end to finish strong.”

Mathison was Ilwaco’s lone state qualifier last year, but finished down the pack on a blustery morning in Pasco.

This year at the district meet, amid a field of 106 runners, he advanced again, running 18:21.35 to place eighth. The winning runner, from Adna, came in at 16:25.83.

Mulinix and Lloyd placed 20th and 21st, respectively.

“It was cold and frosty when we got there,” said Taylor. “They did really well. Jacob went out with the top pack and stayed with them and finished strong.

“Wyse and Sammy stayed together and held off the challenge.”

The last qualifying state place was the 21st finisher. Lloyd secured that, edging out a Morton-White Pass senior by three seconds. “It was amazing,” said Taylor. “And he knew it, too, and made it.”

Also running at districts for the Fishermen were junior Alex Espejo Valencia, freshman Brent Curry, senior Vicente Bautista and junior Carter Humphreys.

Taylor credited the support of all team members with the success of the individuals, especially commending Curry’s performances in his freshman year. “And Alex has improved a lot throughout the season. They work together and push each other.”

Fourteen schools accumulated team points. Ilwaco placed fifth, but only three schools from the district were able to advance their full teams. They were Adna, Onalaska and Morton-White Pass.

The state championship race will take place Saturday at the Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.