Willapa Valley sophomore Jasmine Solso (26:22:59) took second the women’s 5,000-meter race.

ILWACO — A trio of Ilwaco underclassmen finished in the top five in the final home cross country meet last week.

Ilwaco sophomore Wyse Mulinix and freshman Nora Soule both finished in the top five in their respective 5,000-meter races during the Joe Williams Black Lake Cross Country meet held Tuesday, Oct. 4 in Ilwaco. Ilwaco seventh-grader Ella Linquist finished in third place in the girls middle school 1.5-mile run.

Mulinix, Soule among top varsity finishers

Mulinix (21:03.29) finished fifth overall in the men’s varsity 5,000-meter race, the fastest time for an Ilwaco runner. Soule (26:48.08) also took fifth place in the women’s 5,000-meter, the top finish among the Ilwaco women.

Ilwaco junior Jacob Mathison (22:37.70) and sophomore Carter Humphreys (22:57.09) finished ninth and eleventh, respectively, in the men’s 5,000-meter race.

Toledo sophomore Treyton Marty (18:41.90) had the fastest overall time of the day, taking first place in the men’s 5,000-meter. Forks sophomore Moli Luong (25:44.30) finished first overall in the women’s 5,000-meter. Willapa Valley sophomore Jasmine Solso (26:22.59) took second, followed by Raymond senior Genevieve Sarich (26:36.30) in third.

The race, held Tuesday, Oct. 4, the final home race of the season, included runners from Adna, Chief Leschi, Forks, North Beach, Ocosta, Raymond, South Bend and Toledo. The middle school participants included Adna, Forks, Hoquiam, La Center, North Beach, Ocosta, Toledo and Willapa Valley. The women’s and men’s races included a 1.5-mile middle school race and a 5,000-meter varsity race.

Linquist takes third in middle school race

Ilwaco seventh-grader Ella Linquist had a top-three finish among a deep field of runners during the middle school cross country race. Linquist (11:01.79) took third place in the girls’ 1.5-mile, the sole Lady Fishermen to participate in the race among nearly 70 other runners.

In a crowded boys middle school race that fielded 40 runners, Ilwaco seventh grader Blake Elsbrenner finished in the top 15. Elsbrenner (11:18.10) finished the 1.5-mile race in fourteenth. Ilwaco eighth grader Druv Athmanathan (12:58) was the next Ilwaco finisher at 29th.

La Center eighth grader Aiden Brooks (9:34.30) took first place overall.

Up next: The Don Wallace Race at Toledo will be held Thursday, Oct. 13, followed by Pacific League Championship on Thursday, Oct. 20 at Ocosta High School.