The East Jefferson Rivals (EJ) had their one home meet of the season on Tuesday, Sept. 17, hosted by the Camas Prairie Park. A total of seven Nisqually League schools competed, including Klahowya, Bellevue Christian, Cascade Christian, Vashon, Life Christian, Charles Wright, and EJ. Annie Wright chose not to attend. The two-mile course featured some challenging hills, but the conditions were cool and ideal for racing.

The boys raced first with sophomores Joshua Yearian and Noah Isenberg leading the Rivals with 6th and 7th place finishes in 10:38 and 10:48 respectively. They were followed by sophomore Nico Errichetti (12th, 11:22), freshman Zeke Banks (15th, 11:31), and junior Dustin Hines (19th, 11:36) to round out the scoring five. The team placed second to Vashon Island.

The girls team was unable to score as a team due to diminished numbers from illness, but they had strong individual showings nonetheless. The Rivals trio of juniors finished in the top 15 with Leah Ferland in 7th in 13:49, followed by Hilina Taylor-Lenz (10th, 14:16), and Michal Gregg (11th, 14:37), plus sophomore Kaida Rodrigues (38th,18:52).

On Saturday, Sept. 21, the Rivals traveled to the PLU Invitational held on the PLU disc golf course. Thirteen teams were in attendance ranging in size from 1-4A. With weather sunny but cool and a 5k course that was relatively flat and included multiple loops around the site, athletes were able to run solid early season times. Unfortunately, mostly due to illness, EJ was missing three of its girls and six of its boys. 

In the boys jv race sophomore Nathan Ericson ran his first 5k race ever to place 139th in a time of 25:24. He was followed by senior Alex Lott who placed 150th in 26:43 and set a personal record (PR) in the distance by over a minute.

The girls team did not have the 5 runner minimum to score as a team, but juniors Michal Gregg and Leah Ferland both ran strong. In the field of 106 athletes, Gregg placed 34th in a PR of 49 seconds, 22:25. Ferland placed 41st in a time of 22:51.

In the boys varsity race featuring a field of 83 athletes, the EJ squad placed 5th overall and 1st out of the 1A teams. Sophomores Joshua Yearian and Noah Isenberg again led their team mates placing 9th and 11th respectively in times of 16:38 and 16:39. Despite a slightly strained hamstring, junior Dustin Hines had a solid race to PR by almost a minute and place 34th in 17:56. He was followed by sophomore Nico Errichetti who set a stunning PR of over 3 minutes and 20 seconds to place 39th in 17:58. Errichetti was followed by freshman Zeke Banks (49th, 18:31) and sophomore Kepler Edmundson (77th, 20:20).

Following the high school races were collegiate races in which open runners were permitted to compete. In the womens 6k race, coach Alice Fraser competed in her first 6k and placed 38th out of 106 competitors in a time of 22:14. In the mens 8k race, recent PTHS graduate Indigo Gould competed and placed 63rd out of 147 with a time of 27:15.

The Rivals compete next on Oct. 1 at a Nisqually League meet at Klahowya, followed by an Oct. 5 outing at the Nike Twilight Invitational at the Cedar Crest Golf Course in Marysville.

Alice Fraser is the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach for the East Jefferson Rivals.