Lilac Bloomsday Run

High School Runners to Compete in National Meets in California and Oregon

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

This Saturday 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.

Photo courtesy of Christel Carlson

The Spokane contingent at the West Regional meet—one of four Foot Locker competitions held across the country—is led by Kendra Weitz of Shadle Park and Andrew Gardner of Mead. The North Central team at Nike Cross Nationals, competing as the North Spokane XC Club, features Kai Wilmot and Keith Williams, who propelled North Central to the state 3A championship this fall. In addition to the North Central team at Nike Cross Nationals, junior Katie Knight of North Central, the state 3A girls' champion, will be competing as an individual runner.

For the nineteenth 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.

"We are always impressed with the quality of talent coming from Spokane area high schools,” said Lilac Bloomsday Association president Carol Hunter. "Bloomsday is proud to be able to help these runners realize their dreams."

For runners competing in the Foot Locker West Regional Meet, the top ten boys and girls will advance to the Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals in San Diego on December 10, joining top qualifiers from the Northeast, South and Midwest. Last year three Spokane runners—Andrew Gardner, Nathan Weitz and Kendra Weitz—all qualified for the meet, with Gardner finishing fourth, one of the highest finishers ever by a Spokane runner.

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. Kendra Weitz, Shadle Park

2. Cyra Carlson, Gonzaga Prep

3. Alex Moore, Central Valley

4. Molly Cole, Mt. Spokane

5. Taylor Cherry, Gonzaga Prep

6. Danielle Maldonado, Mead

7. Hannah Allen, Lewis & Clark

8. Gracie Ledwith, Lewis & Clark

9. Brooklin Young, Mt. Spokane

10. Courtney Sherick, University