Halvorsen, Hickman run at state

Published 12:08 pm Saturday, November 5, 2011

Damon Halvorsen (1177) of Tonasket is off and running to start the state 1A cross country championship run in Pasco on Nov. 5.

PASCO – Damon Halvorsen and Jake Hickman returned to the state 1A cross country finals on Saturday, Nov. 5, for one last go-around.

The Tonasket pair finished their high school cross country careers in different fashions, with Halvorsen running his course personal best on the way to a 13th place medal while Hickman fought through an injury so that he could finish out his career on the state finals course.

Halvorsen’s 13th place finish in 16:45 bettered his 2010 run by more than 18 seconds and improved his placing by 16 spots. Halvorsen was in a tight group between 12th and 17th places that finished within six seconds of one another.

“He is a very talented athlete who has worked hard,” said Tonasket coach Bob Thornton. “(He) deserves to be a two-time state medallist.”

Halvorsen, the Caribou Trail League champion, was the first CTL finisher, two seconds ahead of Omak’s Michael Goble.

For Hickman, 65th place in 17:44 was a drop from last year’s 48th, but under more trying circumstances.

“Jake (was) dealing with a painful injury the last three weeks,” Thornton said. “He (still) finished his senior cross country season with his second consecutive trip to state. He pushed himself through the pain.”

Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), out of the same regional the Tigers, swept the boys and girls 1A team championships. Hap Emmons of King’s won the boys state title in 15:44, while Maddie Meyers of Northwest (Seattle) made it a sweep for her high school career with her fourth state girls championship (17:54).

Omak’s boys, led by Goble (16th, 16:47), finished sixth, while CTL champion Cashmere was eighth.

Cashmere’s girls, paced by Angela Knishka (8th, 19:13), took fifth, with Chelan taking 11th.