SEATTLE – The University of Washington’s Sundodger Invitational is billed as the state’s most prestigious college-level cross country race.
There are actually three races – college invitational, college / open and high school. Two recent Oroville High School graduates, running for Everett Community College, competed in the open race, which was populated primarily by NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA and community college runners.
Arrigoni, a sophomore running in the event for the second time, raced to a ninth-place finish in a field of 217 women, clocking a time of 22:37.42 in the 6k race. She was the third finisher for her squad as Everett took team runner-up honors out of 19 competing teams. It was a huge step forward for Arrigoni, who cut 1:04 off her last year’s time there, where she finished 57th. She didn’t start running until her senior year of high school but finished fifth at the WIAA 1B/2B state finals that year behind teammate and state champ Sierra Speiker.
Zack Speiker, a freshman, finished 62nd in a field of 236 (26:21.87, 8k distance), breaking into the top five for Everett as his team finished third out of 22.
Others competing that had area connections included Seattle Pacific University seniors A.J. Baker (lived and trained in Tonasket last summer) and Seth Pierson (Cashmere) who placed 1oth and 51st, respectively, as the Falcons took second at the meet.
Everett will be competing Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Runner’s Soul / Eric Anderson Invitational at Plantes Ferry Park in Spokane. Also running in the collegiate race for Spokane Falls Community College will be Tonasket freshman Damon Halvorsen and Omak freshman Michael Goble. Halvorsen, recovering from an injury, will be running his first collegiate race if all goes as planned.
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