Asher Danielson, Franklin Boys Faces Tests From Colorado; Emily Cohen Leads Strong Cherry Creek CO Girls Team Into Action Against Central Kitsap WA

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Phil Yearian photo

Asher Danielson from Ida B. Wells of Portland will look to maintain his strong September on Saturday at the 43rd edition of Nike Portland XC. 

Danielson, a senior, is coming off a 14:51 performance on the 5-kilometer layout last weekend at the inaugural Mook Invite at Alderbrook, where he finished second to Mercer Island WA's Owen Powell. 

Danielson also won the PIL Preview on Sept. 6. 

A change in venue brings Nike Portland XC to Clackamas Community College, with a three-lap 5-kilometer course in Oregon City. The meet will bring together 135 teams and more than 3,500 runners across 21 races. The event was previously staged at Portland Meadows, which has been demolished, and Blue Lake Park. 

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“Our course has some rolling terrain which will influence the strategies of our competing athletes. We expect that the races will see lead changes and tough surges throughout the course. We have teams who expect to challenge for their state championships and this will be a solid, early test for those ambitions," Aloha OR coach and meet director Stephanie Phillips said. 

Danielson is one of the favorites in the Jim Danner Championship Boys race, which also includes Daniel Hruska of Cherry Creek CO, Kaeden Dendorfer and Dane Eike of Valor Christian CO, West Salem OR's Jack Meier, Central OR sophomore Ty Cirino, Joseph Vargas of Cleveland CA, and Summit OR duo Noah Laughlin-Hall and Hayden Boaz. 

Eike and Hruska are the top returners from last year's Colorado Class 5A state final. 

Meier, who was seventh at Nike Portland XC last year, is coming off a 14th-place finish at the 42nd Woodbridge Cross Country Classic and a 10th-place finish last weekend at the Bob Firman Invitational. 

The regionally ranked Franklin of Portland will face Valor Christian CO in the boys championship field. 

Franklin has split its 1-2-3 from its 4-5-6 in recent weeks, running those trios in alternate meets, but the Lightning appears to be going at full strength Saturday. 

Juniors Zafer Courcelle, Brennan McEwen and Leaf McQuillen will rejoin seniors Emil Nelson, Rowan Haywood-O'Neill and Rowan Horner for Franklin, which finished third in the meet last year. 

The girls championship features a good team matchup between Cherry Creek CO and Central Kitsap WA. 

Cherry Creek has frequented Nike Portland XC over the years. This year's girls team features sophomore Emily Cohen, who may be the overall favorite Saturday. 

Cohen finished ninth at the Liberty Bell Invitational on Sept. 9, which brought together most of the top runners in Colorado. 

Cohen and her teammate, Kinley Wolfe, will face Nelida Dalgas of North Salem OR, who was third at the Mook Invite last weekend, running 17:36.7, Josie Fale of Ida B. Wells, Ella McGillis of Central Catholic OR and Lauren Tittel of Oregon Episcopal School. 

Central Kitsap won the BROOKS Fort Steilacoom Invitational in Washington two weeks ago and is led up front by Audra Palmer and Clare Herring. 

Saugus CA, which finished 17th in the girls sweepstakes race at Woodbridge, Mountain View ID, Valor Christian CO and Vista Murrieta CA also bring contending teams to the girls field.