Influx of California Teams Adds High Quality Layer To One Of Northwest's Biggest Meets

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Hanne Thomsen of Montgomery High in Santa Rosa, Calif., who won the California state 3,200-meter title as a freshman four months ago, will get a chance to test herself Saturday against some of the best runners in the Northwest at Nike Portland XC. 

The meet, hosted by Beaverton's Aloha High at Blue Lake Regional Park, has routinely produced national-caliber races in its Jim Danner Championship sections. 

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Thomsen, who won the CIF Division 3 cross country title last year, will face Alexis Leone of Seton Catholic WA, the Washington Class 1A champion, Summit OR duo Ella Thorsett and Barrett Justema, Lincoln OR's Keira Saavedra, Ashlyn Leath of Clovis North CA, Denise Chen of Claremont CA and Sydney Collier of Skyline WA. 

Last year's winner, Kate Peters of Lake Oswego OR, is sitting out the early part of the season with a foot injury. 

In her last outing, Thomsen won the 2.78-mile Lowell Invitational at Golden Gate Park in 15:13.93 and won by 47 seconds. 

Summit, the 2018 NXN girls champion, is ranked third in the Northwest rankings and will face the No. 4 (Lincoln) and No. 5 (South Eugene) teams. Sunset OR, Franklin OR, Central Kitsap WA, Claremont CA, Clovis North CA  and Redondo Union CA should make for a competitive field. 

At the front of the boys field, Jason Parra from Long Beach Millikan CA, Alex Garcia-Silver from Marshfield OR, Logan Law of Milwaukie OR, Zack Munson of Sehome WA and Brody Hartley of Walla Walla WA all bring strong credentials to the race. 

Parra, who was fourth at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, previous won races at the Rosemead Invitational and Great Cow Run. He was sixth in the CIF finals of the 3,200 meters in the spring as a sophomore. 

Garcia-Silver, from Coos Bay, Ore., smashed the Prefontaine Memorial Run 5K record by more than a minute last weekend by running 14:45.1. He also won the Ash Creek XC Festival in 15:09.7.

Law has traded wins with Wilsonville's Carter Cutting and finished second behind Central Catholic's Wes Shipsey at the Meriwether CC Classic. 

Portland rivals Lincoln and Franklin will also contend with Trabuco Hills CA, Madera South CA, Sunset OR and Redondo Union CA.