Two sophomores carried the flag for the Beaverton boys’ cross country team at the Division 3 state meet and one of them made a run at earning All-State honors before coming up only two spots short.
Parker Hayes finished 37th at his first trip to the main event with a time of 16:50.4.
“Parker ran extremely well and he just missed,” said Beavers coach Toby Steele. “He did a really nice job for his first time in that race. We were there to watch it last year, but it’s a different beast from what kids are used to and, until you run it, you really don’t know what you’re in for. It’s a different setting and there are over 250 runners and I think the experience is only going to help both of our guys next year.”
Graham Govitz is a first-year runner and he wound up 141st in 17:52.5.
“He ran a good time, but he kind of got stuck in the herd with everybody,” Steele said. “He was a little disappointed, but he ran hard and broke 18 minutes, which was nice to see,”
Meridian sophomore Zach Grubaugh also qualified for the event and he finished between his friends and rivals from Beaverton, placing 43rd in 16:54.1.
“Parker and Zach have had a battle going since they were little kids,” said Steele. “Parker was a little ahead this time, but Zach has gotten the better of him in the past. They were in the same box to start and I think that helped the kids to see a familiar face in that big crowd.”
Meridian was represented in the girls’ race as well as freshman Hannah Ordiway ran 73rd in 20:29.6.