Kamiakin runner blows past competition to win WA state 4A boys cross country title
If any fans of Mid-Columbia high school cross country came to Saturday’s WIAA state championships, they had to brave the rain and wind to the bitter end to catch the top local highlight.
It just happened to involve Kamiakin junior Ezra Teeples, who battled the elements and his competition to win the final race of the day — the 4A boys individual Washington state championship.
Teeples covered the 3-mile trek over Sun Willows Golf Course in a time of 15 minutes, 32.90 seconds — essentially blowing away his competition over the final half-mile for an easy victory.
“It feels amazing,” said Teeples. “This past year, I dedicated myself to winning this race. I worked over the summer and this fall towards this.”
Teeples was running stride for stride with Redmond’s Zachary Leader and Tahoma’s Cooper Boyle at the front of a pack of eight runners.
They went back out over the golf course before doubling back for the final stretch. As the field returned over the final hill, it was just Teeples all alone.
“I planned to go faster at the 2.5-mile mark,” said Teeples. “But all of the guys broke at that point. I said, ‘Let’s go.’”
Parts of the course became muddy and slippery as the day went on. And by the time the 4A boys race began, some spots were sketchy thanks to the previous nine races.
In fact, Kamiakin boys coach Matt Rexus said there was a spot at a valley near where the final half-mile stretch began, Redmond’s Leader was ahead when he slipped and temporarily lost his balance. Teeples, trailing Leader at that moment, jumped to his left to avoid running into him.
Suddenly, Teeples found himself in the lead and he never trailed again.
It all reminded Rexus of what Ezra’s older brother, Isaac Teeples, did two years ago to win the state title over heavily favored Ethan Coleman of Olympia.
“They both waited until the last half mile to pull away, using the final hills,” said Rexus.
Redmond’s Leader finished second at 15:47.40, while Tahoma’s Boyle crossed the finish line in 15:47.50 for third.
Kamiakin junior Noah Thomas finished seventh with a time of 15:55.80.
What made for a great moment was when Ezra crossed the finish line, there was his dad, Tyson Teeples, and his brother Isaac. The three of them hugged together as a group, and there were tears.
Ezra Teeples becomes the third Kamiakin boys runner to win a state title. Isaac Teeples did it in 2019 in 3A, and did it again in 2021 in 4A. There was no race in 2020 because of covid. Anthony Armstrong won the 3A title in 2011.
Ezra Teeples was extremely happy that his teammates almost took down heavily favored Issaquah for the team title. Issaquah finished with 118 points, while Kamiakin had 125.
Last season, battling sickness and injuries, Kamiakin finished seventh as a team.
When told by a reporter that Coach Rexus said it wasn’t bad for a rebuilding year, Teeples quickly corrected him by saying, “It’s not a rebuilding year. It’s a comeback year.”
4A GIRLS
Skyline senior Anna Callahan earned her second consecutive state title in a time of 17:47.
Callahan, who will sign this week with Duke University, was missing her running teammate, Rebecca O’Keefe.
O’Keefe, who placed third in 2022, was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis stress on one of her feet after the previous week’s KingCo district meet. O’Keefe will be signing with the University of Tennessee.
“It’s been pretty back and forth between the two of us all season,” Callahan said. “In fact, she’s beaten me more than I’ve beaten her.”
Mt. Si rolled to the team title with 53 points.
3A BOYS
Mercer Island junior Owen Powell — whose mother and father lead the University of Washington track and field program — outsprinted the rest of the leaders to win in 15:19.20.
Many of those he outran at the end were familiar competitors, including Bishop Blanchet’s Vincent Recupero (who placed second) and Seattle Prep’s Jack Henzke.
All of them run in the KingCo Conference.
Henzke led Seattle Prep to the team title with 80 points.
3A GIRLS
Pennsylvania transfers and sisters Sophia Rodriguez and Victoria Rodriguez — now representing Mercer Island — went 1-2, respectively.
It was Sophia, a freshman, who had another notorious slow start.
“I guess I don’t have that quick switch reflex,” she said.
It took her the first mile to settle in. After that, she turned it on for the win with a time of 17:21.90
Victoria, a junior, crossed the finish line in 17:36.50.
Central Kitsap earned the title title with 74 points.
2A BOYS
Anacortes’ Parker Mong was too hurt last year to qualify for the state meet.
But he and a friend came to the meet anyway as spectators. Before he left to head back home, though, he stopped to take a picture of the finish line.
“I turned to my friend and said ‘I’m going to win this right here next year.’ I worked too hard all year not to get the state championship,” said Mong, who did just that in 15:27.30.
Sehome earned the team title for the first time since 2019, scoring 62 points for this year’s victory.
2A GIRLS
Logan Hofstee of East Valley of Spokane dominated the field from the start in an incredible performance, running the course in 17 minutes and 20.80 seconds. She was never threatened.
Hofstee, who is signing this week with Gonzaga University, still felt the pressure before the race began.
“There is always pressure. But I was trying to enjoy the moment. This year, the team was able to come with me,” she said. “I was fighting my body a little bit, but I knew I had to keep going. I was trying to attack those hills.”
Sehome earned another team victory with 40 points. It was the third consecutive team title for the Bellingham school.
1A BOYS
Will Carroll, a junior from Annie Wright, led for almost the entire race to win in 16:01.60.
Cedar Park Christian of Bothell earned its first team title with 68 points.
1A GIRLS
Talk about great weather.
Jane Rolloff of Hoquiam couldn’t have been happier to see all of the rain.
It reminded her of home, and she easily won her race.
“I took that first mile pretty comfortably,” said Rolloff. “After that first mile, I just took off. I got to show my family and coaches that I could do this.”
Rolloff finished in 18 minutes and 28 second.
Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls earned the team title with 128 points.
1B/2B BOYS
Liberty Bell junior Dexter Delaney became the first boy from his school to ever win an individual state cross country title, running to an easy victory in 15:45.10.
Tri-Cities Prep senior Ciaran St. Hilaire, who won the race in 2022, battled injuries to finish seventh in 16:44.70.
Spokane’s Valley Christian earned the team title with 77 points.
1B/2B GIRLS
Freshman Ruby Henry of Pope John Paul II High School is the first member of her family to ever run.
“No one in my family ever runs,” Henry said after winning the 1B/2B race. “Winning this race is scary. But I’m grateful.”
Henry outkicked Liberty Bell’s Leki Albright the final 200 yards to win. Henry clocked in at 19 minutes, 29.10 seconds; Albright finished in 19:32.10.
Pope John Paul 2 also won the team title, scoring 45 points.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
