Central Kitsap’s girls cross country team came into the 2022 season with high expectations. The Cougars fulfilled their expectations by winning the 3A cross-country state championship Nov. 5 with 70 points.

Sophomore Clare Herring led the pack by finishing second with a time of 18:24.10. Audra and Taylor Palmer followed by finishing seventh and 19th. CK’s seven runners were one of the youngest teams competing, only having one senior and three juniors.

Bainbridge finished eighth in the 3A division with 256 points. The Spartans were the youngest team to compete with three juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen. Sophomore Mairin’ O Brien finished first for the Spartans and 11th overall with a time of 19:18.40.

In the girls 1A division, Klahowya finished 13th with 280 points. Sophomore Natalie Oathout finished third with a time of 19:02.80. North Kitsap finished 13th and Kingston finished 16th in the 2A girls division after sending to state six runners.

Vikings’ Salix Wartes-Kahl finished 12th with a time of 19:57.00 while Kingston’s Alice Moe was 32nd with a time of 20:50.90.

On the boys side, Kingston lived up to the promise of finishing fifth in the 2A division with 191 points. Buc Lucas Lenz finished sixth with a 16:15.40 time. Seniors Kaeden Peterson and Benjamin Eudaline finished in the top 50.

Bremerton broke a 34-year dry spell at state this season. Despite finishing 16th, the Knights had two runners finish within the top 50, senior Enzo Alonso Fernandez and sophomore Dallin Anderson.

CK finished seventh while Bainbridge finished 18th in the 3A boys division. The Cougars boys team was the only squad in the 3A division without a senior competing as their top five runners were two juniors, two sophomores and a freshman. Four of them finished in the top 50.

Spartans Laird Ferrel, Bodie Strom and Ben Crandall finished within a few seconds of each other, placing 84th, 86th and 88th.

South Kitsap sophomore Amelya Lester-Dame won the girls ambulatory division with a time of 19:58.50.