New Era For Wesco AAA -- Conference Has New Postseason Path To State

The Western AAA Conference used to be a well-kept secret, tucked away by itself in the world of cross country.

Because of its lonesome status as the only league in the Northwest District, the conference ran against itself. Period. For league honors and for entry into the state meet.

Now, throwing the sheets off and showing the world, the WesCo AAA is out of hiding. It will combine with the KingCo Conference to qualify five teams and 25 individuals for the state meet.

"This is what we've been hoping for, for a long, long time," Mariner Coach Howard Price said. "I think that'll help us tremendously.

"We have a chance to send more people to state, instead of the winner-take-all thing we used to have."

Snohomish Coach Dan Parker said not having new opponents in the weeks before the state meet was a serious handicap.

"That got awful tiring," he said. "We used to go to as many invitationals as we could early in the season, knowing that we'd be running against nobody new the three weeks before state.

"I think that hurt us. I think we used to peak too early because of all that. You need to build leading up to state. You need that new competition to keep you growing and building."

The drawback, several coaches point out, is that the league could get shut out of the state meet.

The bottom line, they say, is simple. If we're good enough, we'll go. If we're not, we won't.

The league has some good talent that has been somewhat overlooked because of its lonely status.

Three boys have the potential to be top-10 runners at state: Mariner's Steve Baker, Oak Harbor's Colin Day, and Marysville-Pilchuck's Eddie Foshey.

Among the league's top girls, two runners have state-caliber talent: Megan Agy of Snohomish and Natalie Turner of Oak Harbor.

Another new factor in the WesCo AAA is the addition of traditional power Edmonds-Woodway, which moves up to Class AAA after winning the state Class AA title last season.

"We're going to be very competitive, but we're not a state-class team yet," said Edmonds-Woodway Coach Tom Campbell, who won 11 state titles at Edmonds High, adding his 12th last year after Edmonds and Woodway high schools merged.

"Competitive? We'll all be running as hard as we can just to keep up with him," Marysville-Pilchuck Coach Craig Bowen said. "Tom Campbell is a legend."

Based on depth, Bowen calls Edmonds-Woodway the boys favorite, with an improved Mariner, Shorewood, Oak Harbor and Marysville in hot pursuit.

Snohomish, led by Agy and Rebecca Hill, who finished in the top 25 at state last year, are the girls favorites. Oak Harbor, with Turner leading the way, is a strong challenger.

WESCO AA -- There were good wishes, but no tears among WesCo AA teams when it was announced that Edmonds-Woodway was moving up to Class AAA.

"I think that will open things up for everyone else," Mountlake Terrace Coach Phil Nelson said. "With them here, you pretty much had to concede a state berth to them, which left the rest of us fighting it out with the Northwest League for two berths."

Nelson's Mountlake Terrace girls squad battled into the state meet for the first time in school history last year, giving WesCo AA a sweep of all three state berths.

With Edmonds-Woodway gone and the majority of Lynnwood's three-time state-championship girls team graduated, Terrace finds itself as one of the league's favorites.

"I think you have to rank Terrace right up there with Shorecrest," Lynnwood Coach Ernie Goshorn said.

Shorecrest, which drops down from WesCo AAA, is led by two-time Northwest AAA District champion Gilia Angell.

Lynnwood has one of the state's outstanding runners back in Karen Vann, but the supporting cast is gone.

On the boys side, Shorecrest has a standout runner in Jon Westerman and a supporting cast of veteran seniors.

Lynnwood has a solid bunch of state-tested runners who should challenge for a state berth.

WESCO CROSS COUNTRY CAPSULES

WESCO AA BAINBRIDGE

-- NICKNAME - Spartans. -- HEAD COACH - Richard Christopher. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Aquila Henderson, Sr.; Todd Stokes, Sr.; James Bounty, Sr. Girls: Amy Duncan, Sr.; Siri McGregor, Jr.; Ann Quistorf, Jr.; Dawn Eycaner, Jr.; Rebecca Johnston, Sr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Jude Ross, Jr., transfer from Florida; Jason Olson, Jr., transfer from Kansas; Casey Jurack, freshman; Reid Makata, freshman; Chris Charles, freshman. Girls: Amy Roberts, Jr.; Stephanie Brorer, Jr., exchange student from Germany. -- OUTLOOK - Spartans have good numbers; key will be how long it takes them to learn to run. Boys have two juniors with experience who transferred in.

LAKE STEVENS

-- NICKNAME - Vikings. -- HEAD COACH - Cliff Chaffee. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Phil Merwin, Sr.; Frank Pelayo, Jr.; Aaron Stacey, Jr.; Coby Merwin, Soph. Girls: Carla Rogers, Sr.; Briana Montanaro, Jr.; Julie Pearson, Jr.; Andrea Bucholz, r. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Quetzal Bradley, Jr.; Kevin Merwin, freshman. Girls: Courtney Anderson, Soph., transfer from New York. -- OUTLOOK - Vikings have talent, but need a push to move into contention. All three Merwin brothers should be on varsity by district meet.

LYNNWOOD

-- NICKNAME - Royals. -- HEAD COACH - Ernie Goshorn. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Mitch Smith, Sr.; Ed Sewell, Sr.; Justin Hunter, Sr.; Andy Malnack, Soph. Girls: Karen Vann, Sr., sixth at state last year, second as a sophomore; Robby Johnson, Jr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Eric Simpson, Jr.; John Norquist, Sr. Girls: Amy Meissner, Jr.; Jennifer Smith, Jr. -- OUTLOOK - Emphasis will shift to boys this year after three consecutive girls state Class AA titles. Karen Vann is one of state's best, but will have to lead Royals now that Stephanie Malnack has graduated. Boys have good shot at going to state; girls are longshot, although Vann is a possible state champion.

MEADOWDALE

-- NICKNAME - Chiefs. -- HEAD COACH - Wally Nagel. (No information available.)

MONROE

-- NICKNAME - Bearcats. -- HEAD COACH - Dean Taylor. -- TOP BOY RETURNEES - Boys: Martin Stickles, Sr.; Teyo Mullins, Soph.; Justin Searle, Sr. Girls: Kym Walker, Soph.; Monica Watt, Sr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Owen Lewis, Soph. Girls: none. -- OUTLOOK - Boys will be competitive, but girls lack numbers. "Since girls soccer shifted to being a fall sport, we've had trouble getting girls out - this place is soccer crazy," Taylor said.

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE

-- NICKNAME - Hawks. -- HEAD COACH - Phil Nelson. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Dennis Jensen, Sr.; Mike Gilbertson, Soph.; Kelly Selhaver, Soph.; Jeremy Anderson, Soph.; Carlos Bayne, Soph. Girls: Lori Dick, Jr.; Christina Aldridge, Jr.; Jennifer Burnett, Jr.; Becky Sherratt, Soph.; Lisa Nguyen, Soph. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Tom Johnson, freshman. Girls: Jenny Martin, freshman. -- OUTLOOK - Girls went to state last year and have talent to go back, if they realize it and use it. Boys will be competitive, but young; could be a year away.

SHORECREST

-- NICKNAME - Scots. -- HEAD COACH - Lane Loland. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Jon Westerman, Jr.; Matt Thomas, Sr.; Joe Niichelstet , Sr.; John Tytus, Sr. Girls: Gilia Angell, Sr., two-time Northwest District AAA champion; Sheri Goodwin, Soph.; Courtney Putnam, Soph. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Casey Sullivan, freshman; Chris Bendiksen, freshman. Girls: Liz O'Malley, freshman; Bryony Angell, Sr. -- OUTLOOK - Likely league favorite for both boys and girls in first season after moving down from Class AAA. Gilia Angell is a premier runner who has not run her best at state.

WESCO AAA CASCADE

-- NICKNAME - Bruins. -- HEAD COACH - Steve Bertrand. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Bryan Votaw, Jr.; Bob Hawk, Sr.; Van Anderson, Jr.; Gino Cecsavini, Sr. Girls: Alicia Gibson, Jr.; Annette LeGault, Soph.; Amy Ackerson, Soph.; Jennifer Sheridan, Sr.; Laura Kolosseus, Sr.; Kristen Woelfert, Sr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Brian Kingsbury, Soph. Girls: Becky Wenzel, freshman; Jennifer Hymer, freshman. -- OUTLOOK - Bertran said team is taking everything day by day in aftermath of the death of two runners in a preseason outing. Bruins' boys team has potential.

EDMONDS-WOODWAY

-- NICKNAME - Warriors. -- HEAD COACH - Tom Campbell. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: J.J. Sprague, Sr.; Shane Yuhas, Sr.; Greg Bryan, Sr. Girls: Trish Monaghan, Sr.; Kristina Green, Sr.; Samantha Everett, Jr.; Amy Brines, Sr.; Sara Doucette, Sr.; Alyssa Wolfe, Jr.; Marina Smith, Jr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: B.J. Walvatne, Jr.; Erik Byrum, Jr.; Paul Gillespie, Soph. Girls: None have made the varsity. -- OUTLOOK - Warriors can't defend their 12th state AA title under Campbell because of shift to Class AAA, where they would have challenged for that title a year ago. Last year's squad was ranked No. 5 in nation. Probably not state-championship caliber this year, but a solid bet to go to state, as always. Girls were sixth at state AA meet last year and return everyone. Campbell won Class AAA boys title in 1975 at Edmonds and girls won Class AAA championship in 1976.

EVERETT

-- NICKNAME - Seagulls. -- HEAD COACH - Harland Jackson. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Shawn Cohn, Jr.; Shane Kincaid, Soph.; Jamie Toell, Jr. Girls: Jane Ragland, Soph.; Maureen Bedlington, Sr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: A.J. Scales, Soph. Girls: None so far. -- OUTLOOK - Seagulls have long road ahead.

MARINER

-- NICKNAME - Marauders. -- HEAD COACH - Howard Price. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Steve Baker, Sr.; Russell Burns, Jr.; David McElliot, Sr.; Chad Marshall, Sr. Girls: Heather Jennings, Sr.; Shantel Brenner, Soph. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Troy Foss, Jr.; Jason Burns, Soph. Girls: Heidi Bracher, freshman. -- OUTLOOK - Baker is one of conference's premier runners and Price believes Burns could have break-through season. Girls squad has a fleet of sophomores and could be surprise team in league. Marauders have 65 runners, with a number of promising youngsters.

MARYSVILLE

-- NICKNAME - Tomahawks. -- HEAD COACH - Craig Bowen. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Eddie Foshey, Sr.; Joe Losik, Sr.; Chad Taylor,Sr.; Aaron Braaten. Girls: Sally Trevino, Sr.; Heather Cartmill, Jr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Too soon to tell. Girls: Melissa Mashita, Soph. -- OUTLOOK - Foshey is a terror on the track who has yet to turn it on in big cross country meets. Easily one of best runners in conference. Team will miss graduated Troy Gallant, but has solid corp of runners. Girls are young and will suffer from formation of separate freshman team.

OAK HARBOR

-- NICKNAME - Wildcats. -- HEAD COACH - Craig Pedlar. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Colin Day, Sr., finished sixth at Junior Olympics national meet at 1,500 meters; Robert Quinton, Sr. Girls: Natalie Turner, Jr., two-time state competitor; Amanda Bartley, Jr.; Sandi Lagerwey, Jr.; Kendall Daniels, Sr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Matt Kaser, Soph.; Jeremy Loercher, Jr. Girls: Debra Vaughn, freshman; Cynthia Vick, Jr. -- OUTLOOK - Day is ready to blossom after outstanding summer and Junior Olympics showing. Turner is an outstanding runner, especially on a track, and could push Agy if she gets better feel for cross country running.

SHOREWOOD

-- NICKNAME - Thunderbirds. -- HEAD COACH - Tom Davis. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Jonathan Ulmer, Sr.; Mike Sowinski, Sr.; Kyl Watson, Sr.; Zach Shelly, Jr.; Ben Davis, Jr. Girls: Rebekah Ulmer, Soph., finished in top 25 at state; Kaelyn Irwin, Sr.; Kristen Orozco-sstet , Soph.; Dana Kemmerling, Jr. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Brian Lehtinen, Jr.; Jason Guiberson, Soph.; Nick Peterson, Soph. Girls: Danielle Tourtellot, freshman. -- OUTLOOK - Ulmers should be among best runners.

SNOHOMISH

-- NICKNAME - Panthers. -- HEAD COACH - Dan Parker. -- TOP RETURNEES - Boys: Mike Bryant, Sr.; Ryland Carter, Soph.; Mike Harkins, Jr.; Jim Wilson, Jr. Girls: Megan Agy, Sr.; Rebecca Hill, Sr.; Jennifer Weber, Jr.; Callie Blanton, Soph. -- TOP NEWCOMERS - Boys: Andy Rochelle, Jr. Girls: Megan Wualtz, freshman; Jill Haryman, Jr. -- OUTLOOK - Boys are solid. Agy was district champ as freshman and has been second to Shorecrest's Angell past two seasons, although she outperformed the Scot at state.