Rogers, Vargas Run To Seamount Titles

BURIEN - Mount Si's Nick Rogers and Liberty's Danni Vargas cruised to easy victories in yesterday's Seamount League cross country championship meet.

Hazen's boys and Lindbergh's girls earned the team titles in the high school meet.

Rogers, a senior, pulled away from Lindbergh's Eric Dahlberg after the first mile of the rolling three-mile course at Evergreen High School. Rogers finished in 15 minutes, 41 seconds, an average of 5:14 per mile. Dahlbergh, also a senior, wound up 33 seconds back in 16:14.

Juniors James Day and Tom Hildrum led Hazen to an eight-point victory over Lindbergh for the team title. Day finished third in 16:32 and Hildrum fourth, four seconds back. Hazen, the fourth-ranked team in the latest Class AA state poll, competes against second-ranked Blanchet in the Sea-King District meet at Evergreen Friday. The Highlanders placed four runners among the top 12 yesterday, led by juniors Jason Lopata (ninth, 16:54) and Toby Switzer (12th, 16:56).

Vargas, a senior, waited a little longer than Rogers to pull away from her chief opposition, Angie Fortner of Mount Rainier and Sarah Gagnier of Lindbergh. She passed Gagnier during the first third of the race and Fortner with a mile remaining en route to a 12-second victory. Vargas finished in 19:29.

Lindbergh had 36 points to win its third straight girls team title. Mount Rainier had 65 for second place. Kennedy was third with

78.