Neither a soggy course nor a significant deficit could prevent Montesano’s Jake Mustard from capturing a league cross country title in his final home appearance.

The Monte senior uncorked a blistering finishing kick to take the boys individual crown in the Evergreen 1A League Cross Country Championships on Thursday, Oct. 20, at Lake Sylvia State Park in Montesano.

Montesano’s boys easily took team honors. With 26 points, they finished 43 points ahead of runner-up Elma.

Forks dominated the girls meet. Fielding the only complete team, the Spartans swept the top five places. Marissa Bailey won the individual title.

Flooding, caused in part by heavy rain Wednesday night and Thursday morning, forced the re-routing of the standard course and reduced the distance from 5,000 to 4,800 meters. Aside from light showers early in the girls varsity race, however, Thursday’s program was contested in dry weather.

Mustard trailed Forks’ pace-setting Josue Lucas by some nine seconds nearly two miles into the boys race and was still seven seconds back as the leaders headed up the hill (and out of view of most of those on hand) with about 600 yards remaining.

To the astonishment of spectators gathered near the finish line, Mustard re-emerged in the home stretch several yards in front — having passed Lucas heading down the final hill.

“Most of that race I was thinking, ‘I don’t have it,’” Mustard recounted. “I just kept believing and it worked.”

Concluding with a major league baseball-caliber slide as he crossed the finish line (slippery turf caused perhaps half the field to lose their footing at that juncture), he wound up prevailing by seven seconds in 17:34.

“I think he wanted to be the league champion. That probably was the difference,” Bulldog coach James Edwards said.

“It was my goal this whole year,” Mustard agreed, “and my goal is to be district champ (next week) too.”

Montesano’s Logan Clements placed third in 18:10. Three other Bulldogs — Connor Parkinson, Josef Aschenbrenner and Blaine Ross — made the top 10.

Elma’s boys also finished strong to place four runners in the top 15. None were in the top 20 at about the midway point.

“For them to pick it up like that, that shows we’re in pretty good shape,” Eagle coach Dave Beeler said.

Dylan Volz led the Eagles by taking seventh in 18:57. Gunner Jones, normally Elma’s third runner, established a personal best by some 40 seconds in placing 12th.

Beeler, whose boys team will be bidding for what will likely be the district’s third and final state berth next week, instructed his first and third and second and fourth runners to stay together. That was part of a plan to upgrade the performances of his third and fourth runners entering district.

Forks turned the girls race into virtually an intramural affair. The Spartans accounted for 12 of the 18 competitors.

With a time of 21:14, Bailey finished nearly a minute in front of teammate Enid Ensastegui.

Hoquiam’s Savannah Lutz, who was running a solid if distant fourth close to the two-mile mark, was plagued by a tight calf muscle in the late going and wound up seventh in 25:33.

Alexis Delahanty, normally one of Hoquiam’s top female runners, sat out the meet due to tendinitis. She is expected to be ready for district next week. On the boys side, the Grizzlies were also without Oscar Joya, who is undergoing concussion protocol.

“Today’s meet was kind of a take-it-easy meet,” Grizzly coach Carly Giles noted.

Carlos Juarez was Hoquiam’s top male finisher, placing 10th. Giles cited Alyssa Scott-York and Alex Tomko for fine performances.

Forks’ Wesley Camacho won the junior high race. Montesano’s Tucker Stecher finished second.

District competition is scheduled for Oct. 29 at the Lewis River Golf Course in Woodland.

Daily World writer Brendan Carl contributed to this story.

BOYS

1. Jake Mustard (Montesano) 17:34. 2. Josue Lucas (Forks) 17:41. 3. Logan Clements (Montesano) 18:10. 4. Samuel Gomez (Forks) 18:27. 5. Connor Parkinson (Montesano) 18:10.

Other Harborites in top 30: 7. Dylan Volz (Elma). 8. Josef Aschenbrenner (Monte). 9. Blaine Ross (Monte). 10. Carlos Juarez (Hoquiam). 12. Gunner Jones (Elma). 13. Tucker Holcomb (Elma). 14. Braden Stowers (Monte). 15. Drew Fisher (Elma). 17. Kyle Cox (Monte). 18. Andy Fry (Monte). 19. Josiah Lowder (Hoquiam). 20. Alex Houbregs (Hoquiam). 21. Alex Tomko (Hoquiam). 22. Tristan Bodwell (Monte). 24. Tyler Bristow (Elma). 26. Andres Vasquez (Hoquiam). 27. Gabe Belcher (Elma). 28. Evan Ramstad (Monte). 30. Thomas Bergstrom (Monte).

GIRLS

1. Marissa Bailey (Forks) 21:14. 2. Enid Ensastegui (Forks) 22:12. 3. Madison Carlson (Forks) 22:49. 4. Madelyn Archibald (Forks) 23:39. 5. Chelsea Biciunas (Forks) 25:02.

Other Harborites in top 15: 7. Savannah Lutz (Hoquiam). 11. Madison German (Hoquiam). 12. Alyssa Scott-York (Hoquiam). 13. Payton Parshall (Hoquiam).