PASCO-The hard work of the cross country team paid off for them on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the state championship meet in Pasco.

“The farthest that any high school team, in any sport, can go is the state championship game or race and they did,” Bob Thornton, Tonasket head coach, said. “There is no race higher than the state championship to move on to. It is the ultimate and they made it. Their hard work paid off.”

Thornton said the girls team race was their first state race. To qualify for state, the girls team placed 11th out of the top 16 teams from the 64 1A teams in the state.

“Adeena Cleman ran with Jessica Spear for the first mile and then Jessica took off. She passed about 20 girls in the last mile while Adeena held her place,” Thornton said. “Amy Johnson was still not feeling great from her ear infection, but ran a good race. For her last high school cross country race Veronica Puente ran a great race. She has been a great leader for the team. Adrianna Sharp ran a good, steady race all the way.”

Puente finished in 40th place with a time of 21:27 and Spear coming in soon after her in 47th place with a time of 21:50. Cleman finished in 69th place at 22:27 and a little over one minute later, Johnson finished in 95th place at 23:36. Sharp finished in 125th place at 27:14.

“Damon Halvorsen was 50th with a time of 17:52,” Thornton said. “A time that would have placed him 24th last year. It was a good race for him.”