4A cross country: Kamiak runner's kick is just enough

PASCO — That look, that one gut-wrenching, heart-breaking look on the face of Robbie Barany told the story of the Class 4A boys state cross-country championship.

As the Eisenhower senior ran his final steps to what looked like certain victory, Kamiak senior Kelly Spady came from behind to pass Barany in the final 20 yards, winning in 15 minutes, 24 seconds over 3.1 miles at Sun Willows Golf Course.

Barany, one of the favorites, led by nearly 50 yards as he approached the finish and never saw Spady coming until being passed just before the finish.

"He was almost to the line," said Spady, "and I thought, 'If I can just get him now, maybe catch him by surprise a little bit, he won't have anything left. I didn't know I had it in me, but I just kicked as hard as I could and I caught him. I was so happy I won. I couldn't believe it."

Last year, Spady finished 10th, one place behind Barany.

Second-ranked Ferris won the boys team title for the second year in a row, making it 17 consecutive championships for Spokane-area schools in the big-school classification. Ferris' total of 46 points was half of Mead's second-place total. Eisenhower of Yakima (104) was third.

Spady is only the third non-Spokane runner to win a big-school title in the past 18 years. Bishop Blanchet's David Gurry won in 1990 and Auburn Riverside's Carl Moe in 2002.

"He came in under the radar, but he's a tenacious kid," said Kamiak coach Charlie Lewarne. "We knew he was in the hunt."

4A girls: Felnagle repeats as champion

Almost an hour had passed since Brie Felnagle's record-setting run, but the Bellarmine Prep senior still didn't look happy.

Then the announcement came, the Lions had won the state title, and finally, Felnagle could enjoy herself.

"I'm so excited. We've been so close in the past three years, and now we finally got it. I'm so excited," said Felnagle after coming off the podium with the Tacoma school's team trophy. "I was excited and everything (with the individual win), but I really, really wanted us to win as a team, so that was my main concern."

To no one's surprise, Felnagle ran away with her second straight individual title, winning in 17:53. Her time broke by 17 seconds the record for the girls course since it was lengthened in 1997.

The top-ranked Lions' 84 points tied second-ranked Gig Harbor, but Bellarmine won the tiebreaker with a better-placed No. 6 runner. Sarah Lorch finished 56th, 11 spots ahead of Gig Harbor's sixth runner, Meaghan McCluskey.

Gig Harbor junior Stephanie Sipes was a distant second behind Felnagle in 18:27. That was 12 seconds better than third-place Becca Noble of Rogers. Bellarmine Prep freshman Nicole Cochran was fourth.

Snohomish, bidding for its third consecutive title, was third with 90.

"They're disappointed, of course, but they gave it all they had," said Snohomish coach Dan Parker. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't. We came out and gave it a shot. We were right there."