PENDLETON — Weston-McEwen sophomore Evelyn Hodgson added another feather to her cap Friday afternoon, winning the 2A/1A Special District 4 district title Friday at Community Park.

Hodgson ran a personal-best 18:51.20 to claim the title and earn a trip to state, with Trout Lake’s Melody Stock second (18:56.60) and Imbler’s Piper Braseth third with a season-best 19:14.20.

“She’s been trying to beat Piper all season long, and she not only beat her, but the girl from Trout Lake,” W-M coach Bill Dobo said of Hodgson. “She had a spectacular run. It was pretty amazing. We were concerned she might be running a little too fast. She should be happy with what she did. Melody has been a powerhouse and been out there in the front all season, and Piper has had a tremendous season.”

The state championships for all classifications will be held Nov. 7, at Lane Community College in Eugene.

Union, led by Gia Savage (6th, 20:06.30), won the team title with 33 points, with Heppner second with 46, Imbler fifth (74), Weston-McEwen sixth (84) and Nixyaawii eighth (124).

“That was an excellent race,” Union coach McKenzie Sheehy said. “It’s great to have such excellent competition in our district. I think our girls team has been steadily building. I was excited to see what they would do on this course and they got the job done. Gia had a great day. It has been coming for a long time. She really did have to fight for it. 

Also for Union, Brynn Weishaar was seventh with a PR of 20:07.40, followed by Kallin Culver (8th, PR 20:26.70), Quinn Later (12th, PR 21:58.50), CJ Delaney (15th, PR 22:39.60), Kately Matthews (19th, PR 23:08.50) and Callie Fox (23rd, 23:28).

With just the top team and first four runners automatically qualifying for state, Heppner is in a holding pattern to see if it will receive an at-large berth to state as a team.

The Mustangs were led by Brooklyn Hendricks, who finished ninth with a personal best 20:45.10, with Mikalie Duncan right behind in 10th with a PR of 20:52.40. Cora Munkers was 13th with a PR of 22:33.30, Khloe Rodriguez was 14th with a PR of 22:38.40, and Hailey McDaniel was 29th (24:35.10).

Imbler’s Maggie Sheahan was the second Panther across the finish line, placing 17th (22:47.90). She was followed by Kelsey Hays (26th, 

24:03.50), Vanessa Ritter (30th, PR 24:42.50), and Kaylee Walsh (38th, PR 26:25.60).

Stella Wolf was the second TigerScot across the finish line, placing 20th with a PR of 23:20.50. She was followed by Aletha Bond (31st, 24:27.80), Ashlyn Hoehna (34th, 24:57.70), TownsLee Fuller (45th, 29:39) and Nelly Barahona (47th, PR 30:27).

Emma Star-Nez led Nixyaawii, placing 25th with a time of 23:47. Abigayle Kordatzky was just two runners behind in 27th (PR 24:21.40), followed by Rosaella Salt (33rd, PR 24:57.30), and Ayanna Star (46th, 29:49.80).

Paige Hansen led Pilot Rock, placing 36th with a PR of 26:00.10, while Rylee Bedard was 43rd (PR 28:55.90).

For Stanfield, Danielle Rosembolt led the Tigers, placing 42nd (PR 28:21.30), while Jaelynn Cline was 48th (36:17.80).

In the boys’ division, Union’s Ian Garlitz won the district title for the second year in a row, turning in a personable best of 16:01.10 and leading the Bobcats to the team title.

“He had a great race day,” Sheehy said of Garlitz. “It was a culmination of a lot of hard work on his part. He does a great job of setting the tone. I was thrilled with our boys today. Ian wasn’t in the lead at the start, but by the second mile, he led the rest of the way. He and Peter were right with each other the whole way.”

Garlitz was just a step head of Pine Eagle’s Peter Davis (16:09.30), while Stanfield freshman Yajir Coria was third (PR 16:21.60), Weston-McEwen’s Arden Shaul fourth (16:36.10), and Nixyaawii’s Sun Schimmel fifth with a PR of 16:40.30.

It will be Shaul’s second trip to state. He also went in 2024.

“We had gone down a couple of times before this race and ran the course, which helped,” Dobos said. “Arden did tremendous today. He stayed up there with that top group. He was up against some really steep competition. There were some really fast runners this year. Union, as a team, did exceptionally well. It was a lot of fun to be there and watch these teams compete.”

The Bobcats ran away with the title with 23 points, while Stanfield was second (58), Heppner fifth (128) and Weston-McEwen seventh (152).

The next five Union runners after Garlitz finished 6-10, led by Bryce Burton who was sixth with a PR of 16:42.60. He was followed by Corban McNeil (7th, 17:02.40), Chase Burton (8th, PR 17:04.600, Jacob Baxter (9th, PR 17:06.80), Austin Flick (10th, PR 17:12.80) and Liam VanArsdale (27th, PR 18:25.60).

“I was thrilled with our boys today,” Sheehy said. “Our 2-6 runners were within a few seconds of each other. They had a plan of working together. It was awesome. It was fun to watch them move as a pack, especially for the second and third mile.”

Coria led the Stanfield contingent, which also had Ayden Cole finish 12th (17:36.70), while Ryker Marcum was 15th (PR 17:48), Jose Rodelo 18th (18:09.20), Carter Sharp 20th (18:12.10), Malachi Swanston 23rd (PR 18:17.70) and Antonio Galindo 37th (19:20.80).

Heppner was led by senior Jake Wilson, who was 14th with a time of 17:42. Aidden Ramos Lopez followed, placing 16th (PR 18:02). He was followed by Jaxson Wight (36th, PR 19:19.40), Tim McDonald (38th, PR 19:21), James Campbell (46th, PR 20:14.10), Frank DiSalvo (50th, 20:46.80) and Harper Salee (59th, 23:13.10).

Also for Weston-McEwen, Tyler Smith was 33rd with a PR of 18:54.60, followed by Tristan Gillum (35th, PR 19:11.80), Grant Waldher (56th (PR 21:41.60), Camden Parker (61st, 23:38) and Hunter Bissonette (62nd, 24:23.90).

Harley Schofield was the second Nixyaawii runner across the finish line, placing 4rd with a PR of 19:48.10. Also for the Golden Eagles, Joseph Higheagle III was 64th (PR 25:12.10).

Pilot Rock’s Landon Norton was 40th (19:36.80), with Parker Bucher 57th (22:48.50), Emmet Hofbauer 58th (23:05) and Mason VanHouten was 66th (30:38).

Greater Oregon League

Pendleton freshman Liam Pennington earned his first trip to the 4A state cross country championships after placing third at the Greater Oregon League Championships at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario.

La Grande took four of the top seven places in the race and won the team title with 22 points. Pendleton was second with 45 points, while Baker was third (78) and Ontario fourth (114).

La Grande’s Cooper Altenburg won the race with a time of 15 minutes, 46.60 seconds, with teammate Kaden May second at 15:53.60.

Pennington turned in a time of 16:37.60, while teammate Farley Hill was seventh with a time of 17:05.80.

The top seven runners and the top team automatically earn a trip to state. The Bucks will have to wait until all the 4A district meets are completed before they will know if they will earn a spot at state as a team.

Also for Pendleton, Ryan Simpson was 10th with a personal best 17:34.70, followed by Eagle Edmiston (12th, 17:43.40), Autry Robinson (13th, 17:55.40), AJ Browning (14th, PR 17:59.20), and Gabriel Rock (15th, 18:12.10).

Pendleton qualified as a team last year, placing ninth in the team standings, led by Jack Reynolds, who finished ninth overall.

In the girls’ race, Pendleton freshman Isabella Allen ran a PR of 20:43.40 to place seventh and grab the final automatic berth to state.

La Grande led the field, with Lindsey Brown finishing first in 19:00.20.

The Tigers won the team title with a perfect score of 15, followed by Baker (55) and Pendleton (67).

Also for the Bucks, Evelyn Hayes was 11th (22:33), followed by Kirsten Blackburn (14th, PR 22:51.10), Seely Hemphill (17th, 24:38), Kelsey Jones (18th, PR 24:41.80), Savaya Cree Medicine-Minthorn (19th, 24:44.70), and Ella Holtz (21st, 25:23.10).