Shannon Porter wins SMU Invite, but nationally ranked SPU Falcons roll...
LACEY—Saint Martin’s Shannon Porter (left/photo by Paul Merca) sat back just inside the top 20 as the field passed the 1-kilometer mark to help teammate Yadira Lopez, but asserted herself on her home course to win the women’s 5k race at the Saint Martin’s Invitational on the campus of Saint Martin’s University.
Porter ran 17:51 to finish comfortably ahead of Seattle Pacific’s Mary Charleson (18:02) and Sarah Macdonald (18:17). with teammate Hannah Calvert (18:35) behind.
SMU’s Lopez was fifth (18:44) ahead of the Falcons’ Kate Lilly (19:01), and Chynna Phan (19:05).
The Falcons, currently ranked #18 in the current USTFCCCA Division II coaches’ poll, asserted themselves against the other three Washington state GNAC teams in the field (Western Washington, ranked #8 in the national women’s poll, and #14 in the national men’s poll, sent their top runners to Minnesota for the Roy Griak Invitational), placing eight runners in the top ten.
Seattle Pacific easily won the team title with a low score of 22 to Western Washington’s 62, and Saint Martin’s 81, with Central Washington fourth at 132.
Western was led by Peyton Shinnick in 13th (19:20), and Central was led by Alicia Girdler (20:27) in 26th.
In the men’s 8k race, Sam Garvin of Clark College was the winner in 26:01, nipping out Michael Martin of Eugene’s Lane CC by one second.
Juan Castillo led a 3-4-6 finish by Western Washington, running 26:26, followed by Peter Butler (26:28) and Dylan Hayes (26:29).
SPU alum Turner Wiley was eighth (26:35), with the Falcons’ Ben Halladay taking ninth in 26:35.
Saint Martin’s top runner was Josiah Shelman in 27:01.
Lane CC took the men’s team title with 67 points, ahead of Western Washington’s 76. Spokane CC was third with 95.
Host Saint Martin’s was fifth with 135, and Seattle Pacific was eighth with 171 points.
NOTE: The sports information office of Saint Martin’s University contributed to this report.
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