Fiona Max Runs Meet Record 17:14.3 at Lane Community College

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE -- Fiona Max came to Lane Community College gunning for a time under 17:30 and she got it on a warm, sunny day at the Northwest Classic. 

Max tore away from the top runners early and toured the 5-kilometer course in 17:14.3 for the fastest time in meet history. The state meet course, which will be used in November, has a few different features to it. Max won the Oregon 6A title in 17:29 on that layout last year. 

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"At the beginning of the season, it's always a build-up for this team. Our coaches emphasize not getting out of the gates too fast," she said. "I wanted to run for the missing puzzle pieces on our team today. The work they do off the team, because they're injured, is inspiring for all of us because it makes us value running so much."

The reigning NXN champions and US#1 team has not grooved into the new season firing on all cylinders. Isabel Max is out and and hoping to be back into the mix by the end of the month. Kelsey Gripekoven is out and her return is a bit more indefinite. And Azza Borovicka Swanson, coming back from a strained Achilles tendon, ran -- and won -- the JV race on Saturday. 

And yet, Summit still scored 24 points with a lineup that was faster than 2018 in the same meet in the 1 and 2 spots, and a little bit slower at 3-4-5. 

The Storm's depth seems to be capable of absorbing the absences early in the season. 

Freshman Barrett Justema was the team's fifth scorer, and eighth overall, in 18:41.1.

"I'm speechless about the newcomers," Fiona Max said. "Not only are they fast, which is important, but the energy they bring, there's no pettiness. They understand that this team is kind of tectonic plate-like, there's a lot of moving around."

South Eugene's Madison Elmore ran with Summit's No. 2, Teaghan Knox, for much of the race but eventually pulled away to take second in 17:56.5. Elmore ran 4:27.13, and defeated Max, in the Oregon 6A 1,500-meter final in May.  

South Eugene scored 53 points to finish second. 

In the large-school boys race, Summit won a tight team race with 119 points, with no seniors in the lineup. South Eugene was next with 125 points and Ashland was third with 127. 

It's Ashland, though, that shows enormous potential. Running without E.J. Holland, who is DyeStat No. 4, Reed Pryor (15:18.8) and Arlo Davis (15.34) went 1-2. And Cam Stein was fifth in 15:56. 

If Ashland can develop some reliable strength at the No. 5 spot, the Grizzlies could be one of the sleeper teams in the Northwest.