Editor’s note: This story was updated to include photos, comments from Ephrata head coach Lyndsy Roberts

PASCO — Ephrata’s cross country runners closed out their season Saturday, Nov. 8, with strong performances at the WIAA State Championships at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

“It was a beautiful day for racing, a beast of a 5K course, and the best runners in the state,” said Ephrata head coach Lyndsy Roberts. “Perfect way to conclude the season for Ephrata XC. The six individuals represented Ephrata well and left it all out on the race course.”

Junior Hannah Malone led the Tiger girls with a 39th-place finish in 20:32.4, followed closely by sophomores Savannah Harper (43rd, 20:35.1) and Rebecca Wiser (47th, 20:38.1). The trio ran in a pack for much of the race, passing the mile mark in about 6:17, the two-mile in roughly 13 minutes, and finishing within six seconds of one another.

“Very proud of the effort our three girls put together over a very challenging course,” Roberts said. “All three finished in the top 50 in the entire (Class) 2A division.”

“Hannah was racing the course for her third time, and the experience showed — especially in the final mile,” he said. “It’s been fun watching her shift from the young newcomer to the experienced leader on the team.”

“Savannah was a minute and nine seconds faster than last year. The progress she made in the past 12 months was remarkable,” Roberts said.

“Rebecca’s addition to the team was such a welcomed surprise. She has such strength of character and determination — it was great to see her succeed at the highest level,” he said.

“All three enjoyed the moment, ran well, and are now motivated to achieve even more in the future,” said Roberts. “We’re not done yet.”

Ellensburg’s Grace Beachy was the top CWAC finisher, placing ninth in 18:46.1 and leading the Bulldogs to a second-place team finish with 89 points. Selah joined them on the podium in seventh with 181. Sehome High School won the girls’ team title, and Sloan Dickerson of Lynden captured the individual championship in 17:48.6.

On the boys’ side, sophomore Caleb Fitts paced Ephrata with a 42nd-place finish in 16:58.9, followed by sophomore Niko Diaz (51st, 17:07.2) and senior Maddax Iverson (73rd, 17:25.0). Fitts came out fast with a 5:07 first mile and held his pace through the second split, with Diaz and Iverson close behind.

“Caleb was our front runner all season, and it was exciting to watch Niko gain strength and confidence as the season progressed,” Roberts said. “After an incredibly fast first mile, they showed a lot of grit and determination competing against the best runners in 2A.

Roberts said the next challenge will be finding ways to take the next step. "I’m looking forward to the process," he said. "Hopefully, others on the team can follow their lead because they go about it the right way. The future is bright for these two young gentlemen.”

The Tiger coach also praised Iverson’s career accomplishments. “With his final state performance, Maddax joined a very small, elite group of Ephrata runners who have competed at state every year of high school,” he said. “Any time you share an accolade with state champions like Greg Metcalf and Eric Burck, you’re in rare company. It’s a credit to his talent and leadership in our program. We’re excited for his future, but he will be missed.”

Among other CWAC entries, Ellensburg’s Mystic Hammond finished second overall in 15:34.4, helping the Bulldogs take third in the boys’ standings with 88 points while Selah placed fourth with 182. Bainbridge High School claimed the 2A team title and Dylan Rowell of Anacortes won the individual race in 15:15.0.