Blake Baker Wins 3K as Cascade Opens Cross Country Season Strong
Cascade High School opened its cross country season with a victory from Blake Baker, a runner-up finish by Evan Gilmore and four top-10 varsity performances Tuesday at Cascade High School. Although the 16-team Darrel Deedon Invite did not use official team scoring, the Cougars came away with several strong results across the boys and girls 3K and 5K races.
Blake Baker led Cascade’s 3K effort by winning the race. Evan Gilmore followed with a massive personal record to claim second place, giving the Cougars the top two finishers. Kayla Thomas added another podium result by placing third in the girls 3K. Those performances provided an early indication that the team’s summer training carried into the opening meet.
Cascade also produced tightly grouped finishes in the varsity 5K races. Parker Hunt and Joel Gjesdal crossed in 10th and 11th place, respectively, while Makaylee Lung and Sadie Holbert earned sixth- and seventh-place honors in the girls varsity 5K. The back-to-back finishes showed the value of pack running, with Cougar runners staying close enough to claim consecutive places in both races.
The season-opening format gave athletes opportunities to compete at two distances while establishing an early benchmark for the fall. The 3K runners showed speed near the front of the field, and the varsity 5K groups kept multiple Cascade entries together in competitive positions. With no official standings, individual placement, race execution and progress from summer training served as the primary measures of the team’s performance.
The meet also offered an initial look at how Cascade could fit into the district picture and helped clarify the competition for varsity positions. Racing in cloudy conditions at 62 degrees, the Cougars placed seven identified finishers among the top 11 of their respective races, including three podium performances and two strong varsity packs.
Cascade will next travel to the Ultimook Meet on Saturday, Sep. 5, 2026, in Tillamook.
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