Cascade Teams Place 12th as Cougars Set Personal Records at Nike Portland XC Invitational

FAIRVIEW, Ore. - Cascade placed 12th in both varsity divisions Saturday at the Nike Portland XC Invitational, with Parker Hunt and Makaylee Lung leading a day filled with personal records at Blue Lake Park. The girls finished 12th among 25 teams in their division, while the boys took 12th out of 24 teams.

Hunt led the Cascade boys with a personal-record time of 17 minutes, 50 seconds, breaking the 18-minute barrier on a course designed for fast racing. His performance set the pace for the boys squad as the Cougars worked through a large meet featuring 125 teams from across the Pacific Northwest.

Joel Gjesdal also delivered one of Cascade’s most significant improvements. Gjesdal ran his fastest time in two years, lowering that mark by 10 seconds. The performance added to the Cougars’ collection of personal records and helped the boys secure a finish in the top half of their 24-team division.

Lung again led the Cascade girls, cutting 13 seconds from her previous personal best. Her improvement highlighted a strong race for a girls lineup that also finished in the top half of its division. Cascade’s matching 12th-place team results reflected the depth of both varsity groups in a crowded invitational field.

The Cougars took advantage of the fast layout by managing the early pace and sustaining their efforts through the finish. With clear skies, a temperature near 50 degrees and calm wind at race time, conditions were favorable for runners pursuing quicker marks. Cascade’s numerous personal records showed the progress of the overall pack, while Hunt, Gjesdal and Lung provided the leading individual performances.

Cascade will return to competition on the road at The Harrier Classic on Saturday, October 3rd.