MOSES LAKE – Last weekend, 16 Moses Lake Mavericks cross country runners travelled to Irvine, California, for the 44th Woodbridge Invitational Classic. Head Coach Larry Dagnon said it was a significant milestone for the Moses Lake High School squad.  Five athletes walked away having earned hardware. 

“It was a championship atmosphere, the kids could feel it,” Dagnon said. “It was extremely fast. It's a greater championship atmosphere than Washington State cross country. The field was better, faster and I think it really opened our kids' eyes to how good they could be.”   

Aspen Hoenes made history in her race, Dagnon said. With an 18:10.6 three-mile race, she now sits second in the MLHS record books for that time. Just ahead of her is Jennifer Bannon, who ran a 17:48 in the 1987 state championships.   

Hoenes is a speedy freshman for the Mavericks, Dagnon said. Setting school records in just her first season makes him excited for her future in the Mavs’ cross country program.   

“We are on our way to the race, and she goes, ‘Coach, what do you think a good time would be?’ I go, ‘18 something is what you should shoot for.’ She just looks at me. She goes, ‘Okay, I'll run an 18 something,’” Dagnon said.   

The top runner for the boys' team was Liam O’Shea, who ran a 16:00.6 in the men’s three-mile. Dagnon said he had a goal to finish with a time in the 15-minute range. Though he just missed it by less than a second, Dagnon said O’Shea ran a great race.   

“He went out like gangbusters,” he said. “He ran with just the best competition there could be, but when he got (done) he wasn't disappointed in himself. He knew anytime you run a 16 flat, you've done something really right.”  

Noah Demchuk is returning from an Achilles injury he suffered. In the two weeks leading up to the race, he only had two practices where he got to run. In his three-mile race, he finished with 16:42.0 and climbed to 37th all-time in school history.   

Dagnon said Demchuk was still hard on himself after his race and he helped him put into perspective what he was able to accomplish given the circumstances.   

“I was like, ‘Noah, you've run twice in two weeks, and you still run a sub-17,’ and that helped him regain some focus, and it's going to really propel him, especially as he gets more practices removed from that Achilles injury. He's such a huge part of what we want to do. That kid is so super talented,” he said.

With Woodbridge behind them, Dagnon feels confident the experience will prepare his runners in more ways than one. Not only were they able to compete against some of the fastest runners in the country, but they also competed in a championship atmosphere like they have never seen, he said.  

“When you look at 16,000 kids that went to this race, and another 16 to 20,000 spectators, you'll never in your lifetime have more people in a higher-pressure situation than that. It just prepares them for each step along the way, because they know no matter what race I'm going into right now, I'm not going to have more pressure than that one,” he said.

Competing in California also symbolizes how far Dagnon's program has come in his tenure as Head Coach. He praised his coaching staff for the time and dedication they give to the Mavs’ cross-country program.   

Assistant Coach Brendan Thompson has been by Dagnon’s side since 2014. Dagnon said ever since they have been working year to year, building up the Mavericks program. As they began to compete in out-of-state competitions, he has seen the program reach new heights.

In 2018, they took their first trip to Hawaii to compete in the Iolani Invitational. Every two years, they travel to this meet.

“We did it because we were really trying to get the program to see that there are bigger things out there than just our league meets and an occasional out-of-state trip to Portland or something like that,” Dagnon said.

In recent years, the Mavs have started making progress toward making the state tournament. Last year, the boys made it to the state meet for the second time in school history, and the girls for the first time in 40 years.

When they got the invite to Woodbridge, Dagnon said they could not pass up the opportunity.

“We just had to take it, and (when) you get down there in a race like that, the kids are now going to be seen by some colleges they might not have been exposed to. Maybe they're like, ‘Hey, who's this kid right behind or right in front of this person we've been recruiting all year,’” Dagnon said.

As they look ahead to the rest of their season, Dagnon said the Mavs are set up to have a strong season. October will be a busy month for them. They will compete in several races like the Eighth Annual Battle of the 509, the Invitational at the Gorge and more. All of these races will lead up to the Big Nine District Five 4A Championships on Oct. 30.

Dagnon said sleep is hard to come by this time of the year as he prepares to get his runners where they need to be.

“I know that we've kind of set ourselves up nicely going into the rest of the season, with the 509 coming next week, really big meet, then we have our own meet, and then we jump into league (competition), and then into district... it's just one of those things where it's just a blur,” he said.

The Mavericks will compete in the Connell Invite Saturday.   

RESULTS:  

*Earned medals 

Boys:  

Liam O’Shea, 16:00.6
Lane Christensen, 16:11.4
Colton Lucero, 16:15.1
Max Jolley, 16:20.1
Liam Roseburg, 16:37.9
Noah Demchuk, 16.42.0
Jonathan Sandoval, 17:20.4*
Parks Whitaker, 17.25.1  

Girls:  

Aspen Hoenes, 18:10.6*
Rachel Nofziger, 18:41.7*
Natalie Vehrs, 19:15.9*
Kaytlyn Russell, 19:38.4
Alexis Feller, 20:20.2
Emma Wallace, 20:42.3
Sarah Humpherys, 21:29.1*
Amelia Olascon, 23:03.0 

    The Mavs’ Aspen Hoenes, left, and Rachel Nofziger, right, celebrate with the medals they earned at the Woodbridge Invitational. Along with Natalie Vehrs and Sara Humpherys, not pictured, they earned their medals for placing in the top 100 of individual runners for girls in their respective races.
  

    The Mavericks boys team huddles around Head Coach Larry Dagnon at the Woodbridge Invitational. Dagnon called the race a championship atmosphere like they have never seen.
  

    The Mavs’ Aspen Hoenes, toward the left, runs in her three-mile race. Hoenes' time of 18:10.6 places her second best in school history for the three-mile race.