McNeely wins state race, Wolves win LFL

Boe McNeely leads the field at the Stumptown Youth XC championships Oct. 29 in Monmouth. The 7th-grader beat a field of more than 400 runners.

The middle school cross country team has had a stellar season this fall.

Led by 7th grader Boe McNeely, the Wolves won the Little Fir League title on Oct. 21. A week later, McNeely surprised everyone by winning a division race of the informal middle school state meet.

Added as a sport two years ago, Days Creek has grown rapidly in both numbers and success. In addition to McNeely, 8th grader Asher Meisner and 5th grader Aweston Buckner have placed highly in races.

At the LFL meet at River Forks Park, McNeely and Meisner finished 1-2 and Buckner was fourth. Home school student Jude Sawyer (10th) and 5th grader Tucker Hager (18th) placed well and gave the Wolves a complete score. Five runners are needed to score in cross country.

Days Creek hosted the meet, which was also resurrected after years of going idle. Glide, North Douglas, Yoncalla and Oakland also participated in the meet.

On Dec. 29, McNeely and Meisner traveled to Monmouth to compete in the Stumptown Youth XC Championships. The meet attracted hundreds of runners from Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

McNeely led the Champs Division race from start to finish, completing the 3,000-meter course in 10 minutes, 17 seconds. The time was a 23-second personal record. Meisner finished 52nd in 11:40. More than 400 runners competed.

The Wolves were coached by English teacher Anna Rickards.