For the Bothell High School boys cross country team there were no personal-best times logged on Saturday at the Bi-District Cross Country Championship at South Whidbey High School.

But it was the team’s showing against its KingCo and Wesco foes that propelled three freshman, two juniors and two seniors toward the State Championship meet next Saturday in Pasco.

After race leaders set an unusually slow first-mile pace, freshmen Brandon Simmons and Shane Barringer finished in fourth and fifth place for Bothell – which became the only state-qualifying team at the 60-team meet with two freshmen in the scoring group. Simmons and Barringer also were two of the top five fastest freshmen in the overall race.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how this team has worked together this year,” coach Casey Kellogg said. “We’ll have six runners who have never competed at the State level before. It will be a terrific experience for each of them.”

Senior Charlie Barringer placed fourth overall in the race. Juniors Cameron Howard and Alex Nienaber were 20th and 24th respectively, while Simmons placed 38th and Shane Barringer 48th to round out the scorers for Bothell. Senior Jacob Fillman and another freshman, Zach Chupik, also had key roles as they beat Issaquah’s fifth-place runner to help seal the trip to State for Bothell.

Bothell girls finish together

The Bothell girls showed their grit by finishing all seven runners within 30 seconds of each other. Juniors Lauren Agler and Bethany Horn led Bothell finishers, but sophomores Brielle DeRosia, Madison Velasquez and Olivia Balch, senior Kate MacKay and junior Lori Klein were not far behind.

“This is the best finish for a Bothell girls team ever,” Kellogg said. “We’re losing just one senior – so we have big plans for next year’s girls team.”