Sheehy, Stewart lead Bobcats

UNION’S KATE STEWART (No. 108) grabbed a top-10 finish at the cross country state championships Saturday. Observer file photo

“We didn’t leave the race sad at all,” senior Tom Sheehy said. “As a team we competed really well.

“Nyssa is a great team, and we’re happy for them. They’re our friendly rivalry. It’s good to keep the title in Eastern Oregon.”

Union ended with 109 points.

“As a whole, our boys team ran well,” Bobcats head coach Steve Sheehy said. “We clawed our way to beating all the other teams except our district rivals Nyssa. I was really proud of how these boys did.  They ran about as well as they could have.”

Tom Sheehy led Union with a time of 16:51, finishing fourth overall.

Cole Watson of Rouge River won the individual title with a mark of 15:52. Watson has already committed to running for the University of Oregon next season.

“I just wanted to run my race,” Sheehy said. “I was going to be fine with whatever happened as long as I did that.

“I got off to a good start and stayed with the lead pack. It just came down to who had the most left at the end of the race. I ran my hardest.”

Gabriel O’Reilly, Tyler Griffiths, Jon Cox and Nathan Brazil rounded out the team scoring for Union.

O’Reilly placed in the top 25 with a mark of  17:49.

Griffiths finished 30th with a time of 18:00.

Cox and Brazil finished 33rd and 44th, respectively.

Union will lose Sheehy, O’Reilly, Griffiths and Brazil to graduation.

Kate Stewart jumped from last season’s 23th-place finish to take sixth. She finished in 20:33.

“It all started with a running camp in the Steins,” Stewart said. “We ran at a high elevation and it really helped me get ready for the season.”

Stewart also had some of the best runners in the state at her disposal for practice.

“I trained with the boys team through the season,” she said. “They really pushed me and helped me become a better runner.”

Stewart ran her typical race by finishing strong. She started the race in the 24th position after the first mile, but slowly moved up into the top 10.

“It really helped to run last year,” the junior said. “I knew what was coming and when it was coming.”

Ashley Baldovino of Lakeview won the race in 20:00.

St. Mary’s took home the team title with a score of 73.

Elgin’s Emily Schmittle and Morgan Reid returned with top-50 finishes.

Schmittle, a freshman, took 34th in a time of 22:03.

Reid finished right behind her teammate in 37th with mark of 22:12.