Olympia High School sophomore Quenton Lanese set a new personal record of 14 minutes and 59.3 seconds at the 18th annual Twilight XC Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 3. Competing at the Legional Memorial Golf Course in Everett, Lanese won the boys 3A-4A varsity race by a 40-second margin, becoming the latest runner to join the under-15-minute club.
Lanese Leads Olympia Boys Performance
Lanese’s performance at the Twilight XC Invitational improved upon his previous personal best of 15:02.1. As the reigning 4A state runner-up, his time secured a decisive victory in the varsity field.
Other Olympia runners also competed in the 3A-4A race:
- Quin Zola: 30th place (16:37.6)
- Jack McDurmon: 37th place (16:47.6)
- Liam Doyle: 61st place (17:12.8)
- Tai Taylor: 73rd place (17:23.3)
Centennial Wins Girls Varsity Race as Holt Beats Hennen
The girls 3A-4A varsity race resulted in a close finish between Glacier Peak sophomore Jaya Holt and Olympia sophomore Leah Hennen. According to the Thurston Chronicle, Holt edged out Hennen by a margin of 0.3 seconds. Hennen finished with a career-best time of 18:03.3, surpassing her previous record from the NXR Northwest Regional Championships last November by nine seconds.
Olympia secured second place in the team standings with 82 points, finishing behind Centennial, which won with 67 points. Additional Olympia finishers included:
- Gemma Stevick: 11th place (18:56.3)
- Carolina Schilter: 13th place (19:00.1)
- Caitlin Lanese: (19:43.8)
- Eliza Johnson: 34th place (19:52.5)
- Gretchen Hillier: 36th place (19:56.1)
- Ellen Cummings: 63rd place (21:07.1)
Frequently Asked Questions About the Invitational
How did the Olympia girls’ times compare to their previous performances?
Several runners achieved personal or season-best marks at the Legional Memorial Golf Course. Leah Hennen set a career-best time of 18:03.3, while Gemma Stevick recorded a season-best of 18:56.3. Additionally, Caitlin Lanese and Gretchen Hillier established new personal records, and Eliza Johnson picked up her best time of the season during the event.
What was the final point spread between the top two girls’ teams?
Olympia finished with 82 points, trailing first-place Centennial, which concluded the event with 67 points.
Lanese’s sub-15-minute finish marks a career milestone, building on his previous standing as the 4A state runner-up.