John Michaels
IVN Contributing Writer
Illinois Valley High School senior Curtiss Heier won the 2A/1A Special District 4 Cross-Country meet at Lane Community College in Eugene last Thursday. Heier covered the 5000-meter (3.1 mile) course in 16:52.11, well in front of second place finisher Beckett Pahls of Bandon (17:13.68). Heier, who defended the District title that he also won in 2023, easily qualified for the state championship meet which will be held this Saturday. The state meet will also be held at Lane Community College.
Heier’s younger brother, sophomore Taylor Heier also qualified for the state meet by finishing sixth in the race, with a personal record of 18.17.90 over the course. The top two teams and top seven individuals automatically qualify for the state meet.
The Cougars did not have the required five runners in the meet to contend for a team championship, which was won by Bandon with 28 points, easily outdistancing Trinity Lutheran’s runner-up score of 58.
Shilo Farnsworth and Gavin Mitchell also participated in the meet for the Cougars, with both finishing in the top 30. Farnsworth, a senior who also played for the Illinois Valley boys’ soccer team, finished in 20:21.69, while sophomore Mitchell also set a personal record for the distance with a time of 20:22.33.
IVHS cross-country coach Cameron Merker has high hopes for the Heier brothers at the state meet. Curtiss Heier has an excellent chance of becoming the Cougars’ first individual cross-country state champion at the meet. Heier still has the second best time at the 2A/1A level in the state this year, trailing Wyatt Jacobson of Knappa by just two-and-a-half seconds.
The Lady Cougars’ cross-country team had a single runner participate in the 3A/2A/1A District 4 championships on the same day. Senior Naomi Merrill finished the course in 25.38.69.