Prep Roundup: Montesano’s Anderson leads locals at Payne Invitational

Also: Aberdeen girls swim team places third in Kelso

By Ryan Sparks • October 5, 2025 10:30 pm

Here’s a review of recent Twin Harbors prep sporting events.

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Monte’s Anderson leads locals at John Payne Invite

Montesano’s Benjamin Anderson led a local contingent of Twin Harbors competitors at the 29th John Payne XC Invitational on Saturday at the Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place.

Anderson won the boys Varsity Bronze race, finishing the 5,000-meter course with a time of 16:49.3 to outpace the 182-competitor field.

Monte placed eighth overall as a team in the race with 246 points.

Elma placed 13th out of 25 teams with 326 points.

One level up in the boys Varsity Silver race, Hoquiam standout Ryker Maxfield ran a time of 17:05.5 to place 30th out of 410 participants.

Grizzlies teammate Junior Soto placed 50th with a time of 17:23.9.

In the girls Varsity Bronze race, Montesano freshman Kamille Vandevender placed sixth overall out of 359 runners.

Monte junior Zoe Ray placed 38th to help the Bulldogs finish 12th out of 44 teams with 444 points.

Full results available at athletic.net.

Local varsity results

Boys

Varsity Silver

30, Ryker Maxfield, Hoquiam, 17:05.5. 50, Junior Soto, Hoquiam, 17:23.9. 290, Zeke James, Hoquiam, 19:18.7.

Varsity Bronze

1, Benjamin Anderson, Montesano, 16:49.3. 21, Owen Young, Montesano, 18:36.9. 36, Ashton Brown, Elma, 18:54.9. 40, Civil Smith, Elma, 18:57.9. 56, Carter Arnold, Elma, 19:15.4. 64, Alexander Bale, Montesano, 19:24.6. 72, Hayden Sweet, Montesano, 19:34.5. 82, Nickolas Thompson, Elma, 19:52.3. 84, J.B. Fabian, North Beach, 19:53.1. 93, Jax Hudson, North Beach, 20:06.5. 97, Major Hudson, North Beach, 20:12.1. 99, Charlie Gersitz, North Beach, 20:16.8. 102, Colton Sweet, Montesano, 20:25.7. 113, Jeremiah Eastman, North Beach, 20:42.2. 125, Dakota Frank, North Beach, 20:54.2. 130, Taylor Lund, Elma, 21:00.2. 137, Kian Ray, Montesano, 21:13.2. 151, Kenneth Frank, North Beach, 21:45.5. 153, Nathan Beauregard, Elma, 21:52.1.

Girls

Varsity Silver

6, Kamille Vandevender, Montesano, 20:06.1. 38, Zoe Ray, Montesano, 21:35.1. 86, Samantha Lubinus, Montesano, 22:32.0. 100, Braelyn McGinn, Elma, 22:48.4. 102, Destiny Whipple, Elma, 22:49.3. 160, Alice Nelson, Montesano, 23:42.9. 209, Emily Anderson, Montesano, 24:37.1. 266, Anna O’Conner, Montesano, 25:32.2. 294, Hannah Schlesser, Hoquiam, 26:28.4. 300, Sofia Penjakova, Montesano, 26:39.3. 319, Chelsey VanBlargan, Elma, 27:27.0. 321, Jordan Trudell, Elma, 27:36.5. 324, Alicia Horton, Elma, 27:49.0. 358, Lindzey Whitney, Elma, 35:54.3. 359, Quinn Nesmith, Elma, 40:01.2.

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GIRLS PREP SWIMMING

Aberdeen places third at Kelso Invitational

Led by event wins from standouts Arianna Alavez and Gabby Orona, Aberdeen placed third out of 19 teams at the Kelso Invitational on Saturday at Kelso High School.

The Bobcats scored a total of 250 points to place third in the team standings behind first-place Camas (1,037) and host Kelso (420).

Alavez, a junior, placed first in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:11.58, nearly three seconds better than Camas’ Elise Robertson (1:14.60).

Bobcats sophomore Orona touched the all first in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:11.47, over three seconds faster that Robertson (1:14.75).

“I am very proud of all our swimmers today, with great competition from 4A, 3A and 2A schools,” Aberdeen head coach Anne Eisele said. “We came ready to compete, with time drops and first-place finishes from Arianna and Gabriella.”

Eisele cited freshman Jeanine Kramer with a significant time drop in the 100 backstroke and senior Natalie Wharton in the 200 freestyle, as well as relay-race time drops from Orona, Alavez, Gracie Qualey, Trinity Stone, Isabella Melville and Wendy Neil.

Elma senior Taylor Nemsith and and North Beach junior Arabella Porter also competed at the event, which is believed to be the first time a girls swimmer represented each school in competition.

Aberdeen hosts Black Hills and Tumwater in a 2A Evergreen Conference meet at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Grays Harbor YMCA in Hoquiam.

Team Standings

1, Camas, 1037 points. 2, Kelso, 420. 3, Aberdeen, 250. 4, Columbia River, 242. 5, Mark Morris, 206. 6, Seton Catholic, 167. 7, Skyview, 149. 8, Mountain View, 142. 9, Ridgefield, 105.5. 10, Washougal, 90. 11, Hudson’s Bay, 86. 12, Union, 77. 13, Hockinson, 43. 14, Heritage, 41. 15, King’s Way Christian, 39. 16, Fort Vancouver, 37.5. 17, La Center, 14. 18, R.A. Long, 13. 19, Evergreen, 11.

Top Local Results

200-yard medley relay: 2, Aberdeen (Gabby Orona, Wendy Neil, Arianna Alavez, Trinity Stone), 2:07.90.

200 freestyle: 30, Zander Jaquez, Aberdeen, 2:56.44. 42, Natalie Wharton, 3:20.94.

200 individual medley: 7, Gracie Qualey, Aberdeen, 2:47.96. 11, Alavez, Aberdeen, 2:53.42.

50 freestyle: 18, Stone, Aberdeen, 29.66. 34, Arabella Porter, North Beach, 32.21. 53, Mary Hiar, Aberdeen, 36.40. 70, Ashley Groat, aberdeen, 40.81. 71, Emily Grath, Aberdeen, 41.16. 93, Amelia Truesdell, Aberdeen, 1:13.18.

100 butterfly: 1, Alavez, Aberdeen, 1:11.58. 4, Qualey, Aberdeen, 1:20.52.

100 freestyle: 11, Neil, Aberdeen, 1:06.07. 16, Stone, Aberdeen, 1:07.22. 32, Porter, North Beach, 1:13.33. 34, Taylor Nemsith, Elma, 1:15.44. 43, Hiar, Aberdeen, 1:20.43. 55, Jeanine Kramer, Aberdeen, 1:29.15. 65, Ashley Groat, Aberdeen, 1:33.89. 72, Kami Rojas, Aberdeen, 1:41.59.

500 freestyle: 18, Jaquez, Aberdeen, 7:49.82.

200 freestyle relay: 6, Aberdeen (Qualey, Isabella Melville, Neil, Orona), 2:02.26.

100 backstroke: 1, Orona, Aberdeen, 1:11.47. 22, Natalie Wharton, Aberdeen, 1:37.95. 30, Emily McGrath, Aberdeen, 1:44.01. 34, Kramer, Aberdeen, 1:49.02. 46, Kami Rojas, ABerdeen, 2:02.41. 49, Truesdell, Aberdeen, 2:34.27.

100 breaststroke: 3, Neil, Aberdeen, 1:20.59. 25, Nemsith, Elma, 1:47.34.

400 freestyle relay: 4, Aberdeen (Alavez, Melville, Qualey, Stone), 4:31.14.

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GIRLS PREP SOCCER

Aberdeen JV 1, Ocosta 1

Aberdeen’s junior varsity tied against Ocosta’s varsity team 1-1 on Saturday in Aberdeen.

Ocosta took the lead with a penalty-kick goal from midfielder Scarlett Nelson in the 19th minute of the game and took that lead into the halftime break.

Aberdeen JV tied the game when Alyssa Caskey sent a cross toward Kenadee Baller, who one-touched it into the back of the net from 16-yards out in the 60th minute.

Ocosta looked for the go-ahead goal late in the game, but Bobcats goal keeper Xela Kowoosh turned away shots over the final few minutes as the game ended in a tie.

“We dominated possession and opportunities, but had a hard time find the final touch inside the box,” said Ocosta head coach Daniel Langer, whose team had 15 shots and six corners compared to four shots from the Aberdeen JV. “I am proud of the girls for playing with no subs and the effort they are putting forth.”

Kowoosh, Nataly Barragan, Baller and Macey Wallin were cited for “terrific play” by Bobcats assistant coach Lindsey Scott.

Aberdeen’s JV team is now 1-1-3 on the season.

Ocosta 1 0 – 1

Aberdeen JV 0 1 – 1

Scoring

First half – 1, Ocosta, Nelson, 19th minute.

Second half – 2, Aberdeen JV, Baller (Caskey), 60th minute.