La Grande Cross Country Makes History: Both Girls and Boys Repeat as State Champions!

The La Grande High School cross country program had an unforgettable day at the OSAA 4A State Cross Country Championships, bringing home two state championship titles! Both the girls and boys teams captured their second consecutive state championships, making it back-to-back titles for both programs and giving La Grande an incredible sweep of the 4A girls' and boys' team championships for the second year in a row.
Both teams demonstrated outstanding determination, teamwork, and competitive spirit throughout the 5K races, making La Grande proud and showcasing the strength of the cross country program under the leadership of Coach Alma Crow.

Girls Capture Back-to-Back State Championships

The La Grande girls continued their championship tradition, finishing first overall with 51 points. The Tigers placed all five scoring runners in the top 22, demonstrating the depth and consistency that helped secure their second consecutive state championship.
Junior Lindsey Brown led the Tigers with an impressive sixth-place finish in 18:56.7. Freshman Evelyn Segrin followed closely in seventh place with a time of 19:01.3.
The remaining scoring runners included Frances Edelen, 13th in 19:36.5; Rose Edelen, 17th in 19:38.8; and Adele Olson, 22nd in 20:12.5. Isabelle Schmidt added a 23rd-place finish in 20:14.8, while Rita Ireland finished 66th in 22:28.1.
The girls recorded a combined top-five time of 1:37:26, averaging 19:30 per runner. Their ability to run together and support one another throughout the course was a key part of their championship performance.
Winning one state championship is an incredible accomplishment. Returning the following year to defend that title and doing it again is a testament to the dedication, perseverance, and team culture these athletes have built.

Boys Repeat as 4A State Champions!

The La Grande boys continued their championship tradition, capturing their second consecutive OSAA 4A State Championship with 72 points, finishing ahead of second-place Molalla, which scored 101 points.
The Tigers established themselves as championship contenders early in the race, moving into first place by the 3K mark and holding their lead through the finish.
Sophomore Cooper Altenburg led the way with an outstanding second-place overall finish in 15:39.1. Junior Kaden May followed with a fourth-place finish in 16:11.6, giving La Grande two runners in the top four.
The Tigers continued to build their team score with Tyler Perry finishing 19th in 16:54.3, Vance Koyle placing 32nd in 17:22.4, and Huntyn Azure finishing 34th in 17:25.5.
Rounding out the team were Jonathan Gisi, 42nd in 17:38.0, and Noah Hawks, 47th in 17:43.9.
The boys' top five runners combined for a time of 1:23:33, averaging 16:43 per runner. All seven varsity runners contributed to an outstanding team effort that brought the state championship home to La Grande for the second year in a row.

A Championship Program

Bringing home two state championships in the same year is an extraordinary accomplishment. Having both the girls and boys teams repeat as state champions speaks volumes about the dedication, discipline, perseverance, and team culture within the La Grande cross country program.
Congratulations to all of our La Grande Tiger cross country athletes and Coach Alma Crow for an incredible season! Your hard work and commitment have brought tremendous pride to our schools and community.
Two teams. Two consecutive championships each. One incredible Tiger tradition.
Congratulations, Tigers! We are so proud of you!  #alwaysanLGTiger