The Edmonds-Woodway cross country teams are showing signs of promise in the opening weeks of the 2011 season, with the performances by Megan Alfi and Jack Griffing in each of the teams’ meets.

Alfi finished seventh in the two-mile senior girls division at the Sehome Invitational in Bellingham on Sept. 10, and followed up that performance with an eighth-place finish in the four-team matchup with Cascade, Jackson and Kamiak at McCollum Park in Everett on Thursday.

“She’s got a great chance of going to state,” coach Joel Hamilton said of Alfi. “She leads by example. She’s not loud, she doesn’t necessarily have a loud voice. But she leads by example, and I know the other girls respect her.”

Hamilton is understandably pleased with the results of the girls’ performances thus far, considering he originally was just glad to be able to field a girls’ team this season. There’s a chance the boys’ squad may have exceeded Hamilton’s expectations as well.

Griffing finished 17th in his division at the Sehome Invitational, and followed that with a fifth-place finish in the men’s 5,000 Meters Varsity division at McCollum Park in Everett.

“I would expect them to be right around their PRs from last year, around the low 17s [minutes] for a 5 K” Hamilton said.

And just on cue, Griffing turned in a 16:15 time at McCollum Park on Thursday. A group of Warriors followed the Edmonds-Woodway junior shortly after; freshman Miler Haller, Warren Madsen, and Alex Springer all finished with times of 17:30 or better.

“Our top five guys can compete pretty well,” added Hamilton. “With Jackson (who finished second at the state tournament last year) and Kamiak, we have our hands full.”

But with a turnout of four Warriors in the top 25 for the boys division, and the successes of Megan Alfi and Amy Fair for the girls, things are looking up for the 2011 campaigns.

The Warriors are on the road at the South Salem Saxon XC Invite on Saturday, Sept. 17 in Salem, Ore.

— Story by Ian Waldron, EWHS Class of 2006