The Mountlake Terrace girls cross country team got its first taste of big race competition this season, finishing seventh in the Girls Gold Varsity division of the Fort Steilacoom Invitational on Saturday.

The event was a showcase of top prep cross country teams. Nine of the 10 teams in the Girls Gold Division had qualified for their classification’s state championships last season.

California cross country powerhouse Claremont took the title in the girls top division by placing five runners among the top eight individual finishers.

Junior Katherine Gustafson led the Terrace runners with a 20^th place finish. Hawk teammate Katherine Walter placed 24^th and Jessica Ong crossed the line in 40^th.

The Hawk boys competed as a split squad in the two flights of the Boys Silver Varsity division; top Mountlake Terrace finishers were Braeden Sims and Nick Leidig placing 35^th and 36^th among the 168 competitors in Flight 2.

For all the results from the Fort Steilacoom Invitational, click https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/Results/Meet.aspx?Meet=105631#Results.

Prep Cross Country: Mountlake Terrace at Fort Steilacoom Invitational (5,000 meter course at Ft. Steilacoom Park)

Girls Gold Varsity Team Scores
1. Claremont 25
2. Tahoma 100
3. Kamiak 105
4. Liberty-Issaquah 118
5. Olympia 126
6. Skyline 140
7. Mountlake Terrace 163
8. Eisenhower 180
9. Central Kitsap 203
10. Stadium 279