Spartan sophomore Alex Miller returned to action after a brief break to lead a partial Bainbridge team at a Metro League cross country meet in West Seattle’s Lincoln Park on Sept. 25, while senior captain Eleanor Collins was the first-place Spartan girl.

Garfield and West Seattle were co-hosts of the event, which also featured athletes from Chief Sealth, Cleveland, Rainier Beach and Roosevelt.

However, most of the varsity and junior varsity sat out that midweek race to be rested for the big Bellevue Invitational at Lake Sammamish Park, a major event featuring more than 40 teams, including defending 3A champion Kamiakin and Portland powerhouse Central Catholic.

The level of competition was very high, BHS team officials said.

Senior Jonas Price from Eisenhower (Yakima) ran a blistering 14:59, while Issaquah junior Julia David Smith’s outstanding 17:56 put her a minute ahead of the second-place girl.

Bainbridge junior Sean Westerhout was Bainbridge’s fastest boy at Bellevue, setting a 12-second personal record (PR) with a 16:28, the third fastest Bainbridge time ever on that course.

The leading Bainbridge girl, junior Cassidy Parr, ran a PR 21:40.

Tight Bainbridge packs were common, island coaches said.

Varsity senior Cora Cole crossed the line just inches ahead of freshman Lena Wood, and three JV girls — Jeanne Gary, Isabel Thompson, and Lillian Eckhardt — all finished within less than a second apart.

Varsity boys Micah Glasby and Mace Korytko were both timed in 18:16.3, while in the JV race a close group of four boys — Conor Babcock O’Neill (19:34), Martin Vroom (19:35), Nick Grant (19:37), and Ethan Glasby (19:38) — was just seconds behind their leader, novice harrier Spencer Bispham, whose 19:28 cut 31 seconds from his previous best this year.

Others who set notable PRs included senior captain Garrett Peterson (2:34), Mckennah Thompson (1:04), Soap Allen (1:12), and Madie Medina (2:23).

Big this-year improvements for novice runners included Lena Wood (1:11), Sophia Samant (1:30), Lillian Eckhardt (2:11), and Will Browning (39 seconds), whose 17:44 is the 24th fastest Bainbridge time ever at Sammamish.

After a bye week for recovery from back-to-back meets, the full Spartan team then traveled on Oct. 12 to the Hole-in-the-Wall Invitational north of Everett, one of the state’s biggest cross country meets.