North Central Wins 2A Boys Cross Country Title

North Central's first-year 2A squad took the state boys cross country championship with 54 points, 49 ahead of runner-up Ellensburg.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Running

Expressive editorial sports illustration of a single runner in a blue singlet driving forward mid-stride across a dry open cross country course. — North Central won the 2A boys state cross country championship with 54 points, finishing 49 ahead of runner-up Ellensburg in its first year in the classification. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

North Central won the 2A boys state cross country championship with 54 points in its first year in the classification. The team finished 49 points ahead of runner-up Ellensburg and claimed its first state title in 10 years.

Why it matters

The title marks a breakthrough for North Central's program and a sizable margin at the state meet. It also shows a new 2A team posting a dominant first-season result.

North Central totaled 54 points, 49 ahead of Ellensburg, while Ryan Dodge of Bainbridge won in 15:27.7 and Elliot Yegge placed second in 15:43.9. Freeman won the 2B boys title with 58 points, ahead of Liberty Bell's 83 and Northwest Christian's 108.

The players

North Central

North Central is a high school in Washington state whose boys cross country team won the 2A state championship in its first year in the classification.

Ryan Dodge

Ryan Dodge is a Bainbridge runner who won the 2A boys individual state cross country title.

The details

North Central's top scorers finished second, 11th, 18th and 19th to secure the team title. Yegge pursued an individual title but finished second after Dodge pulled away halfway through the race.

The 2026 state cross country championships were held November 7, 2026.

Season Trajectory

North Central's first-year win in the 2A classification establishes it as an early contender under Washington's state cross country structure. Freeman's second straight 2B title extends its run in that classification.

North Central's 54-point total and 49-point margin set a benchmark for the 2A field in its first season. Fans tracking high school distance results can use the individual times, including Dodge's 15:27.7 winning mark, to compare against future state meets.

The takeaway

North Central's first-year result shows a new program can contend immediately at the state level. Readers following high school distance running can track how the 2A field develops next season.