Colfax Wins Girls Novice at Battle for the 509

The 9th annual cross country meet took place at the Spokane Polo Grounds.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Track & Field

Expressive editorial sports illustration of runners sprinting across a grassy field, capturing the motion and energy of a cross country race. — Colfax secured the girls' Novice 5,000-meter title at the 9th annual Battle for the 509 cross country meet in Spokane. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Colfax secured the girls Novice 5,000-meter division title with a team score of 50 points. Individual runner Beth Morgan claimed first place with a time of 23:13.2.

Why it matters

The Battle for the 509 serves as a significant regional showcase for cross country talent, organizing competition across specific skill levels to determine team standings.

Colfax finished with 50 points in the Novice division, while Pullman placed seventh with 160 points. In the Varsity Championship division, Shadle Park won with 79 points, finishing ahead of 12th-place Pullman, who totaled 296 points.

The players

Beth Morgan

She is an individual cross country runner who finished in first place during the Novice girls division race.

Colfax

This is a competitive high school cross country program that secured the top spot in the girls Novice division.

The details

Athletes competed in 5,000-meter races categorized by skill level at the Spokane Polo Grounds. Alongside the Novice win, Sandpoint emerged victorious in the varsity red division with 67 points.

The 9th Annual Battle for the 509 was held on October 10, 2026.

Season Trajectory

The meet marks a key point in the competitive schedule for regional high school cross country programs. Teams use these performances to refine their rankings ahead of district and state postseason events.

Colfax finished with 50 points in the Novice category, signaling strong early-season depth compared to Pullman's seventh-place finish. Meanwhile, the Varsity Championship results show Shadle Park leading the field with a winning score of 79 points.

The takeaway

Cross country scoring depends heavily on consistent performance across the top five runners in each division. Athletes can improve team standing by focusing on reducing gaps between their lead runners and the back of their pack.