Brit Oliphant is a great example of a young person who has grown up enjoying the Central Oregon lifestyle. The standout cross country runner at Summit high school is one of the best distance-running sophomores in the state. Brit slowed down just long enough to answer a few questions for Central Oregon Athlete.

Central Oregon Athlete – How long have you been running competitively?
Brit Oliphant - Well, I grew up in a family of all athletes, both my parent’s winners of the Pole Pedal Paddle and many other races so I was introduced to racing at a pretty young age. I started Alpine and Nordic skiing around 1st and 2nd grade and I think that’s where I got my competitive edge.

COA – Can you remember your first race?
Brit – I can clearly remember my first race; it was the little foot in Drake Park. I was in 2nd grade and nobody including myself really knew I could run. I ended up winning and getting my picture in the paper and I think that’s the day I fell in love with the sport.

COA – What got you interested in racing?
Brit – I would have to say watching the summit team when people like Zoe Roy were running. I always looked up to the Summit kids and they were really nice to me and helped me believe that anything is possible, even for a 2nd grader. But also my parents, I was surrounded with sports and competition my whole life.

COA – What other sports do you enjoy besides running?
Brit – Growing up I don’t think there was a sport that I didn’t do. I did everything: traveling soccer, basketball, Gymnastics, Nordic skiing, Alpine skiing, Snowboarding, Swim team, Bicycle racing, I was an active member in a horse 4-H club, really I think I did it all. But as I grew up I had to start committing to the sports that I wanted to pursue so I chose running. Now days when I’m not running I enjoy paddle boarding, climbing, skiing and yoga.

COA – What are some of your hobbies besides sports?
Brit – I like camping and boating a lot, I also like spending time with my friends and just living the Bend lifestyle.

COA – Having grown up in Bend, what are some of your favorite adventures in Central Oregon?
Brit – I was born and raised here, in what I think is paradise. There are so many different things you can do in Oregon. Every summer I hike south sister and spend a lot of time wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and tubing. Smith rock is right in our back yard as well as many lakes. I really enjoy going to Steelhead falls and jumping off the rocks. I also enjoy skiing on Bachelor all winter.

COA – What are your goals for this XC season?
Brit – I really want to focus on just staying healthy. I had quite a few injuries last year and I got sick as well. I think if I stay healthy success will come on its own.

COA – What’s the best part about running XC?
Brit – Cross country is great because we do so many things besides running. We go rafting and exploring and really anybody can do cross country. Plus we have the world’s best coaches.

COA – What is your favorite workout in Central Oregon?
Brit – That’s impossible. There are so many fun places to run here I could never chose a favorite. But I do enjoy running along the river trail or out at smith rocks.

COA – Anything else to add?
Brit – Look out because a storm is coming!

2009 Highlights:
• 18:53 PR (third fastest by a Summit freshman girl ever)
• 7th @ State as a freshman (19:38) – 2nd fastest freshman @ State

The Summit Storm cross-country team is coming off an incredible season. Here’s a look at what they accomplished:

GIRLS
• Class 5A state champions (2nd in a row)
• Scoring a 3rd best of all-time 21 points at the State meet
• Intermountain Conference champions
• 8th @ Nike Team Regionals in Boise, Idaho
• Megan Fristoe Class 5A individual state champion
• Megan Fristoe individual IMC district meet champion
• Kellie Schueler fastest 5A time of the season (18:19 @ Harrier Classic)
• Brit Oliphant fasest time by a 5A freshman (18:53 @ Harrier Classic)
• Mackenzie Naffziger becomes first Summit girl to make varsity team four years in a row
• 2nd @ Puma (behind Jesuit)
• 1st @ Oxford Classic
• 1st @ Harrier Classic
• 1st @ Seaside 3 Course Challenge
• 1st @ New Balance

BOYS
• 3rd @ Class 5A state meet
• Intermountain Conference champions
• 1-2-3 finish @ IMC district meet (1 Pat Madden, 2 Travis Neuman, 3 Cameron Clark)
• Winners of the Open Division @ Nike Team Regionals in Boise, Idaho
• Travis Neuman fastest time by a 5A freshman (16:29 @ Puma)
• Pat Madden joins Kenyan Neuman (older brother of Travis) as the only Summit boy to make it to state all four years
• 5th @ Puma
• 2nd @ Oxford Classic
• 5th @ Harrier Classic
• 3rd @ Seaside 3 Course Challenge
• 3rd @ New Balance

The North side of the border came out on top in the annual Borderclash prep cross country race at the Nike World Campus in Beaverton, OR.

Washington beat Oregon 15-50 in the boys race and 19-44 in the girls race.

Sisters’ Parker Bennett had an outstanding race, finishing the 4,400-meter course in 14:44.45 as the fourth fastest Oregon runner, taking 18th overall. Washington’s Shane Moskowitz won the boys race in a time of 14:06.29. The top Oregon placer was Jesuit’s Ben Demaree, who was 11th in 14:32.55. Also racing from Central Oregon were Summit’s Pat Madden (50th 15:14.02) and Travis Neuman (71st 15:45.17).

Washington’s Amy-Eloise Neale won the girls 4,400-meter race in 16:37.10. Jesuit’s Annamarie Maag (the 6A state champion) was second in 16:38.23. Summit’s Megan Fristoe was the fifth fastest Oregon runner (25th 17:36.73). The Intermountain Conference was well represented, as Hermiston’s Angelica Rodriguez was 8th for Oregon (17:43.33), Summit’s Eirann Cohen was 10th (17:51.97) and Summit’s Brit Oliphant was 12th (17:56.18).

FULL RESULTS.

Central Oregon will be well represented at the 11th annual Borderclash Oregon vs Washington Cross County race Sunday at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton.

The Borderclash features the top prep runners from Oregon and Washington based on their placing at the state meets. It is one of the unique sporting events that Cross County has to offer, an event tough to duplicate in many other sports.

Competing from Central Oregon: Boys – Travis Neuman, Summit; Pat Madden, Summit and Parker Bennett, Sisters. Girls – Megan Fristoe, Summit; Kellie Schueler, Summit; Kira Kelly, Summit; Brit Oliphant, Summit; Eirann Cohen, Summit; Jessica Wolfe, Mountain View and Jenna Mattox, Bend.

Oregon won the girls race last year, while Washington won the boys race. This year’s favorites include, Jesuit’s Annamarie Maag in the girls race and Rogue River’s Cole Watson in the boys race. The Washington boys look tough once again with a full load of fast racers.

Taylor Wallace, then of Henley, won the girls race last year. The last Oregon boy to win the race was Central Catholic’s Kenny Klotz back in 2005.
• Complete team rosters.
• Past results.

– Travis Neuman of Summit

The Intermountain Conference is the home of the fastest freshman in Class 5A, with the top frosh boy and girl both at Summit.

Travis Neuman’s time of 16:30 is the fastest among 5A by 26 seconds (Eduardo Juarez, Hermiston, 16:56 – also in the IMC). The third fastest freshman boy time is Neuman’s teammate Luke Hinz (17:02). 6th is Summit’s Ryan Brumund (17:30), 8th is Mountain View’s Chris McBride (17:37), 15th Luc Boileau of Summit (18:02) and 16th is Hermiston’s Nathan Sanders (18:01). So don’t expect the fast times on the boys side of the IMC to stop anytime soon.

The girls’ side might be even more impressive. Summit’s Brit Oliphant has the fastest 5A girls’ time of 18:53, which ranks her 4th among all 5A runners regardless of grade. 2nd is Bend’s Jenna Mattox (19:31), 4th is Summit’s Tess Nelson (20:12), 9th is Hermiston’s Maggie Coleman (21:13), 13th is Pendleton’s Britney Gregerson (21:34), 16th is Pendleton’s Taylor Bradbury (21:48), 17th is Mountain View’s Mikayla Cant (21:52), followed by a pair of Bend High runners, 19th Melissa Hubler (21:59) and 20th Makeila Lundy (22:02).

At the 6A level, Beaverton has two incredibly fast freshmen boys. Kevin Kavanaugh (15:48) and Dan Oekerman (16:08).

Tualatin’s Alexandria Cross has the fastest 6A girls time with an 18:28.

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