Hoka John Payne Invitational Preview: Johnson, Healy Lead Chambers Bay.
Event info
HOKA 30th John Payne XC Invitational
Saturday, Oct 3, 2026 · Chambers Creek Properties Central Meadow (Chambers Bay), University Place, WA
Later that day: Nike Twilight Invitational Preview ↗
The 30th Hoka John Payne Invitational is always a barn burner of a race. Teams enter the middle of their XC seasons, many coming off a weekend of fast courses and blazing times. Chambers Bay will act as the great equalizer.
There will be great racing throughout the day, but the real show starts at 12:50pm with the Girls Varsity Gold, followed by the Boys Varsity Gold at 1:20pm. Both heats will line up some of the state's fastest individuals and teams in what is sure to be a quad burning lactic affair from start to finish.
Girls Varsity Gold
Ballard junior Ciana Johnson is the clear favorite in Girls Varsity Gold off a fresh 17:30.54.
Ciana Johnson (Ballard) is the obvious favorite with a considerable lead over Curtis' Charlotte White. Both juniors will be on a level playing field come Saturday, and White will look to defend her home turf.
Johnson enters on fresh legs, running her last 5000m on Sept 24th in 17:30.54. White is coming off a season best 18:06.0 in Spokane at the Nike Bob Firman Invitational.
Roosevelt's Lily Lendrum Fort enters Saturday's Girls Varsity Gold with the 3rd-fastest time in the field, 18:25.53.
Curtis junior Charlotte White defends home turf off a season-best 18:06.0 at Bob Firman.
Stadium's Catherine Harju cracks the top 10 in Girls Varsity Gold at 18:39.3.
Once you move past the one-two spots the pack tightens dramatically. Roosevelt's Lily Lendrum Fort (18:25.53) enters with the 3rd fastest time, while Redmond's duo Lenorah Mcgarty (18:32.6) and Emery Dahl (18:34.9) enter just over two seconds apart, with Sequim's Eleanor Jones (18:32.9) sandwiched right between them. Look for the Mustangs to use the team advantage in the front pack. Stadium's Catherine Harju (18:39.3), West Seattle's Evelyn Satwicz (18:41.88), Tahoma's Avery Boyle (18:43.9), and Meridian's Bria Rempp (18:46.25) round out the top-10 girls. St Mary's Academy's Titi Paternoster (18:47.04) sits just outside in 11th.
Issaquah veteran Sally Davis fronts a loaded Eagles squad at 18:58.54.
Issaquah's Adara Jacobsen rounds out a deep Eagles front pack at 19:01.54.
Once you exit the top-10 you will immediately notice a wall of purple. Issaquah's girls come in leading the way on the team side, and stopping them as a group is going to be tough. They have two freshmen, London Dominick (18:49.56) and Georgia Greene (18:51.28), leading the way with veteran Sally Davis (18:58.54) and Adara Jacobsen (19:01.54). There is no doubt the Eagles will compete as a flock and see if they can come out on top.
Gig Harbor enters with a strong roster and will look to upend Issaquah.
Gig Harbor's Ella Savage leads the Tides at 18:56.90 — and hasn't run a season best yet.
Gig Harbor's Maya Crane backs up Ella Savage as the Tides look to upend Issaquah.
Gig Harbor is led by Ella Savage (18:56.90), who has yet to run a personal best this season, and there is something to say when the cards are stacked around you. Supporting her are Maya Crane (19:17.20) and Brynnlie Upchurch (19:32.00). The Tides will look to come away with a clearer picture of how they stack up.
Coverage booking · Hoka John Payne
2 slots leftWant your athlete covered on Saturday?
I'm taking a limited number of dedicated athlete coverage bookings for the Hoka John Payne. Email me your athlete's name, school, and race time, and I'll confirm my availability.
Where I'll be
12:50 PM · Girls Varsity Gold
1:20 PM · Boys Varsity Gold
Other races: email me first, and I'll tell you whether I can fit them in.
25% of every booking goes to the scholarship fund.
Email me to book ↗Or write directly: russell@russell-moore.com
Boys Varsity Gold
Vashon Island's Joshua Healy enters as the fastest boy in the field at 14:50.40, four seconds under the Chambers Bay course record.
Vashon Island's Joshua Healy enters Saturday's Varsity Gold race with the fastest time in the field, 14:50.40. That mark is more than four seconds under Isaac Benjamin's (S. Kitsap) Chambers Bay course record of 14:54.5, set last fall. Mt Spokane's Gatlin Michaelsen is next with a 15:00.70.
Yelm's Marcos Andujarenters with the 7th-fastest time in a stacked Boys Varsity Gold field at 15:30.86.
Meridian's Judah TeVelde enters Saturday at 15:25.32, just ahead of Yelm's Marcos Andujar in a stacked Boys Varsity Gold field.
Going down the list it's a star studded affair throughout: Lake Oswego's speedy junior Felix Wang (15:17.73), ahead of Meridian's Judah TeVelde (15:25.32), Yelm's Marcos Andujar (15:30.86) and Ballard's Simon Hagos (15:32.22). William Strasser of Milwaukie (OR) travels north with a 15:33.34, putting him squarely in the top-10. Mt Spokane's Logan Nave (15:39.30) closes out the group with a herd of athletes just off his time.
Mt Spokane travels west with an absolute powerhouse top-4 but will have to fight off the hometown squad of Curtis. Led by senior Asher Pepin (15:26.9), the Vikings will look to assert themselves early as they begin preparations for a run at Pasco. Stadium's boys will look to get involved in a top spot with a strong front 5, paired with great complementary 6-9 athletes, 3 of whom are freshmen.
Freshmen Disruption
On Saturday a wave of first year athletes will line up with one plan: disrupt the hierarchy.
Sequim's Eleanor Jones (18:32.9) enters as the top freshman on the girls side, and Pope John Paul II's Micah Henry (16:14.40) is the top freshman boy on the day. Behind these two are 15 additional freshmen who sit in the top-25 of my Project 29 board.
Project 29 · Freshmen at the Hoka John Payne
16 confirmed Grade 9 athletes from the Project 29 top 25, racing Saturday. Rank = current 5,000M board position.
Girls (9)
| P29 | Athlete | School | 5K | Set At |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3 | Eleanor Jones | Sequim | 18:32.90 | Fort Steilacoom |
| #6 | London Dominick | Issaquah | 18:49.56 | The Mook |
| #7 | Georgia Greene | Issaquah | 18:51.28 | The Mook |
| #8 | Layne Dickson | Meridian | 19:01.60 | Nike Portland |
| #9 | Ridley Strotz | Meridian | 19:07.50 | Nike Portland |
| #16 | Vivian Porter | Kennedy Catholic | 19:28.70 | Nike Portland |
| #17 | Frances Armerding | Union | 19:32.90 | Nike Portland |
| #18 | Ellie Oakes | Arlington | 19:33.98 | South Whidbey |
| #19 | Kate Behrens | Enumclaw | 19:41.80 | Return of the Salmon |
Boys (7)
| P29 | Athlete | School | 5K | Set At |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | Micah Henry | Pope John Paul II | 16:14.40 | PLU Invite |
| #10 | Christopher Healey | Vashon Island | 16:47.30 | Fort Steilacoom |
| #15 | Brody McNeal | Mark Morris | 17:08.70 | The Mook |
| #19 | George Spencer | South Kitsap | 17:15.80 | The Mook |
| #23 | Charlie Zeelen | Liberty (Issaquah) | 17:23.70 | Fort Steilacoom |
| #24 | Jack Dean | West Seattle | 17:24.02 | Bellevue |
| #25 | Beau Komar | Bonney Lake | 17:28.40 | Fort Steilacoom |
Issaquah pairMeridian pair
Full board: Project 29 Freshman Rankings ↗
Spectator tip
Don't plan on parking at the course. On-site parking is limited to carpools of three or more and ADA vehicles, entering off the south access road from Chambers Creek Road. Everyone else parks at Curtis High School (8425 40th St W, University Place) and takes the free shuttle, which runs every 10 minutes from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. It's an 8-minute ride each way, so give yourself extra time before the 12:50 Girls Gold.
Once you're there, this is one of the best courses to watch. You can see your runner or team four times without moving much. Walk up the hill to the clubhouse for a sweeping view of the course, athletes, tents, and fans, all set on the water's edge amongst the old ruins.
Hoka John Payne FAQ
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About the author
Russell Moore
WIAA-credentialed sports photographer and journalist covering Washington high school cross country and track, with bylines at DyeStat and WestcoastXC. Marks in this preview are from athletic.net as of Sept 29.
More coverage
Want your athlete covered? Email russell@russell-moore.com. 25% of every booking goes to the scholarship fund. About Russell ↗
