Fifth-year co-coaches Annette Silvernale and Christopher Silvernale escorted a West Seattle High cross country team to the starting line of a Metro League Championship Meet for the last time Thursday, Oct. 22.

The retiring coaching pair witnessed six personal records from the seven-man West Seattle varsity, but those performances were not enough to advance their 2009 team to the post-season. The team's 262 points placed it ninth in the eleven-team competition. West Seattle did not enter a girls' team.

Michael Wickham led West Seattle in a time of 19:09 (43d), with Jesse Tarabochia, 19:11 (47th) in hot pursuit. Senior Lars Stromberg saved his best for last with a strong 19:30 (54th), followed by Chad Miller, 19:37 (56th). Wickham, Tarabochia, Miller, plus Nick Barnecut should form a solid nucleus for the Silvernales's coaching successor in 2010.

Chief Sealth

The best individual performance from the Duwamish Peninsula schools was the 18:22 clocked by Daniel Perrine of Chief Sealth. Perrine's 35th place qualified him, as the only runner from either school, to compete in the following week's SeaKing District meet.

Alex Sampson, in 19:37, finished 57th. The Sealth boys, with 301 points, finished 11th in the team standings; the girls finished 8th of nine schools.