Squalicum senior Patrick Gibson and Sehome sophomore Emily Pittis each successfully defended their Class 2A individual state cross country titles on Nov. 3, and a week later, they were named the All-Northwest Conference boys' and girls' cross country athletes of the year by the league's coaches.

Pittis, who also won titles at the NWC Championships and the 2A Northwest District meet, claimed her second state title with a time of 18 minutes, 17.7 seconds on the 5,000-meter course at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

She is joined on the first team by teammates Rebekah Ovaitt, Zanna Sullivan, Dana Ringler, Kate Hannah and Abbey Cybula. Also making the first team were Bellingham's Bekah Jensen, Meridian's Mimi Meggison, Mount Baker's Racheal Hatcher, Squalicum's Brittany Gappa and Burlington-Edison's RaynJoy Norton.

Whatcom County runners to make the second team were Bellingham's Leah Veldhuisen, Maya Norton, Nicole Burbank and Katie Walker, Lynden Christian's Marissa Hielkema, Mount Baker's Kelsey Nern and Sehome's Jessica Clark, Sarah Huffman and Natalie Anderson.

Gibson, who finished second at the NWC Championships and won the 2A Northwest District title, claimed his second state title with a time of 15:13.6 in Pasco.

He is joined on the first team by teammate Chris Fredlund, as well as Bellingham's Joe Charbonneau, Simon Maquire and Brian Chmelik, Blaine's Tom Bradley, Ferndale's Connor Jungkuntz, Mount Baker's 1A state champion Dillon Quintana and Sehome's Conner Johnsen, Reed Henderson, Kirby Overman and Liam Toney.

Whatcom County runners to make the second team were Bellingham's Paris Speidel, Blaine's Eddie Fontes, Ferndale's Logan Jungkuntz, Lynden Christian's Cody Velthuizen, Meridian's Kelby Todd and Collin Magnuson and Squalicum's Nick Gallaher and Dylan Dubuque.

ALL-NORTHWEST CONFERENCE GIRLS' CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

Selected by NWC coaches

MVP: Emily Pittis (Sehome)

First team: RaynJoy Norton (Burlington-Edison); Rebekah Ovaitt (Sehome); Brittany Gappa (Squalicum); Mimi Meggison (Meridian); Zanna Sullivan (Sehome); Dana Ringler (Sehome); Bekah Jensen (Bellingham); Kate Hannah (Sehome); Abbey Cybula (Sehome); Racheal Hatcher (Mount Baker).

Second team: Jessica Clark (Sehome); Leah Veldhuisen (Bellingham); Marissa Hielkema (Lynden Christian); Maya Norton (Belingham); Nicole Burbank (Bellingham); Katie Walker (Bellingham); Meghan Templeton (Burlington-Edison); Kelsey Nern (Mount Baker); Sarah Huffman (Sehome); Natalie Anderson (Sehome).

ALL-NORTHWEST CONFERENCE BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

Selected by NWC coaches

MVP: Patrick Gibson (Squalicum)

First team: Tom Bradley (Blaine); Dillon Quintana (Mount Baker); Conner Johnsen (Sehome); Joe Charbonneau (Bellingham); Reed Henderson (Sehome); Connor Jungkuntz (Ferndale); Chris Fredlund (Squalicum); Kirby Overman (Sehome); Brian Chmelik (Bellingham); Liam Toney (Sehome), Simon Maquire (Bellingham).

Second team: Nick Gallaher (Squalicum); Logan Jungkuntz (Ferndale); Cody Velthuizen (Lynden Christian); Eddie Fontes (Blaine); Kelby Todd (Meridian); Dylan Dubuque (Squalicum); Collin Magnuson (Meridian); Westin McKenzie (Anacortes); Tommy Zeblka (Burlington-Edison); Paris Speidel (Bellingham).

NOTE: Simon Maquire added to boys' first-team list on Nov. 14.