For quite some time, Yosuke Shibata and Malachi Schoenherr have known they had a chance to accomplish something special at this year's OSAA cross-country state championships.

Shibata, a South Eugene junior, and Schoenherr, a Sheldon senior, entered the week as the second- and third-ranked Class 6A boys in the state. Both were on the shortlist of title contenders in a field stacked with elite talent.

It wasn't until last week's district meet, though, that the two friendly rivals acknowledged they had a chance to honor their hometown by achieving something that hadn't been done in over half a century.

"I told Yosuke on the podium at districts, 'Let's go get a Eugene 1-2,'" Schoenherr said. "I was gonna be happy either way, whether it was him winning or if it was me winning."

Mission ac

See Full Page