By Nisqually Valley News staff
Toledo High School must have a distance runner factory hidden somewhere on its campus.
First, it was Nicholas Marty to set the school cross country record during his tenure from 2017 to 2020, then it was Treyton Marty rewriting the record books from 2021 to 2024.
Now, it’s Conner Hill’s turn.
Hill, taken under the wing of Treyton Marty last fall, medaled in his debut trip to Pasco in 13th place. Two races into 2025, the sophomore has reached two milestones — he finished under 17 minutes for the first time on Sept. 13 at the Jack & Jill Invitational in Lake Sacajawea, and he earned his first first-place finish Thursday at the Central 2B League kickoff in Rainier.
But Hill wants more in 2025. He estimates he only ran twice all summer heading into his freshman cross country season, and he may have only taken a week’s worth of rest this summer.
“I ran almost 500 miles this summer. I was putting in the work. I have lots of goals,” Hill said. “I want to win state. That’s a goal that I think I have a shot at. Second, I’m going for Treyton’s record, which is 15:48. I think I’ll get that toward the end of the season.”
Hill, battling with Rainier senior Zach Hamilton for most of Thursday’s race, pulled ahead in the final laps to finish in 17 minutes and 47 seconds — 12 seconds before Hamilton. While his time was a minute slower than his previous 16:45, which was good for the third-best mark in school history, Hill was gunning for his first top finish.
“I’m confident about every race I go into. I’m gonna either win it or I’ll be up about top five or top 10,” he said. “I’ve hit the weight room a lot. I feel good, smooth. Mentally, I’m prepared.”
Hill is not only keeping up the first-place tradition that his Marty predecessors carried for quite some time, but he is being relied on as a leader for his Riverhawks teammates, and he’s embracing it while missing his running partner in Treyton.
“He got me addicted to running. I’m building off the confidence that Treyton helped me grow into and now I have the confidence that I can go win state,” Hill said. “I’m still in contact with him, but he’s at college. It’s hard because I’m doing all my workouts by myself.”
Morton-White Pass senior Vanson Armstrong took third, cutting 22 seconds off his time from the Jack & Jill Invitational. Two more MWP seniors rounded out the top 10, with Noah Gilstrap coming in fifth and Aiden Kampa in eighth. Overall, five Timberwolves took up spots in the top 15.
Adna’s Colton Rind took home sixth, and Rainier freshman Shane Parker shined in his first 5,000-meter run to finish in seventh.
Rainier head coach Rob Henry believes the 2025 Mountaineers boys could be one of the best teams he’s coached, especially once River Ridge transfer James Morrison is eligible after sitting out 40% of the season due to transfer rules.
“We’re right in the top [of the C2BL]. We have a shot in the top three. We’ve got a lot of work to go, but I would say we’re right in the mix with everybody else,” Henry said. “This could potentially be the best boys team we’ve had. It’ll be fun to watch it grow and see what happens with them.”
