Mans is Coast Radio's Athlete of the Week
Saturday was just another day at the beach for Siuslaw junior Celie Mans, who ran off with the 4A girls state cross country title at Lane Community College in Eugene.
Tuesday Mans was named Coast Radio's Athlete of the Week for the second time this fall.
Mans cruised by defending champion Lexi Healy as they finished the 5,000 meters on the LCC track, crossing the finish line in 18 minutes, 45 seconds to lead the Vikings to the team title.
Healy, a Henley senior, was second place, finishing the rain-swept LCC course in 19:06.
"This is just weather we love," Mans said after the race. "We get this every day at the coast."
But it's not every day you realize a major goal you set for yourself as a pre-teen.
"This has been my dream since the sixth grade," Mans said. "I couldn't be happier."
Nor could her coach, Chris Johnson, who realized his 11th state cross country title in 21 seasons with the Vikings.
"I've been coaching 21 years, and I've never had a kid like her, who's so dedicated to her everything," Johnson said. "Her school work, eating right, sleeping right, training like she's supposed to train.
"She's made herself into a state champion just by pure work ethic."
But winning a team title takes more than one standout runner, and that's an important point to Johnson.
"I think most coaches will tell you they'd rather have a team title than an individual," he said. "Because it's everyone working together, instead of one person."
He still offered Mans as a role model to others.
"It's satisfying to see someone who has done all the right things," Johnson said, "then have a great race on a day it mattered the most."
Also scoring Saturday for the Vikings were senior Sierra Potter, juniors Morgan Bingham and Destinie Tatum and freshman Kaeli Ramos.
Bingham was 19th overall, scoring 13 points in 20:50; Ramos 31st, scoring 21 in 21:23; Potter 32nd, scoring 22 in 21:26, and Tatum 35th, scoring 24 in 21:31. Senior Mikaela Siegel was 70th overall in 23:04 and freshman Trinity Ramos 72nd overall in 23:05.
"It was tiring but it was good," Potter said, after picking up important team points for the third year in a row. "I felt like I could have gone a little faster, but my body wouldn't let me.
"I'm happy to move on to basketball (season)."
Bingham, who was the second-best Viking runner behind Mans all season, didn't disappoint in the state meet,
"Morgan felt she didn't have her best race," Johnson said. "But we wouldn't have won it without her. She scored 13 points. That's pretty big."
Tatum also earned praise from her hard-to-please coach.
"Destinie Tatum was a JV runner last year, and she just made a decision that she was going to get herself in shape," Johnson said. "I think at the beginning of the season she was happy just to make varsity.
"She just kept getting better and better, and we wouldn't have won it without her."
Tatum's development is a big reason Johnson enjoys his job.
"That's why we coach, to see a kid make the decision they're going to be great," he said. "They put in the work, they tend to do it.
"Our role is just to have an infrastructure in place so that they can do it."
Siuslaw totaled 81 points for the team title. Sisters was second with 105 and Molalla third with 112. Far West League runner-up South Umpqua took fourth with 136 points.
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