Franklin's Charlie Robertson Wins PIL Four-Team Cross Country Meet In 15:05.7 While Wearing A Mask

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Charlie Robertson covered 5,000 meters on a looped course Wednesday in Portland's Lents Park in 15 minutes, 5.7 seconds, all while wearing a mask that covered his nose and mouth. 

Not part of the time. For every step. 

Mask-wearing is the price high school athletes must pay in Oregon to run cross country at an odd time on the calendar. It's the same for all sports. If regulations from the Oregon Health Authority and the Governor's Office do not budge, an upcoming basketball season will include masked players as well. 

On Wednesday, four Portland Interscholastic League schools — Robertson's Franklin High, Lincoln, Cleveland and Ida B. Wells (formerly Wilson) — met for a high-quality four-team meet. 

INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS by Kim Spir | RESULTS

Robertson, a Colorado recruit, and Lincoln's Mateo Althouse, bound for Georgetown, are both returning Foot Locker finalists. 

There were split apart by Ida B. Wells' much improved senior, Giuliano Scasso (15:14.1), and Robertson's teammate, junior Charlie North (15:28.4). 

"I focused really hard today on keeping my mask on for the whole race," Robertson said. "I didn't want anybody complaining about me taking off my mask or saying that's why I ran so well, or whatever."

Despite the diminishing numbers of new cases statewide and any evidence that the COVID-19 virus has transmitted outside with proper social distancing, high school runners are wearing masks to ensure that the season continues. 

It's a situation that isn't without problems. At Lincoln, for instance, the number of athletes out for cross country has reduced more than 60 percent from the end of fall 2019. That trend is occurring with most teams.

Every coach and runner has spent the first few weeks of practice and racing trying to get a handle on which masks work best and allow the best possible chance to breathe freely for 5,000 meters. 

Robertson and North wore specialized running masks designed by Asics, which are typically sold out and cost $40 apiece. 

Scasso, who flashed Division 1 potential despite being almost entirely off the recruiting radar for the past year, wore a simple surgical mask with a plastic cage underneath that keeps the fabric off his mouth. 

"My family has been cautious, so I've been wearing a mask throughout the fall season," Scasso said. "I have mixed feelings about (masks). Obviously, I think I could get better times without it. But also, as far as racing, we're all on the same playing field, right? Everyone's wearing them, so as far as position, the results are fair."

The question of fairness, though, looms over the whole endeavor in Oregon. In some locations, runners have "worn" masks on their arms instead of their faces. Others have crossed the finish line with masks pulled under their chins. 

In Portland, the public schools are showing every effort to comply with the letter of the law. The prospect of getting relief from state health officials has come to a standstill. 

"It's frustrating," Ida B. Wells High coach Thor Esbensen said. "(Runners) are working so hard and running a 5K is so difficult. It's hard to explain to them why the mask mandate. These are kids that can go to a coffee shop and sit six feet from someone for two hours, and that's OK. And they're out here in a park, wind blowing, 6 to 10 feet, sometimes they're 30 meters from each other, and all of a sudden that's not OK."

Charlotte Richman completed the 2019 fall season for Ida B. Wells (formerly Wilson) as the third runner on her team and the 15th best in the city. 

On Wednesday, the junior ran another personal best in 18:07.7, revealing that the hard work she has put in over the last year has made her one of the best runners in the state. 

Richman, a basketball player, turned to running because the gyms were closed. Her 5K time has come down two minutes.

She wore a soft fabric mask that works for her. 

"It's definitely weird. I have gotten a little bit used to it, I don't think I have completely," Richman said. "It's really hot on your face and harder to breathe."

Franklin's Autumn Ost, a Boise State recruit, finished second in 18:28.8.

"I feel with COVID, nobody's out here that doesn't want to be," Ost said. "Everybody who's here is super into it, which is really exciting." 

Lincoln packed its girls team into the 5-6-8-9-10-11 spots and the 2019 NXN team won the meet with 38 points. Seven points separated the top three teams. 

The Franklin boys, led up front by the Charlies, scored 31 points to Lincoln's 39.