Efraimson clinches national title

Just when Sarah Baxter and Elise Cranny thought they were the only ones fighting for the Nike Cross National Championship, Alexa Efraimson left them both out in the cold.

The Camas High School junior beat the two frontrunners to the finish line, with a time of 16 minutes, 50.1 seconds, Saturday, at Portland Meadows. Cranny, of Niwot, Colo., followed in second place (16:53.8) and Baxter, of Simi Valley, Calif., took third place (16:57.8).