Andrea Markezich is off to a strong start in her cross-country career.

In only her second-ever race, the Bear Creek sophomore notched second behind last year’s 1A state runner-up Erin Mullins of Cascade (Leavenworth) at last Saturday’s South Whidbey Carl Westling Invite.

Markezich finished the 3.1-mile course with a mark of 20:25 and is ranked in the 1A state top 10 heading into Saturday’s King’s Invitational in Shoreline.

Coach Carla Darr noted that Markezich hung tough in South Whidbey after “making a wrong turn with less than a quarter mile to go while battling with her Meridian opponent Ashlee VanDenTop.” VanDenTop took third.