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Cross country runners get a head start taking to the streets

Panther, Phoenix and Griffin girls return their top harriers in quest of another impressive season

By Arnie Leshin
Arnie Leshin

It is summertime, school is out, and there’s no official practices for the respective athletic programs until Aug. 13.

But cross country runners do not need a football or any other gear, all they need are their legs, a pre-run warm up, and plenty of water. Who knows, some might have been running since school ended.

Pecos head cross country coach Patrick Ortiz knows the rules, but he also knows that his runners do not need a gymnasium, a field or even a designated course. They only need to take to the streets and run as they like.

Ortiz’ girls have been in the shadow of the Panther boys for the last three years that has brought three state 3A championships. But they have been making strides, and Ortiz knows it.

“The girls are still a young group,” he said, “and now have the confidence to compete for a state title. Last year, we finished second in 3A to Cottonwood Classical, but with the new NMAA alignment, we are now in 2A where Penasco is the state champion.”

And while the Albuquerque school took the first three places at state last year behind victorious senior Rhylyn Jones, who ran the 3.2-mile course at Rio Rancho High in 20:11.6, Penasco sophomore Carly Gonzales won 2A in 20:36.55, but while the two-time winner didn’t get much of a challenge, Jones had to contend with sophomore teammates Ariel Pena and Jordyn Tatum.

But comparing last season’s times showed Cottonwood faster in four of the first five individuals. Not so with Penasco, with only Gonzales finishing with a better time than Pecos. Except that you can’t compare one race with another, and this is only a glance of what happened at state last year.

So the Panthers, who compiled 58 points as the runner-up to Cottonwood (48) in 3A, now hit the road in quest of stepping again on the podium, andin quest of first place this time. Penasco, also the Panthers, did not get much of a test, winning with 32 points, 54 ahead of runner-up Cloudcroft, and with third place Hagerman scoring 88.

Ortiz, a former stellar distance runner at Pecos and at UNM, knows the importance of working hard, and hopes that’s what the Panther girls are striving for.

“We get back sophomore Vanessa Dominguez, who finished fourth in 20:55.25 at state,” said Ortiz, “as well as senior Faith Flores, freshman Savanah Ortiz, sophomore Alexis Gonzales, freshman Kianna Quintana, and freshman Loren Trujillo. The one we lose is Mone Mondragon.”

Bur Ortiz is hoping that sophomore Eliza Marquez also contributes to the program after knee surgery in 2016.

Academy of Technology and The Classics also went from 3A to 2A after running third at state last year. Head coach Tim Host also returns his top six harriers, with only Lilia Noger-Ostott having graduated.

But five sophomores and junior Marialy Ochoa are back. Maggie Rittmeyer  is the leading sophomore who finished seventh at state in 21:33.10. Then came the other four sophomores behind Rittmeyer, Kate Ferguson 10th, Jostte Gurule 13th, Kamryn Hoehne, 21st,  Naomi  Lujan 26th and junior Marialy Ochoa.

But Santa Fe Prep, which came in 77th in 3A at state, remains in 3A, and it, too, returns its top runners in sophomore
Chelsea Griscom, freshman Sophie Addison, senior Brooke Little, junior Hallie Weichael, junior Savannah McCall, freshman Ellie Wirth, and junior Abby Francis. Griscom took 16th at state in 22:18.50 to add to her stellar state performance at the state swimming.

The Griffins can still finish in the top 10 at state.

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