SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
The more the merrier, and that’s what occurred at the popular 18th annual Desert Twilight Cross County Festival run in Casa Grande, Ariz., this past Friday night.
Five schools from New Mexico were in the 18 5-killomter (5,000 meters) races and Rio Rancho Cleveland senior Leah Futey was the initial Land of Enchantment finisher by running ninth in the packed girls Sweepstakes in the time of 17:55.70. Next came 24th place turned in by St. Michael’s sophomore Raylee Hunt in 18:43.30.
Also in this event from New Mexico was Albuquerque St. Pius X, Santa Fe Prep and Chaparral, and the young Griffin girls with not a senior in the lineup, did quite well in taking 18th among the schools and led by sophomore Nya Griego’s 61st finish in 19:46.80, followed by freshman teammate Sophie Bair taking 79th in 20:07, next was fellow freshman Pippa Barrett three spots behind Bair in 20:11.70.
In 145th for the Prep coached by Liz Desmond was her daughter, Helen, a sophomore who clocked 21:48.20, and then came freshman Ingrid Ehrmantrout finishing in 24:33.10. At the bottom of the total174 field was the Griffins’ junior Arianna GIannelli in 26:37.90 and freshman teammate Olive Nardi-Keyes in 27:18.80.
Prep has one junior, two sophomores, and four freshmen. The husband, Matt. and wife Liz Desmond are first-year new head coaches who have been coaching together for some 20 years. Liz has been one of the top triathlon athletes in these parts.
The Griffins also ran in the small school 5K open, with junior Cora Bixby coming in 71st in 28:10 and right behind St.Michael’s junior Julianna McCabe, who was 68th in 28:07.30.
In the boys 5K steeplechase, Rio Rancho senior Mason Steel was 28th in 16:03.30, and sophomore teammate Cody Sullivan finished 35th in 16:08.50.
In the small school open 5K run, the Horsemen picked up the 11th place turned in by sophomore Marcus Crockett in 19:59, freshman Henry Armijo was 25th and clocked 20:25.30, and fellow freshman Gabe Kirby took 54th in 21:16.70.
