HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

It was St. Michael’s sophomore Raylee Hunt pacing the 3A field again from start to finish, claiming her second title in a row by racing 18:52.51 in the day’s finale of the annual state 5,000-meter cross country championships run at Albuquerque Academy Saturday.

For Rio Rancho Cleveland senior Leah Futey in the in the early morning start, she celebrated her recent commitment to Syracuse University by winning the 5A for the second time since she began in the 8th grade. She also won state as a freshman after being the 8th grade runner-up, and finished fourth last year.

Futey traveled the course in 18:17.41, her best-ever time at this state event and it was the second fastest since former Cleveland runner Amanda Mayoral raced 18:14.20 in 2017, and won her second title since her 8th-grade start in which she placed second.

In this latest success, Futey was off and running when the gun sounded, maintained her usual pace and left the others on her heels. Her previous best time at state was 18:26.45 raced as a sophomore.

In the boys 5A, the first to cross the line was Steven West of Albuquerque Sandia in 15:04.38, and right behind was pre-race favorite Thomas Croshaw of Albuquerque Volcano Vista in 15:08.24 of a stirring stretch run finish.

Next came the girls 1-2A won by Erica Martin of Laguna-Acuma in the time of 20:20.18, pre-race pick Emily Garcia of          Rehoboth Christian placed fifth and clocked 20:44.33, with a three-team finish finding Rehoboth winning the team title with 101 points, Academy of Technology and The Classics next with 103, and Santa Rosa scoring 109.

The initial boy in 1-2A to pace the field was Jude Martinez of Penasco running 16:51.60, and the team winner was defending champion Pecos edging Albuquerque Oak Grove, 64-65, and with the Panthers getting a fifth place from Elijah Lujan in 17:08.59, and finishing 13th was Aiden Holton in 17:38.17.

In the girls 4A, it was as expected long-time rivals Los Alamos and host Albuquerque Academy, with the winning individual Anna Montoya of the Hilltoppers in the time of 18:19.60, and the runner-up was the Chargers Anna Hastings clocking 18:48.26.

Los Alamos and Academy dominated the early runners, with the Toppers taking first, third, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth. The Chargers in turn finished second, fourth, eighth, tenth, eleventh, and eighteenth. The Hilltoppers totaled 31 points, Academy 37.

The 4A boys race was won handily by Rendon Kuykendall of Albuquerque Hope Christian and he ran the course in 15:29.20, with Duane Sena of Los Alamos taking second in 16:16.28. It was a sweep for the Hilltoppers as they tallied 44 points while the Chargers ran up 63.

The overall fastest girls time belonged to Leah Futey. Next came Emma Montoya and Raylee Hunt, followed by Erica Martin. Advice for Futey up at chilly, snowy upstate New York, dress warm.

As for the boys time-wise, the leader was Kuykendall clocked in 15:04.39, West turned in a second-best 15:29.20, Brito 16:43,11, and Martinez ran 16:51.60. In Brito’s race, it was a stirring finish as the close two behind him ran 16:43 with some change, Devin Lansing going 16:43.25, Lestamyo 16:43.32.

In the 3A boys, the top finisher for St. Michael’s was Lenden Sandoval, who placed fifth in 17:01.69, and 32nd was Quinn Dry of Santa Fe Prep in 18:16.97, and a few steps behind Dry was Santa Fe Indian School’s Jeremiah Chavez running18:21.91. The Horsemen ran fourth with100 points. And the Lady Horsemen, with Ellie Musolf taking 26th in 21:55.37, and Rayna Baros 28th in 22:04.35, pieced together 135 points to place fifth.

Team champion in the 3A girls was Indian School with 40 points, 16 better than second place Santa Fe Prep.

In the 4A girls, an impressive 10th place went to Neveah Cachora of Espanola Valley and she clocked 20:41.29.

Before state XC ran for the second straight time at Academy, it had been held at Gallup and then at Rio Rancho High.