state cross country championships now raced at Albuquerque Academy

You’ve got the individual favorites, but most of the eight 5,000-meter races could also bring close finishes when the annual New Mexico state cross country championships runs Saturday from early morning to midafternoon over the Albuquerque Academy course.

Around 9 a.m. is the 5A girls run that starts things, with the boys 5A racing next. Then it will be

the 4A girls toeing the line and their boys travel the course after that. The third class will be the IA-2A girls racing and their boys up next, and then the event winds down with the 3A girls taking off and their boys to cross the finish line last.

Previously held at Rio Rancho High School, it’s the second time over the Chargers  course for the girls and boys of 5A, 4A, 3A,1A-2A. Picks to win gold again among the girls are Rio Rancho Cleveland senior Leah Futey in 5A and St. Michael’s sophomore Raylee Hunt in 3A. In 4A, it figures to again highlight host Academy and Los Alamos, with both expected to dominate the top 10.

Futey, recently committed to Syracuse University, has turned in a 18:01.18, While Hunt, who just won her district, has raced 19:06.90. In 4A, Patton’s best clocking has been 19:11.2, and in 1A-2A, Garcia, Gonzales and Martin have all gone around the low 20s.

In 1A-2A, it appears to be a toss-up among Rehoboth junior Emily Garcia, Penasco senior Carrelle Gonzales, and senior Erica Martin of Laguna-Acuna, and the run for the team title could also be tight.

The boys could also bring a number of individual stretch runs. In 4A, Portales senior Michael Reiss leads the field and on his heels could be senior Nate Klein of the Chargers and Kirtland Central sophomore Dathan Essen. Reiss has a best time of 16:38.41. In 5A, Volcano Vista senior Thomas Croshaw is the one to beat and he’s run 5:37.53.

In 3A, St. Michael’s has a good shot at team honors with a one-two punch of senior Johhny Abeyta and sophomore Jaden Perea, and Navajo Prep could be the main challenger behind senior Gavin Gishi, but it also be a close finish for individual and team honors. In 1A-2A, defending champion Pecos will toe the line with four seniors and two juniors. Then there’s 5A and it will be Rio Rancho versus neighbor Cleveland for perhaps team honors and a wide-open field racing to the finish for individual honors.

LESHIN’S TOP 10 SELECTIONS:

GIRLS 5A:

LEAH FUTEY — Cleveland

DANIELLA FIGUERIA — Albuquerque Valley

NICOLE PIERCE — Piedra Vista

CORBIN COOMS — Organ Mountain

MATEO HERRERA — Rio Rancho

STONEY CUTCHEH — Volcano Vista

CODY SULLIVAN — Rio Rancho

ANTWON SHENDO — Cleveland

BOYS 4A:

MICHAEL RIESS — Portales

DATHAN ESSON — Kirtland Central

JACK AMMERMAN — Los Alamos

NATE KLEIN — Albuquerque Academy

BECK ELLIS — Los Alamos

EDDIE GARTZ — Los Alamos

ALEZ GOSS — Albuquerque Academy

THEDORE ROUNDFACE — Gallup

ISRAEL GARCIA — Del Norte

BENJAMIN DURAN — Pojoaque

GIRLS 1A-2A:

EMILY GARCIA — Rehoboth

CAMILLLE GONZALES — Penasco

ERICA MARTIN — Laguna-Acuma

MCHANNA SAHD — Cimarron

AUBREY CORDOVA — McCurdy

ARYCEGA GULLIAN — ATC

KRISTINA REGLAND — Pecos

EMILY MARTIN — Laguna-Acuma

KAYLEY JULLIAN — Gateway Christian

KALEE WIGLEY — Gateway Christian

GERALDO MENDOZ — Hagerman

TRISTAN PIERCE — Maxwell

GENTRY ARTHUR — Navajo Pine

AIDEN HOLTON — Pecos

ELIJAH LUJAN — Pecos

JOSHUA MARQUEZ — Oak Grove

AIDEN KAZHE-CHINO — Laguna-Acuma

JUSTIN MULLER — Pecos

CHARLES LYNCH — Rehoboth

GORDON LEE — Oak Grove

GIRLS 3A:

BOYS 3A:

BRILEY DAUPHIANIS — Tohatchi

DEVIN LANSING — Navajo Prep

JADEN PEREA — St. Michael’s

AIDEN VUJEVIC — Sandia Prep

LADEN SANDOVAL — St. Michael’s

GERS0N GOMEZ — Ruidoso

JEREMIAH RODRIGUEZ — St. Michael’s

SHANE YORA — Cottonwood

IAN SILVERSMITH — Ruidoso

AARON MIKE — Navajo Prep