They are off and running Saturday

There was only one cross country champion last year who led from start to finish, and she’s back as St. Michael’s sophomore Raylee Hunt is favored to win 3A once again when the event runs again at Albuquerque Academy Saturday.

The 5,000 meters is scheduled to begin with the 5A girls toeing the line at 9 a.m., followed by the 5A boys at approximately 9:45.

Next comes 1A-2A with its girls racing first at 10:50 a.m., and its boys starting at about 11:35 a.m.

The third of the four state classes comes on at 12:40 p.m. with the 4A girls lining up first and the boys to follow around 1:25 p.m.

And last is Raylee Hunt’s race coming after she added the District 2-3A title last week. That is slated for a 2:30 p.m. start, with the boys 3A winding down at 3:15 p.m.

Hunt should be finishing ahead of one of the young Santa Fe Prep harriers — freshman Sophie Blair, freshman Pippi Barrett or 10th-grader Nya Griego, and head coaches Lis and Matt Desmond’s girls finishing near the top of the team standings along with Santa Fe Indian School. As good as the Griffins have been, Santa Fe Indian School will also be up there and led by sophomore Destiny Chino who figures to place among the first three.

The Lady Horsemen, like Santa Fe Prep, also runs a young lineup behind Hunt with two juniors, one sophomore, two freshmen and one 8th-grader. But the Griffins have been already tested and runs with one junior, two sophomores, and four freshmen. They keep up with one another and compete with experience and confidence. Lis Desmond and her husband Matt are in their initial season running the program, and Lis is a former five-star triathlon completer.

In the boys 3A, St. Michael’s is led by sophomore Jaden Perea and has a shot at finishing high in the team scoring. The Horsemen will also bang on senior Johnny Abeyta and sophomore Marcus Crockett. Indian School is led by its sophomore Jeremiah Chavez.

In 5A, it’s Santa Fe High girls with a complete lineup and the Demons with just two. In 4A, Los Alamos will be right up there with both its girls and boys getting a challenge from host Albuquerque Academy.

Leah Futey is the huge favorite in 5A after the Rio Rancho Cleveland senior has been dominating the field since 8th grade and recently committed to Syracuse University. The boys will no doubt have another close one between neighbors Rio Rancho High and Cleveland.

Local Area Schools —

3A GIRLS:

RAYLEE HUNT                  10th grade

ELLIE MUSOLFF               9th grade

JULIANNA MCCABE        11th grade

RAYNA BAROS                 9th grade 

NATALIA RICHARD           11th grade

AUBREY CLOKEY             8th grade

SANTA FE PREP —

SOPHIE BLAIR                   9th grade

PIPPA BARETT                   9th grade

HELEN DESMOND             10th grade

NYA GRIEGO                      10th grade

INGRID EHRMANTROUT   9th grade

ARIANNA GIANNELLI        11th grade

OLIVE NARDI-KEYES         9th grade

SANTA FE INDIAN SCHOOL —

DESTINY CHINO                  10th grade

DESTINY MARQUEZ           12th grade

ALEXIS AGUINO                  12th grade

KENDRA EMERY                 12th grade

KAYDENCE RILEY               9th grade

ARIANA MONTOYA             12th grade 

RAYANN CONCHO              10th grade

ST. MICHAEL’S —

JADEN PEREA                  10th grade

JOHNNY ABEYTA             12th grade

MARCUS CROCKETT       10th grade

JEREMIAH RODRIGUEZ   12th grade

CELEB PEREA                   9th grade

LADEN SANDOVAL           11th grade

IVAN LOYA                         12th grade

SANTA FE PREP —

QUINN DRY                            10th grade

SANTA FE INDIAN SCHOOL —

JEREMIAH CHAVEZ             12th grade

MATTHEW VALENCIA          12th grade

CHASE CRESPIN                  10th grade

ANTONIO PECOS                  9th grade

ZAYDEN LUARKIE                12th grade 

BRIAN MADALENA               9th grade

PRESTON CHAVARRIA        12th grade

NEVEAH CARHORA     9th grade

HAILEY RENTERIA       12th grade

POJOAQUE VALLEY —

MARISA MARTINEZ       11th grade

TAOS —

JAEDA BLAIR                 8th grade

ALAINA CISNEROS        9th grade

MARY JANE COOK        9th grade

JACQUELINE LUNAS    9th grade

MARIELLE GOMEZ        12th grade

AALIYAH PADILLA         9th grade

ZOE TORRES                 10th grade

LOS ALAMOS —

ZORAH FULLOP            12th grade

REBECCA BEAUX         10th grade

NYLA LEE                       12th grade

HAILEY MCDOWELL     12th grade

EMMA MONTOYA           12th grade

MILA MOSELEY              9th grade

ANNA WETTELAND       11th grade

4A BOYS:

TYLER LOMAYMA              10th grade

ELIJAH MARTINEZ              8th grade

JUANITO MONDRAGON     11th grade

VICTOR NUNEZ                   10th grade

JUAN NUNEZ                       12th grade

EMILLIO SAMANIGO           10th grade

DANIEL SANCHEZ              11th grade

POJOAQUE VALLEY —

BENJAMIN DURAN      8th grade

LOS ALAMOS —

JACK AMMERMAN       12th grade

MICHAEL BANE            10th grade

BECK ELLIS                  12th grade

EDDIE GARTZ               10th grade 

ARMANDO INBODY      11th grade

BENJAMIN SANCHEZ  10th grade

DUANE SENA                10th grade

5A GIRLS:

SANTA FE HIGH —

ANNALEE AUER          11th grade

AMAYA BACA                9th grade

CLAIRE KULLMAN       9th grade

SHEA NOVAK               10th grade

ADDI PATTELENA        10th grade

MIA SCHLEMAN           9th grade

ESTER WIEBE              12th grade 

5A BOYS:

ACADEMY FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE CLASSICS —