By Arnie Leshin
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:
ST. MICHAEL’S —
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
3A BOYS:
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
4A GIRLS:
ESPANOLA VALLEY —
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:
ESPANOLA VALLEY —
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:
SANTA FE HIGH —
DANIEL BUSEMEYER 10th grade
VALIN WITTENBURG 10th grade
ACADEMY FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE CLASSICS —
RANGER RODRIGUEZ 10th grade