Storm girls, Rams boys are 1-5A CC champs

 With three of their runners among the top four, and their five scoring runners among the top 15 finishers at Friday’s District 1-5A cross country meet at Rio Rancho High School, the Cleveland Storm won the district title.

The Storm, led again by first-place finisher Leah Futey, who won her third consecutive individual district crown with a time of 18:53, had a score of 33 points. They were followed by Volcano Vista (39), Rio Rancho (48) and Cibola (119). Atrisco Heritage Academy did not field a squad.

In winning the boys’ side of the meet, the RRHS Rams did even better than the CHS girls. Although Volcano Vista’s Thomas Crenshaw won the race (15:57), the Rams first five were among the first dozen finishers, led by runner-up Cody Sullivan (16:25).

The Rams finished with a team score of 29. Volcano Vista (34), Cleveland (59) and Cibola (120), rounded out the field; AHA also did not field a boys team.

The Western Sky Community Care State Cross Country Championships will be held Saturday at Albuquerque Academy. The 5A girls’ race starts at 9 a.m. The 5A boys’ race gets the gun at 9:30.

At last fall’s state meet, all four city teams brought home trophies.  The Rams were second in both races, the Storm were third in both.

Ladies first

Rounding out the Storm girls’ scorers were Eliana Rivera (third/19:57), KC Winters (fourth/20:25), Marina Weideman(10th/21:29) and Naomi St. Clair (15th/21:36). Also running for CHS were Sophia Yepa (16th/21:40), Noelle Manzanares (17th/22:00), Ximena Mendoza (18th/22:00.5) and Sarah Romero (28th/23:19).

For the Rams, Luciana Martinez-Crook (fifth/20:54) led the way, followed to the finish line by Danika Marquez (seventh/21:13), Violet Francisco (ninth/21:23), Abigail Beam (13th/21:32) and Lily Hawkins (14th/21:33). Megan McMurtrey (20th/22:13), Jamie Hansana (21st/22:15), Isabelle Parsons (23rd/22:32) and Olivia Moody (25th/22:53) also ran for the Rams.

Now the boys

Crossing the finish line behind Sullivan were Rams Skyler Galbraith (third/16:42), Mateo Herrera (fifth/16:51), Mason Steel (seventh/16:59) and Collyn Tomoyose (12th/17:17). Also participating for RRHS were Jace Lee (21st/18:08.5), Benjamin Miera (23rd/18:12), Matthias Parsons (26th/18:32) and Christopher Beall (34th/19:15).

Cleveland’s scoring quintet were Caden Nunn (eighth/17:06), Antwon Shendo (10th/17:14), Vince Madalena (11th/17:16), Jonathan Sanchez (13th/17:19) and Colin Ross (18th/18:05). Jaxon Denison (19th/18:07), Wequai Shendo-Smith (20th/18:08), Preston Bean (27th/18:33) and Isaiah Sandoval (33rd/19:09) also ran for Cleveland.