Rio Rancho wins first girls title since 2008

Behind Jordan Lesansee, Albuquerque Academy produces historic 5A sweep; Amanda Mayoral repeats for Cleveland

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

For the first time since 2008, the host school for the New Mexico Activities Association cross country state finals was hoisting a girls team championship.

Rio Rancho, which suffered a heartbreaking one-point setback last year to Cleveland in the 6A final, used that as motivation to deliver a dominant performance in a 30-76 victory over Volcano Vista to secure its second championship after winning a 5A crown eight years ago.

Alliana Atencio, who missed the state final last year, placed second on the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 45 seconds behind two-time champion Amanda Mayoral of Cleveland, who produced the fastest time of the meet for the second year in a row at 18:20.6.

Rio Rancho had five in the top 12 overall, with returnees from last year’s state final Andi Almodovar (19:04.9) and Reina Paredes (19:14) taking fourth and fifth, along with fellow veterans Molly Klein (19:38.6) and Cecilia Quesada (19:47.9) placing 11^th and 12^th.

Hobbs repeated as 6A boys champion with a 54-73 victory over Rio Rancho, with defending champion Andrew Bosquez securing back-to-back titles in 15:48.9, a six-second improvement from last year.

Hobbs, which won its third title overall, had four athletes in the top nine, including members of last year’s championship roster Patrick Colborn (16:19.5), Jesse Madrid (16:23.8) and Victor Saldana (16:29.9) finishing sixth, seventh and ninth.

Historic sweep for Albuquerque Academy

Albuquerque Academy has 14 boys state titles and four girls crowns, but for the first time in school history, the Chargers not only swept both team championships, but added both individual winners as well.

Senior Jordan Lesansee improved by 51 seconds from last year to capture the individual boys title in 15:29.2, the fastest time of the meet, to lead the Chargers to a 39-61 victory over Kirtland Academy.

Albuquerque Academy had all five scorers in the top 15 overall to repeat as champion following a three-point win over Los Alamos last season.

Carly Wall became Albuquerque Academy’s first individual girls champion since 2010 by clocking 20:15.2, improving from 13^th place last season, leading the Chargers to a 52-58 victory over Los Alamos, which had seven consecutive titles in 4A and 5A.

Albuquerque Academy, which completed its first team sweep since 2008, had five girls in the top 18 to rebound from a 40-point loss to Los Alamos last year.

New location, similar result for Wyre

Aubri Wyre won the 4A girls title in 19:10.5 for East Mountain, holding off defending champion Cora Cannedy of Taos Municipal in 19:16.3.

Wyre clocked 19:37.5 to lead Estancia to a 3A title in 2014, but didn’t compete at the state finals last year after transferring to East Mountain.

Although Cannedy didn’t repeat, Taos Municipal placed five runners in the top 25, including Elizabeth Reyes (19:29.3) in third place, to win its third championship in four years with a 48-57 victory over East Mountain.

After placing third last year in 3A, Navajo Prep moved up and won its first boys 4A title, with all five scoring runners in the top 26 in a 66-71 victory over East Mountain.

Santa Fe Indian senior Michael Tenorio won the individual title in 16:25.6 after placing second last season.

Pecos repeats, Zuni prevails in dramatic battle

Julian Garcia and Joshua DeHerrera combined to win the past two individual titles for Pecos, so it was only fitting they took the top two spots for the Panthers to secure a championship repeat with a 34-43 victory over Laguna Acoma.

Garcia clocked to 16:46.6 to defend his title, with 2014 winner DeHerrera running 16:48.2 to lead five Pecos runners in the top 13.

Zuni and Cottonwood Classic Prep finished in a 63-63 tie in the 3A girls final, with Zuni capturing its first title since 2009 on the sixth-runner tiebreaker. Freshman Vivian Joe placed 43^rd in 23:16 ahead of Cottonwood Classic Prep junior Alegra Dunn in 23:55 to give Zuni its 10^th title overall.

Laguna Acoma sophomore Terri Dailey won the individual championship in 20:11.9 after being edged by Alizabeth Williams of Academy of Technology and the Classics by less than a second last year.

Mesa Vista defends title, Penasco gets first

After winning its first boys title last year, Mesa Vista secured a 1A/2A repeat by placing five runners in the top 14 in a 39-61 victory over Alamo Navajo, which was led by individual champion Raul Ganadonegro in 17:27.4.

Penasco placed five runners in the top 30 to capture its first girls crown by a 49-88 margin over Jemez Valley. Penasco had won five individual titles, including Carly Gonzales last year, but never secured a team championship.

Mora senior Natalia Marrujo, who finished 17^th last year, prevented a repeat by Gonzales by winning her first title in 20:14.9. Gonzales was second in 20:38.8, a nine-second improvement from last season.