NEW MEXICO STATE MEET

Leah Futey Bookends High School Career With Second 5A Title

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Leah Futey capped off her final state cross country meet the way she started them — with a state title. The Cleveland senior won the 5A crown on Saturday at the New Mexico State Cross Country Championships at Albuquerque Academy. She covered the 5,000-meter course in 18 minutes, 17.41 seconds leading her team to a state title with 60 points.

Futey, who is committed to Syracuse, last won an individual state cross country title as a freshman. She was fourth last year and ran 80 seconds faster on Saturday than she did in last year's final. Cleveland had four runners finish in the top 20. 

The Rio Rancho boys edged out defending champion Volcano Vista, 44-48, for the  5A title. Individually, it was a two-way battle for first between seniors Steven West of Sandia and Volcano’s Thomas Croshaw. West held off Croshaw for the win in 15:04.38, while Croshaw was second in 15:08.24. 

Los Alamos remained dominant in Class 4A, with the boys and girls teams defending their titles. The girls were led by senior Emma Montoya's victory in 18:19.6. Six runners finished in the top 16 for the team. 

Sophomore Duane Sent paced the Los Alamos boys with a second-place finish (16:16.68) and the team put four runners in the top 12. Hope Christian senior Rendon Kuykendall cruised to the win by more than 45 seconds, crossing the line in 15:29.2 to retain his title. 

In 3A, the Zuni boys continued their strong tradition and repeated as state champions with a low score of 35 points. Zuni was paced by senior  Alec Lastyano’s third-place finish in 16:43.33. Zuni placed four in the top 10, including two freshmen. Maximo Brito of Cottonwood edged out Navajo Prep’s Dvein Lansing in a photo finish (16:43.17-16:43.22) for the individual victory. 

Sophomore Raylee Hunt of St. Michael’s won the 3A girls race in 18:52.51. Santa Fe Indian School claimed the team championships with five runners finishing in the top 15. 

The boys 2A/1A team race came down to the wire as Pecos scored 64 points to repeat as champions, edging out Oak Grove (65 points). Sophomore Jude Martinez of Penasco won it in 16:51.60. 

The girls team title was almost a repeat of last year, as Penasco defeated Academy of Tech and the Classics by a mere two points, 101-103. Senior Erica Martin of Laguna-Acoma won the race in 20:20.1. 

Team Champions

5A: Rio Rancho boys 44 points; Cleveland girls 60 points - RESULTS

4A: Los Alamos boys 44 points; Los Alamos girls 31 points - RESULTS

3A: Zuni boys 35 points; Santa Fe Indian School girls 40 points - RESULTS

2A/1A: Pecos boys 64 points; Penasco girls 101 points - RESULTS