Cross country preview: Shadow Ridge looks for redemption in deep 5A

Shadow Ridge’s cross country team was hit by the “injury bug” at last year’s Class 5A state meet in Reno, girls coach Mark Jimenez said.

The boys team was looking to defend its team title and the girls team was hoping to build off a strong showing at the Southern Region meet. Injuries hindered both their chances. The boys finished second and the girls were ninth.

The Mustangs return enough runners to have a shot at redemption this year. Shadow Ridge is expected to contend for both 5A state titles when the high school sports fall season begins Thursday. The top cross country teams will be in action later this month at the Red Rock Running Company Invitational at James Regional Sports Park on Aug. 24.

“As coaches, you just see the heartache at the finish line afterward, knowing that something you’ve worked at for six months didn’t happen,” Jimenez said. “Our team last year was full of very talented juniors that are now seniors and they’re able to take that feeling and know they have to work for it.”

Shadow Ridge’s boys team returns Carson Wetzel and Justin Rawe, who both medaled at the state meet. Weztel finished third and Rawe was seventh.

On the girls’ side, the Mustangs return Ryen Hughes and Elynn Okuda. Hughes won the 5A Southern Region title as a freshman last season and Okuda was an All-Southern Nevada first-team selection.

Boys coach Andrew Flynn said he and Jimenez are taking extra precautions when it comes to injury prevention this season.

“Practice is not just the run, but it’s what they do beforehand and after — it’s just as important as the run,” Flynn said. “The older kids get it, but the newer kids, we want to get them to see it’s not just going through these motions just for fun. It’s all part of getting stronger so that you can handle the workload once we are really in the season.”

As far as the competition goes, Jimenez said the Centennial boys team is “stacked.” The Bulldogs are returning a lot of runners from a young team last season. Other teams expected to contend in 5A include the Bishop Gorman boys and girls squads and the Faith Lutheran and Desert Oasis boys.

Spanish Springs is the reigning boys state champion, while Carson High won last year’s girls state title.

“We don’t care how fast you are in August or September, we want you to peak in October and November,” Jimenez said. “We’re still building these kids at this point and our training plan takes six months. We tell them to focus on what we can control and that’s how fast you’re going to be at the regional meet in October and state meet in November.”

In 4A, Sky Pointe won the boys team title last year. It returns several runners, including Jack Medina, who was an All-Southern Nevada first-team selection last year.

Sky Pointe also rolled to the 4A girls team title and brings back four runners who placed in the top six at the state meet.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.