2015 Boys Cross Country Capsule Previews
ADELSON SCHOOL
League: Division III Southern
Head coach: Don Giardina, third season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Cutty Zanghi (Sr.)
Outlook: The Lions bring back four of their five runners from last year’s team, including Southern Region champion Zanghi, and should get a boost from middle school champion Noah Stanigar and transfer Max Prescott.
“Adelson looks to win the region championship and compete for the school’s first state championship in any sport,” Giardina said.
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ARBOR VIEW
League: Division I Northwest
Head coach: Sheina Torres, first season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Tim Myers, Ian Jackson, Cameron Barnes, Demetrius Turner, James Wright, Chaison Leavitt
Outlook: Torres takes over a program that returns five lettermen and hopes to be competitive in the Sunset Region.
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BASIC
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Duane Graham, third season
Returning lettermen: Ten
Top athletes: Steven Birch (Jr.), Kenderick Peterson (Sr.), Seth Blackwell (So.)
Outlook: The Wolves welcome back 10 lettermen from a squad that finished second in the Sunrise Region meet and sixth at state.
Birch finished 21st and Peterson 24th in the state meet last season, and the Wolves return three other runners who finished in the top 18 in the region meet.
“It’s a young group,” Graham said. “We will be competitive this year.”
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BONANZA
League: Division I Northwest
Head coach: Bruce Eubank, eighth season
Top athletes: Parker Epperson (Sr.), Brandon Adams (Jr.)
Outlook: The Bengals are hoping to be more competitive this season with Epperson and Adams leading the way.
“We are a small team,” Eubank said. “Our kids look forward to the competition this season. They work hard and have a great sense of team.”
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BOULDER CITY
League: Division I-A Sunrise
Head coach: Canaan Petersen, fifth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Tyler Campbell (Jr.), Joren Selinger (Sr.)
Outlook: Campbell was a state meet qualifier last year and leads a list of four returning lettermen for the Eagles.
“The boys have a strong team returning that hopes to compete with the other Division I-A schools in order to place in the top three in the region and earn a trip to Reno,” Petersen said. “Tyler Campbell will lead the way and hopes to place in the top five in the region race.”
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CENTENNIAL
League: Division I Northwest
Head coach: Kisha Finch, first season
Returning lettermen: Eight
Top athletes: Dominic Roberts (Sr.), Braedon Tarone (Jr.), Nicholas Hanson (Jr.), Andy Martin (Jr.), Randall Jubilee (So.)
Outlook: The Bulldogs watched Dajour Braxton set course records in consecutive weeks on his way to the Sunset Region and Division I state titles last year. Then they watched him graduate.
Centennial, which had its streak of seven straight Sunset Region titles snapped last year, does return Roberts, who placed 45th in the state meet, and seven others with experience.
“It will be a rebuilding year with a new head coach,” Finch said. “The team goal is to make it to state and compete well there.”
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CHAPARRAL
League: Division I-A Sunrise
Head coach: Cynthia Ziegler, eighth season
Top athletes: Kevin Ayala-Pineda (Sr.), Michael Terranova (Sr.), Tristan Baker (So.), Jose Santana (Fr.)
Outlook: Ayala-Pineda was a state qualifier in 2013 for the Cowboys, who are hoping to show improvement this season.
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CHEYENNE
League: Division I-A Sunset
Head coach: Scott Thrasher, 13th season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top athletes: Marcus Vellinga (Sr.), Keith Baker (So.), Noe Olivo (So.), Rylan Banegas (So.)
Outlook: Vellinga, who finished 26th in last year’s Division I-A Southern Region meet, leads a list of three returnees for the Desert Shields.
“The team will be young, but very much improved,” Thrasher said. “Three of the top five runners will be sophomores.”
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CORONADO
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Mark Tondryk, 10th season
Top athletes: Matt Candalaria (Jr.), Nathan Cromwell (Jr.), Xavier Cummins (Sr.), Graham Griffin (Sr.), Ryan Liebig (Sr.)
Outlook: After finishing third in the Sunrise Region meet last year, the Cougars are primed to move up.
“We have most of our team back and should contend for a state berth in Reno,” Tondryk said.
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DEL SOL
League: Division I-A Sunrise
Head coach: Michael Buscio, third season
Outlook: The Dragons will have some work to do this season.
“Due to several of our athletes transferring to neighboring programs in the city, we are looking to rebuild the boys program by adding several new runners to the team, in addition to our seven returners,” Buscio said.
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DESERT OASIS
League: Division I Northwest
Head coach: Jerome Streets, first season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Zach Wood (Sr.), Enrique Jimenez (Jr.)
Outlook: Streets, an assistant coach for the past four seasons, takes over the program and has a team that returns four lettermen.
Wood finished 11th in the Sunset Region meet last year. Jimenez, who ran at Mojave last season, finished 28th in the Division I-A Southern Region meet.
“Desert Oasis has a veteran group of runners returning and several promising young runners joining the program,” Streets said. “The expectations are for each runner to get better every week and compete for the opportunity to be one of the Sunset Region’s representatives at the state meet in Reno.”
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DURANGO
League: Division I Southwest
Head coach: Rick Barry, first season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Keven Ayele (Jr.), Brian Shaffer (Sr.), Frankie Bisacky (Jr.), Elias Mayfield (Sr.)
Outlook: Barry takes over a squad that returns four lettermen.
“The team looks to be strong as it develops through the 2015 season,” Barry said. “The boys have a strong bond and push each other each day to be a strong team.
“We expect to compete in regionals and with hard work and a strong motivation, hope to make a run at a spot in the state championships.”
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ELDORADO
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Josh Wertheimer, ninth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Anthony Painter (Sr.), Martin Swapp (Jr.), Markos Valerio (Sr.), Francisco Gonzalez (Sr.)
Outlook: The Sundevils return four lettermen and are hoping to improve throughout the season.
“We have been running lots of miles this summer and hope to be competitive at the end of October,” Wertheimer said.
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FAITH LUTHERAN
League: Division I-A Sunset
Head coach: Jeff Edwards, sixth season
Returning lettermen: Eight
Top athletes: Chase Wood (Sr.), Koby Ghadery (So.)
Outlook: The Crusaders finished fourth in the Division I-A state meet last year and return the defending state champion in Wood.
“The team looks to continue the success they had in the second half of the season, moving up on the results board by finishing in the top half at most meets,” Edwards said. “The team focus is to finish in the top three at state.”
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FOOTHILL
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Tim Simonis, 10th season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Andrew Babakitis (Sr.), Mitchell Anderson (Sr.), Matt Barilleaux (Sr.), Bret Degutes (Sr.), Mikael Gamett (Jr.), Logan Poinier (Jr.)
Outlook: The Falcons are hoping to compete for one of the top spots in the Sunrise Region.
Along with the six returnees, Simonis expects sophomore Brian Coon and freshman Brynn Olsen to compete for spots in the team’s top seven.
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GREEN VALLEY
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Bud Beam, first season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Austin Rogers (Sr.), Leonardo Rubi (Jr.), Omar Rubio (Jr.), Dartanyon Jones (Jr.), Milton Amezcua (So.), Jesus Narcisco (So.)
Outlook: The Gators return six lettermen from a team that surprised some when it finished second to nationally-ranked McQueen in the Division I state meet last year.
Rogers was the Sunrise Region champion and placed fourth at state, and Rubi finished second in the region meet and 15th at state for Green Valley, which should benefit from the return of Rubio, who did not run last year because of injury.
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LAUGHLIN
League: Division III Southern
Head coach: Mitchel Mulcahy, third season
Top athletes: Ceasar Arellano (So.), Isaac Ledbetter (Fr.)
Outlook: The Cougars are hoping to have a full team soon, but first-year team members Arellano and Ledbetter have shown early promise.
“There are a few more guys I’d like to get out that aren’t for a sport and would really help us,” Mulcahy said. “They proved to me in track that they were capable of distance running and putting in hard work.”
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LIBERTY
League: Division I Northeast
Head coach: Pam Schultz, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Eduardo Soto (Jr.), Kai Perkins (Sr.)
Outlook: Soto and Perkins lead a list of five returnees for the Patriots, who have high hopes for the season.
“We want to qualify for state as a team,” Schultz said. “We have a solid core/pack.”
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THE MEADOWS
League: Division III Southern
Head coach: Charles Bernick, 12th season
Returning lettermen: Two
Top athletes: Ryan Chen (Jr.), Tucker Hansen (So.)
Outlook: Chen finished sixth and Hansen eighth in last year’s Division III Southern Region meet.
“The Meadows boys squad will be dominated by freshmen and sophomore runners, making it difficult to forecast how the team will progress by the end of the season,” Bernick said. “The spirit is high, though, and top 10 finishers from the 2014 Division III region meet, Ryan Chen and Tucker Hansen, return to lead the group.”
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MOAPA VALLEY
League: Division I-A Sunrise
Head coach: Gary Watkins, sixth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Nathaniel Brill (Jr.), Zach Anderson (So.), Taylor Landini (So.), Nathaniel Thompson (So.), Guillermo Hernandez (So.), Zane Lamping (So.), Jerrick Statsny (Fr.)
Outlook: Brill finished seventh in the Southern Region meet and leads a list of four returnees for the Pirates.
“The first day of practice brought great results with six runners at a sub-20 minute pace,” Watkins said. “While not state qualifier times yet, this young, athletic group of young men shows great promise and potential as we train for regionals. We expect to achieve a top-three Division I-A Southern finish as a team.”
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PAHRUMP VALLEY
League: Division I-A Sunset
Head coach: Matthew Kolodzieczyk, third season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Bryce Odegard (So.), Layron Sonerholm (So.), Stephen Thelaner (Jr.)
Outlook: Odegard placed fourth in the Division I-A state meet last year, and leads a list of six returnees for the Trojans.
“The boys team is young, but we have burgeoning talent,” Kolodzieczyk said. “The runners are doing their best to shave minutes so we are more competitive as a team. The expectation this year is for the team to qualify for the state meet.”
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PALO VERDE
League: Division I Southwest
Head coach: Nick Meis, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Daniel Ziems (Jr.), Carlos Garcia (Sr.), Alex Yee (Sr.)
Outlook: Ziems (38th) and Garcia (50th) both finished in the top 50 in the Division I state meet, and Yee was 12th in the Sunset Region meet.
They are three of the six returnees for the Panthers.
“We look to compete for one of the three spots to make the trip up north in November,” Meis said. “Our key to a successful season will be our depth.”
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SHADOW RIDGE
League: Division I Southwest
Head coach: Andy Flynn, third season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Johnathon Blaine (Sr.), Connor Simpson (Sr.), Angel Cervantes (Jr.), Jake Niswonger (Sr.), Jordan Gray (So.)
Outlook: Blaine finished 25th at the Division I state meet and is one of four letter winners returning for the Mustangs.
“Shadow Ridge has been training hard and preparing for a season that I’m sure will be impressive,” Flynn said. “We have many returning runners like Johnathon Blaine and Connor Simpson who will continue to lead their fellow Mustangs to victory.
“Other returning runners like Jake Niswonger have certainly stepped up their game and will be ready to improve an already impressive resume. With the rest of our team, and many new additions ready to run, I’m sure there will be many surprises this season.”
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SPRING VALLEY
League: Division I-A Sunset
Head coach: Jean Rees, fourth season
Top athletes: Spencer Thomas (So.), William Reichel (Sr.)
Outlook: Led by Thomas and Reichel, the Grizzlies are hoping to show improvement throughout the season.
“The team is rebuilding after losing so many seniors last year,” Rees said. “With all the hard work they have put in over the summer, we should have a great season.”
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TECH
League: Division I-A Sunrise
Head coach: Cathy Meyer, second season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Ryan Myers (So.), Jose Fuentes (Sr.), Bruce Troncoso (So.)
Outlook: The Roadrunners qualified as a team for the state meet last year, but lost their two top runners to graduation.
Fuentes has run in the last two state meets, and Myers and Troncoso joined him at state last season.
“We will have a rebuilding season after losing two strong runners to graduation,” Meyer said. “We only have one returning senior letter winner.
“The future looks good; three of six letter winners from last year are just sophomores this year. With a couple strong freshmen, we will be competitive in the division.”
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VALLEY
League: Division I Northeast
Head coach: Sergio Segura, first season
Top athletes: Josh Nyberg (Jr.)
Outlook: Nyberg qualified for the Division I state meet last year, and the Vikings hope he will return to state this season.
“We have many new runners to the program,” Segura said. “Many of the runners are sophomores, which shows a bright future for the program. There is quite a bit of potential and talent.”