2016 Boys Cross-Country Capsules
ADELSON SCHOOL
League: Class 2A Southern League
Head coach: Bennett Adkinson, first season
Returning lettermen: One
Top athletes: Noah Stanigar (So.), Tal Hirsch (Fr.)
Outlook: Adkinson inherits a team that has just one returning letterman.
Hirsch was a middle school champion in the Red Rock Athletic Conference and could make an impact.
“This season will be a building year for Adelson as our team is very young,” Adkinson said. “We’ll do well this year, but really look for us in the future.”
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ARBOR VIEW
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Sheina Torres, second season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top athletes: Ian Jackson (Jr.), Tim Myers (Sr.), Keith Williams (Jr.), Noah Ayala (So.)
Outlook: Jackson was an honorable-mention all-state selection last year and leads a trio of returnees for the Aggies, who hope to improve throughout the season.
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BOULDER CITY
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Canaan Petersen, sixth season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Tyler Campbell (Sr.)
Outlook: Campbell finished fourth in the Southern Region meet and 15th in the Division I-A state meet last year. He’s among five returning lettermen for the Eagles.
“With Tyler and three other seniors leading, we should compete for the region championship,” Petersen said. “Two new recruits will greatly help our team effort.”
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CENTENNIAL
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Chris Martinez, second season
Returning lettermen: Nine
Top athletes: Nick Hanson (Sr.), Alex Miller (So.), Conner Menger (Sr.), Braedon Tarone (Sr.)
Outlook: The Bulldogs have nine returning lettermen and will try to make up for the loss of four of the team’s top six finishers in last year’s state meet.
Miller (45th) and Menger (69th) both were in the top 70 in the Division I state meet last year.
“The Bulldogs return a very good core of runners,” Martinez said. “We will have more depth this year and look to stay healthy and compete at regionals.
“The Bulldogs will rely on a senior-heavy team but sophomore Alex Miller and freshman Jalen Gourrier look to help a veteran squad.”
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CHAPARRAL
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Cynthia Ziegler, ninth season
Returning lettermen: Two
Top athletes: Tristan Baker, Edgar Juarez
Outlook: The Cowboys lost a large senior class, and for now are focused on individual improvement.
“We hope to pick up some more runners when school begins, but it is definitely a rebuilding year for us,” Ziegler said.
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CHEYENNE
League: Class 3A Sunset League
Head coach: Scott Thrasher, 14th season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Rylan Banegas (Jr.), Keith Baker (Jr.), Chris Monzon (Jr.), Alexis Santillan (Jr.)
Outlook: Banegas placed fifth in the Division I-A Southern Region meet last year and earned a trip to the state meet. He is one five returnees who ran in the regional meet last year.
“We have a deep group of young athletes this year,” Thrasher said. “All of our athletes are underclassmen. The team has set a goal of trying to qualify for the state championship meet.”
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CORONADO
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Mark Tondryk, 11th season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Nathan Cromwell (Sr.), Robbie Jordano (Sr.), Matt Candalaria (Sr.), Tim Conaway (Jr.)
Outlook: The Cougars return four runners who helped the team earn a berth in the Division I state meet last year. Cromwell (22nd), Candalaria (28th), Conaway (34th) and Jordano (36th) all finished in the top 40 in the Sunrise Region meet and hope to lead some promising underclassmen.
“Hopefully we have enough experience and youth to get back to the state meet again,” Tondryk said.
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DEL SOL
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Michael Buscio, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Jarrett McBrayer (Jr.)
Outlook: The Dragons will battle some inexperience early in the season, but hope for rewards by season’s end.
“We have a lot of new faces this year, and we look forward to watching them develop throughout the season,” Buscio said. “Our athletes’ goals are to improve each race and ultimately obtain a spot in the state meet.”
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DESERT OASIS
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Jerome Streets, second season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top athletes: Brien Hosier (Jr.), Landon Morrison (So.), Conner Nicholas (So.)
Outlook: The Diamondbacks bring back just three lettermen, though all placed in the top 50 in last year’s Sunset Region meet.
“With no seniors and only three returning letter winners in the program, the team looks to build consistency with a solid group of young runners,” Streets said. “Our goal is to compete for a spot in the state meet.”
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DURANGO
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Rick Barry, second season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Frankie Bisacky (Sr.), Peter Grema (Jr.), Tim Kedrowsky (So.), John Stenger (So.), Zenon Kokowsky (So.)
Outlook: Bisacky placed 20th in last year’s Division I state meet and leads a group of five lettermen who return for the Trailblazers.
“The team looks to be strong as they develop through the 2016 season,” Barry said. “The key is to understand the concept of team and working hard for each other to have the best team we can.
“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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FAITH LUTHERAN
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Jeff Edwards, seventh season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Koby Ghadery (Jr.), Jonathan Williams (Sr.), Mark Wilbourne (So.)
Outlook: Life without Chase Wood begins for the Crusaders, who lost the state’s best Division I-A runner last year to graduation.
Ghadery and Williams both finished in the top 10 in the Sunset League finals last year and are two of the four lettermen back for Faith Lutheran.
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FOOTHILL
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Tim Simonis, 11th season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Mikael Gamett (Sr.), Brian Coon (Jr.), Lincoln Morris (So.), Bryn Olsen (So.), Ryan Williams (So.), Stuart Hall (Sr.)
Outlook: Gamett finished 13th in last year’s Sunrise Region meet and is one of six returning lettermen for the Falcons, who also picked up transfer Hall from Del Sol.
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GREEN VALLEY
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Bud Beam, second season
Returning lettermen: Seven
Top athletes: Leonardo Rubi (Sr.), Omar Rubio (Sr.), Dartanyon Jones (Sr.), Milton Amezcua (Jr.), Jesus Narciso (Jr.), Martin Nelson (Jr.)
Outlook: The post-Austin Rogers era begins for the Gators, who lost to graduation the Sunrise Region champion and state runnerup.
Still, the Gators return seven runners from a team that finished third in the state meet.
Rubi was second in the region meet and seventh in the state meet. Narciso (23rd), Amezcua (27th) and Jones (43rd) all finished in the top 50 in the state meet.
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LAS VEGAS
League: Class 4A Northeast League
Head coach: David Richards, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Hugo Cruz (Jr.), Kenny Jimison (Sr.), Sean Fernandez (Jr.), Daniel Berrelleza (Fr.), Jason Johnson (Sr.), Eli Zamora (Jr.)
Outlook: The Wildcats return four lettermen and hope to be competitive in the Sunrise Region.
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LAUGHLIN
League: Class 2A Southern League
Head coach: Mitchel Mulcahy, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top athletes: Cesar Arellano (Jr.), Eddie Petrich (Jr.), Jose Calzada (Jr.)
Outlook: The Cougars return three lettermen, all of whom participated in cross country for the first time last year. They’re hoping for more improvement this season.
“We’re looking forward to this year,” Mulcahy said. “We’re hoping to qualify for the state meet.”
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THE MEADOWS
League: Class 2A Southern League
Head coach: Charles Bernick, 14th season
Returning lettermen: Eight
Top athletes: Tucker Hansen (Jr.), Ian Cook (So.), Ryan Chen (Sr.)
Outlook: Hansen (sixth), Chen (ninth) and Cook (10th) all finished in the top 10 in last year’s Division III Southern Region meet and lead a list of eight returnees for the Mustangs, who won the region title and have every reason to be optimistic this year
“The Meadows School returns all of its Division III Southern championship squad,” Bernick said.
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PAHRUMP VALLEY
League: Class 3A Sunset League
Head coach: Matt Kolodzieczyk, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Seven
Top athletes: Bryce Odegard (Jr.), Layron Sonerholm (Jr.), Cole Goodman (Jr.), Stephen Thelaner (Sr.)
Outlook: Odegard should be among the state’s best runners in Class 3A after finishing fourth in the Division I-A state meet last year.
Sonerholm placed sixth in the Southern Region meet.
In all, the Trojans bring back seven lettermen.
“Five out of the seven who ran in the state meet are returning, so we have high expectations this year,” Kolodzieczyk said.
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PALO VERDE
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Nick Meis, fifth season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top athletes: Daniel Ziems (Sr.), Sawyer Epstein (Jr.), Evelio Vergara (So.)
Outlook: Ziems won the Sunset Region meet and finished 19th at the Division I state meet last year. He’s one of three returning lettermen for the Panthers.
Vergara was 40th in the state meet. Epstein took 16th in the Southwest League meet.
“We look to compete for one of the three spots to qualify as a team for the state meet in November,” Meis said. “Our key to a successful season will be our depth and the development of our underclassmen.”
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SHADOW RIDGE
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Andy Flynn, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Angel Garcia (Jr.), Jordan Gray (Jr.), Dane Cobb (So.), Jacob Eckersley (Sr.)
Outlook: The Mustangs return four lettermen.
“The Shadow Ridge cross country team has been training all summer and preparing themselves for a great season,” Flynn said. “With a solid base of experienced runners, the team will be ready for whatever the season brings.”
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SIERRA VISTA
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Carrie Faber, 17th season
Returning lettermen: Two
Top athletes: Dylan Batoon (Jr.), Ralph Perez-Espino (Jr.)
Outlook: The Mountain Lions return just two lettermen, but have a healthy crop of newcomers.
“The team has added nine first-year cross country runners to our roster,” Faber said. “We are excited to start the season and look to Dylan and Ralph to lead our team to an outstanding season.”
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SILVERADO
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Brian Whitaker
Returning lettermen: Nine
Top athletes: Omar Aguilar-Espinoza (Jr.), Bryson Christensen (Jr.)
Outlook: The Skyhawks welcome back nine lettermen.
“Silverado is working to be competitive in the strong Sunrise Region,” Whitaker said. “The Skyhawks will be looking to stress a pack-running strategy and peak at the region meet.”
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SOMERSET-LOSEE
League: Independent
Head coach: Anthony Brown, first season
Returning lettermen: Zero
Top athletes: Hunter Hanshew (Jr.), Liam Baird (Fr.)
Outlook: The Lions debut this season with cross country one of a handful of sports the school is offering at the varsity level.
“Mostly all athletes are new to the sport, so this will be a new transition for almost everyone,” Brown said. “I expect the men’s team to start off slow, but by the end of the season, I am hoping we are one of the smaller schools to look out for.”
Baird was a top runner in middle school and could make an impact.
“We have some talent, and with some hard work and dedication, we should really blossom this year into something great for a small charter school,” Brown said. “I expect by the end of the year four our top five to be under 20 minutes and the top two runners (to be) in the 18-minute range.”
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SPRING VALLEY
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Jean Rees, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Twelve
Top athletes: Spencer Thomas (Jr.), Jacob Teems-Robinson (Sr.), Jeremiah Teems-Robinson (Sr.), Brayden Walsh (Jr.), Carlos Castro (So.)
Outlook: The Grizzlies return the bulk of the squad that competed in the Division I-A Southern Region meet last year, many for the first time.
“We have a strong team this year with quite a few freshmen joining our group,” Rees said. “This will make for some serious competition for the regional team. Our boys team will be taking on the new division with Grizzly pride.”
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TECH
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Cathy Meyer, third season
Returning lettermen: Nine
Top athletes: Matthew Clarke (Jr.), Ryan Myers (Jr.), Bruce Troncoso (Jr.)
Outlook: Clarke qualified for the Division I-A state meet last year and is one of nine returning lettermen for the Roadrunners.
“With the addition of younger runners and the experience from three top runners, we expect to be competitive for the region championship,” Meyer said.
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VALLEY
League: Class 4A Northeast League
Head coach: Sergio Segura, second season
Returning lettermen: One
Top athletes: Josh Nyberg (Sr.)
Outlook: Nyberg narrowly missed out on a trip to state last year and hopes to make his final season his best.
He’s the lone returning letterman on a Vikings’ team that hopes to improve throughout the year.
