Formidable foursome heads Sunrise Region cross country field

Foothill, Tech, Coronado and Green Valley are expected to grab at least four of the six qualifying spots for the Class 4A state cross country championships, leaving little left for teams in the Northeast League.

The Sunrise Region meet begins with the boys race at 9 a.m. Friday at Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City. The Sunrise girls race is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

The Sunrise boys race favorites are Tech, Foothill and Green Valley, but Green Valley coach Blaine Thompson said, “Valley and Las Vegas are both very close.”

Tech is led by Chris Rising, Jose Escamilla and Eduardo Cordova.

Foothill will count on Carl Greene and Chris Perrine.

Green Valley’s front-runners are Julius Kim and Jason Ferraro.

“Both Foothill and Green Valley are experienced, well-coached teams that we respect, but Tech is hungry and ready,” Tech coach Tony Kyriacou said.

Some of the other top individuals who will look to qualify for state as one of the five top runners from nonqualifying teams are Al Galen of Liberty, who posted the fastest time among Sunrise runners at the recent league championships; Colin Smith of Del Sol; Solomon Belay and Rudy Frias of Valley; and Aaron Adkins of Las Vegas.

The Sunrise girls race will feature Coronado as a “prohibitive favorite,” Thompson said.

“The team race will be for second and third to qualify for state,” Thompson added.

At the recent Southeast League race, Coronado placed all seven of its runners in the top 13, including the top two spots. Coronado is led by senior Michaelanne Laurent, who has been one the top two runners — along with Leah Leedy of Foothill — in Southern Nevada all season.

Leedy, a senior, didn’t run at the league meet, but she is expected to run at regionals.

Foothill finished second, even without Leedy, at the Southeast race and should make it to state as the No. 2 team. The battle for the third spot probably will be between Green Valley and Valley, with Tech having an outside shot.

Green Valley depends on junior Renee Moser to lead the way, while Valley’s top runner is Wendy Villa, the runner-up in the Northeast race.

Some of the other top individuals are Canyon Springs’ Heather Hollinger, Liberty’s Joslyn Evans, Eldorado’s Claudia Gonzalez and Tech’s Claudia Perez and Ana Mata.