SUNRISE REGION: Foothill boys capture Southeast League cross country championship

Foothill’s boys cross country team posted the fastest composite time of the day for its five scoring runners — averaging 17 minutes, 24 seconds for 3.1 miles — as the Falcons captured the Southeast League championship on Saturday at Palo Verde.

Foothill totaled 47 points. Coronado posted an average time of 17:35 and 58 points to place second, and third-place Green Valley (96 points) averaged 17:58.

Del Sol’s Colin Smith was the Southeast League champion with the fastest time of the day, setting a course record of 16:29.

Foothill’s Carl Greene (16:41) was second and Silverado’s Dante Carter (16:51) third in the Southeast. The Southeast League runners competed in a race with those from the Northwest League, though each league crowned its own winner.

Smith took the lead from Kyle Wilson of Shadow Ridge early and never looked back, winning by two seconds over a hard-charging Wilson and a 12-second margin over his nearest Sunrise challenger, Greene.

“I had three or so meters (over Wilson and Greene) going into the (first) hill, then I pulled away from there,” Smith said.

Eldorado’s boys won the NE Sunrise championship with a score of 34 points. The average time for their five scoring runners was 19:22. Valley (56) placed second Las Vegas (61) third.

Valley’s Alec McMillan took the Northeast individual crown in 17:51.

The Northeast runners ran with those from the Southwest League and the small schools.

Moapa Valley’s Josh Thompson dominated the race from the start and won handily (16:49) over the first Sunrise runner, McMillan. 

The Sunrise girls team competition was dominated by Coronado (32), Green Valley (40) and Foothill (59), who went 1-2-3 in the Southeast League scoring and produced three of the four fastest composite times among all girls teams. The five scoring runners from both Coronado and Green Valley averaged 20:49, bettered only by Sunset entrant Palo Verde’s composite average of 20:36. Foothill’s composite average was 21:14.

Green Valley senior Alyssa Rapovy ran the fastest girls time from the Sunrise Region (20:00) and third-fastest time overall, behind Sunset runners Katie Gorczyca and Kelsi Koch of Palo Verde.

Coronado senior Erin Smith finished second (20:18), followed by Green Valley freshman Lindy Eskin (20:40).

“I was happy with both the boys and girls,” Coronado coach Mark Tondryk said. “My boys have got a little work to do. My No. 2 guy ran with my No. 7, but I still think we can catch (Foothill). We’re got two more weeks (before Regionals).”

Las Vegas, winner of the Northeast League girls title with 34 points, had a composite average of 23:29. Chaparral (55) and Valley (73) finished second and third in the Northeast.

Desert Pines senior Marisa Denton won the Northeast individual title in 21:58.