The District Champion Hilltopper Boys and Girls! In front row from left, Cara Gauss, Andy Enriquez, Ensley Jorgensen, Grace Montoya, Emmeline Keller-Moore, and Gus Ovaska. Standing from L to R are Amelia Hill, Sadie Evans, Mila Moseley, Elizabeth Buck, Brayden Allen, Rebecca Beaux, Cole Luscher, Benjamin Sanchez, Mikey Bane, Eddie Gartz, Will Gartz, Kaj Maupin, and Koen Christensen. Photo by Blake Wood
Sophomores Grace Montoya and Ensley Jorgensen led the Hilltopper Girls, finishing in 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. Photo by Blake Wood
By BLAKE WOOD
Assistant Coach
Hilltopper XC
In Cross Country, you can only qualify your team for the State Championship by performing well at the District Championship - the earlier meets don't get you in. Both the Hilltopper Girls and Boys teams accomplished that last Friday afternoon by winning the 4a-2 District Championship, hosted by Moriarty High School.
As the dominant team in the district, the 'Topper athletes were instructed that their priorities ought to be to run hard enough to win comfortably, while saving their all-out effort for next Saturday's State Championship. This they executed perfectly, the Girls winning 29-66 over Espanola Valley, and the Boys winning 28-38 over Taos.
Individually, the Hilltopper Girls were led, as usual, by sophomores Grace Montoya and Ensley Jorgensen, finishing in 2nd and 3rd places in times of 19:46 and 19:48, respectively, on the 5k course. They were followed by junior Mila Moseley (5th, 20:14), freshman Emmeline Keller-Moore (9th, 21:13), and sophomore Amelia Hill (10th, 21:20). Seniors Sadie Evans, Rebecca Beaux, and Cara Gauss, and sophomore Elizabeth Buck rounded out the team, all finishing in the top half of the field.
Senior Benjamin Sanchez finished in his usual spot as top-'Topper for the Boys, in 3rd place and 17:25. He was followed by seniors Mikey Bane (4th, 17:37) and Eddie Gartz (5th, 17:46), with junior Guz Ovaska (7th, 17:50) and sophomore Kaj Maupin (9th, 17:51) rounding out the scoring quintet. Senior Brayden Allen, sophomore Will Gartz, freshman Koen Christensen, and senior Andy Enriquez completed the team.
The Hilltoppers will finish their season at next Saturday's State Championship, to be held at Albuquerque Academy. The Girls run at 9 am and the Boys at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to come cheer on these dedicated and talented athletes!
Junior Mila Moseley negotiates a particularly rocky section of the course. Mila was the 3rd Hilltopper girl, finishing 5th overall. Photo by Blake Wood Seniors Eddie Gartz and Mikey Bane are running relaxed at the 2 mile point of the 5k course. They were the 3rd and 2nd Hilltopper boys, finishing in 5th and 4th places, respectively. Photo by Blake Wood
Senior Benjamin Sanchez attacks the final hill leading to the finish. He was the top'Topper of the day, finishing in 3rd place overall. Photo by Blake Wood