By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School Cross Country teams competed in two meets last week.
The first meet, which took place on Wednesday, hosted by Green Valley at Cornerstone Park in Henderson. The breezy two-mile course consisted of a fast loop around a lake and a hilly finish.
In the boys’ race, Clark’s Liam Jones took the lead with a 10:45 finish. Pirate athletes Nathaniel Thompson and Jerrick Stastny placed second at 11:23 and third at 11:31, respectively.
In the girls’ race, Bishop Gorman’s Emilia Puskas took first place at 12:49. Hannah Watson was first across the finish line for the Pirates, finishing in 17th place at 15:40. Emma Thompson took 24th place at 16:46, and McKinley Bledsoe finished in 28th place at 17:19.
The second meet of the week took place on Saturday when MVHS Cross Country hosted an invitational at the Clark County Fairgrounds.
The day started out with two middle school races on a flat 1.6-mile course. In the boys’ race, Leavitt Middle’s Noah Espeleta took first place at 9:19. Mack Lyon’s Dalton Marshall placed 10th at 13:06, while teammate William Anderson placed 11th at 13:07.
Faith Lutheran’s Anna Behmer placed first in the girls’ race at 10:40. Savanna Burt represented Mack Lyon with a 12:32 finish in fifth place.
The next four events sent high school athletes on a 5 kilometer course around baseball fields, through a gravel parking lot, and along asphalt paths at the fairgrounds.
In the varsity boys’ race, Pahrump Valley’s Bryce Odegard took the lead at 16:21. Taking sixth place for the Pirates at 17:41 was Nathaniel Thompson. He was followed by Jerrick Stastny, who finished in seventh place at 17:49. Preston Humes took 11th at 18:30, after which Bryton Dorsey’s time of 18:41 set him in 13th place. Zachary Anderson, Nathan Waite, and Samuel Jolley took 21st at 19:41, 22nd at 19:51, and 23rd at 20:09, respectively.
Faith Lutheran’s Sadie Oakley took first place in the varsity girls’ race with a time of 20:40. Andrea Mogren placed 16th for the Pirates at 24:13. Taking 18th place at 25:15 was Hannah Watson. Emma Thompson, Zoe Zubia, and Samantha Thompson ran close races, taking 20th at 25:27, 21st at 25:36, and 22nd at 25:41. Placing 29th at 27:42 was McKinley Bledsoe. Laura Adams finished the race for Moapa Valley at 29:26, placing 32nd.
Both varsity Pirate teams placed third overall after Faith Lutheran and Pahrump Valley.
In the varsity “B” boys’ race, Lincoln County’s Cody Dirks placed first at 18:28. Gavin Henrie placed fourth at 19:55. Finishing just a second apart at 20:00 and 20:01 were Garrett German and Max Shambaugh. German placed fifth, and Shambaugh sixth. Finishing in 10th place at 21:03 was Gabriel Leavitt. Taylor Landini finished at 21:15 in 12th place.
Faith Lutheran’s Elliana Diebert took first place in the varsity “B” girls’ race when she crossed the finish line at 24:19. Kennadie Burt was the first Pirate to complete the course, doing so at 27:37 and placing sixth. Right behind her, finishing at 27:43 in seventh place, was Miranda Robison. Alexa Canfield took 8th place at 28:22. Placing 10th and 11th with respective times of 28:38 and 28:52 were Gabrielle Shiozawa and Annabel Lounsbury. Haley Bush finished at 32:06 in 14th place, and Kayli Thompson placed 15th at 32:11.
Both varsity “B” teams took first place overall.
“We have been growing a lot this season, and I think it’s starting to pay off,” said Kennadie Burt, an MVHS junior. “We’ve all got more to give, but we’re starting to get there. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season brings!”
