Pirate Runners Start Season Well In Tough Conditions

By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley Cross Country teams made a strong start into the 2016 season participating in two 5K meets last week.
The first was held on Tuesday, August 30 at Southeast Career Technical Academy (SECTA) in Henderson. The Pirate boys’ team took fourth place in the meet after SECTA, Boulder City, and Del Sol. The Moapa girls team also took fourth after SECTA, Boulder City, and Virgin Valley.
Under temperatures ranging from 105-108 degrees, runners braved the ups and downs of a hilly 5K course around the SECTA campus.
“Today’s race was a challenge,” said MVHS Girls Coach Heather Humes. “It was the beginning of the third week of the season on the most challenging course in the district!”

In the boys’ race, Pirate runner Nathaniel Thompson and Lake Mead’s Shay Rutledge were neck and neck at the finish, with Rutledge pulling ahead to finish first at 19:59.00. Thompson took second just behind him at 20:03.00.

Next for the Pirates, Jerrick Stastny placed 13th with a time of 22:47.00. Following Stastny, Nathan Waite and Zachary Anderson finished 19th and 26th with times of 23:37.00 and 24:58.00, respectively. Freshman Samuel Jolley ended his first race with a time of 25:54, coming in 34th place.

The girls’ team ran next. First to complete the race was Boulder City’s Sierra Selinger, who crossed the finish line at 24:51.00. Matilda Thompson finished first for the Pirates in 6th place with a time of 26:31.00. In 15th place, with a time of 29:11.00, was Emma Thompson. Miranda Robison and Kennadie Burt took 28th and 31st with times of 34:54.00 and 35:31.00, respectively. Gabrielle Shiozawa finished in 36th place at 37:11.00.
“I thought everybody did great!” commented Coach Gary Watkins. “Anybody that finished this race accomplished something.”

“We had ten runners complete the challenge and I am proud of them all,” added Humes. “Cross country is about overcoming the challenges that come your way and finding out what you are made of. These runners proved something to themselves today; they proved that they are tougher than they thought.”

For the second race of the week, the Pirates participated in the Labor Day Classic at Palo Verde High School on Saturday. The annual 5K event was well-attended by more than 500 runners from 25 high schools in the district.

The event began with the 9th and 10th grade boys’ race. First place was awarded to Palo Verde’s Evelio Vergara, who finished at 17:42.0. The first Pirate to cross the finish line was Jerrick Stastny, who medaled in 23rd place with a time of 19:35.7. Samuel Jolley took 58th at 20:51.7.

In the 9th and 10th grade girls’ race the top finisher was Sierra Vista’s Sarriah Brown, who concluded the race at 20:49.5. Miranda Robison was the first Pirate runner to finish, coming in 86th place at 28:56.0. Kennadie Burt took 97th with a time of 30:52.5, and Gabrielle Shiozawa finished 106th at 33:19.2.
The 11th and 12th grade boys ran next. First place went to Ian Jackson of Arbor View wiht a time of 16:44.4. The first of the Moapa Valley team to cross the finish line was Nathaniel Thompson, who took 45th at 19:21.8. In 92nd place with a time of 21:51.0 was Garrett German, followed by Nathan Waite, who placed 95th at 22:00.2. Finishing for the Pirate runners with a time of 24:51.4 was Zane Lamping, who took 128th.

In the 11th and 12th grade race for the girls, Centennial’s Alexis Gourrier took first place at 19:37.5. Matilda Thompson medaled in 24th place for the Pirates at 23:07.1. Anna Stratton then took 62nd with a time of 26:40.4, with Emma Thompson finishing 65th at 26:50.4.
Anna Stratton, a senior in her second year of running cross country, said that the course was fun to complete, even if it was different from what she remembered from running it the year before. “I can’t wait to see what the season has in store,” said Stratton.

The Pirates will compete this Saturday in the Larry Burgess Invitational at Sunset Park in Las Vegas. Come support the Moapa Valley Cross Country team!