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March 28, 2024 11:27 pm
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Pirate Cross Country Teams Ready To Put In The Miles

By DAVE BELCHER & VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

PHOTOS BY VERNON ROBISON/The Progress

The 2022 Cross Country teams are set for another great season.

Last year’s Pirate boys finished as the state runner-up having tied points with state champion Spring Creek at 48 points. It went to the top six runners to determine the team championship. Moapa Valley was four places behind the sixth runner from Spring Creek.

Returning to the boys’ team this year is senior Marcus Shambaugh who finished 3rd in the state last year. Shambaugh’s experience will help lead the team.

Also helping to anchor this year’s team is a new runner to Pirate cross country. Mordechai Yadegar proved himself during track season last spring and helped the Pirate team win the state title.
“With Marcus and Mordechai to lead us, we have no doubts that we will finish well,” said Watkins.

In addition, Joseph Barnes, William Anderson, Gavin Hendricks, and Isaac Thompson are also strong varsity runners who are returning to the team. Watkins said that each of these boys have already proven their ability to run with the best of any team.

“We also have a new group of freshman led by Hal Thompson who should all prove to be quality runners over the length of the season,” Watkins added.

The Pirate girls team is beginning a period of rebuilding. Gone is cross country superstar Emma Humes, who as a senior last year placed second in the state championship meet with a time of 20:35 in the final 5K race.

Also gone is the former MVHS girls coach Heather Humes who had spent the better part of a decade coaching the team. She resigned her coaching post at the end of last year to pursue other career avenues.

Enter new head coach Jody Doty. Like Humes, Doty is an MVHS alumnus who ran cross country and track for the Pirates. Doty graduated in the class of 1997, after which she ran for a time as a walk-on for Snow College in Utah.

Doty said she has a positive outlook on the upcoming season.
“We are kind of rebuilding things this,” said Doty. “We don’t have any superstars this year, so we are focusing on a full-team effort. I am excited to see how these girls score as a team.”
Returning to the team is senior Kenzie Hughes who last year took 11th in the state meet with a time of 22:17.

Also returning are sophomore Sasha Barnes and junior Beverly potts who were important parts of last year’s team.

Jorja Freeman, a senior, is returning to cross country after spending her junior year playing tennis. Freeman ran on the team previously during her freshman and sophomore years so she brings some experience to the team.

Finally, Jessa Freeman has joined the team for her first year in cross country as a sophomore.
“Most of all I want the girls to love running,” Doty said. “We certainly welcome anyone to come and run with us. If girls are out there that are looking for something to do, the can come out, have some fun and be a part of this great team.”

The teams begin competition this Friday with the Thompson Twilight meet held at Mission Hills Park in Henderson. The first big meet will be the Red Rock Invitational held at Ralph Lamb State Park on Saturday morning, Aug. 27.

The Pirates will host two cross country meets at the Clark County Fairgrounds this year. The first will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17 and the second on Tuesday, Saturday, October 11.

The state meet will be held in Boulder City this year on November 5.

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