The Hilltopper Girls show off their 1st place trophy in the Championship Varsity race. From left, Anna Wetteland, Mila Moseley, Lena Ronning, Rebecca Beaux, Lucy Kelley, Grace Montoya and Ensley Jorgenson. Photo by Blake Wood

Junior Mikey Bane takes a turn at high speed in the Boys Championship Varsity race. Photo by Blake Wood

By BLAKE WOOD
Assistant Coach
Hilltopper XC

The Los Alamos High School (LAHS) Cross Country teams distinguished themselves against some of the best teams in New Mexico, across all classifications Saturday at the Rio Rancho Jamboree.

The Hilltopper Girls won the Championship Varsity race, which only a limited subset of varsity teams competed in, with 76 points to runner-up Rio Rancho’s 122 points. Leading the ‘Toppers over the hilly and sandy 5k course was freshman Grace Montoya, who finished 6th overall in a time of 20:10. She was followed by junior Rebecca Beaux (14th, 20:45), freshman Ensley Jorgenson (15th, 20:47), senior Anna Wetteland (18th, 20:48), and sophomore Mila Moseley (23rd, 21:03) to complete the scoring quintet.  Senior Lucy Kelley and junior Lena Ronning completed the Topper varsity team, contributing to the result by pushing other team’s runners back to higher scores.

The Hilltopper Boys were running light, with only five of their usual seven varsity runners available and did not get onto the podium. Nevertheless, there was some fine racing accomplished, led by junior Duane Sena, who placed 6th overall in a time of 16:44. He was followed by senior Grafton Urbatsch (40th, 17:40), senior Armando Inbody (42nd, 17:44), junior Mikey Bane (54th, 18:11) and junior Eddie Gartz (67, 18:25).

Like their varsity teammates, the Hilltopper JV Girls also dominated the competition to win their race with 46 points to runner-up Cleveland’s 71 points. The Topper JV Girls were led by freshmen Amelia Hill and Elizabeth Buck, who finished in 3rd and 4th places in times of 22:35 and 22:37, respectively.

In the closest-scoring race of the day, the Hilltopper JV Boys narrowly placed 2nd to a strong Cleveland squad, with 50-58. The were led by the trio of Andy Enriquez, Brayden Allen and Sam Prada in 8th, 9th, and 10th places and times of 18:54, 18:57, and 18:57, respectively.

Next up, the Hilltopper Varsity and JV squads travel to Northglenn, Colo. to compete in the Pat Amato Invite Friday, Oct. 6, while the C-teams compete in the JV race at the John Grimley Invite, sponsored by Santa Fe Indian School Saturday, Oct. 7.

Freshman Amelia Hill was the top Topper in the Girls JV race, finishing in 3rd place overall. Photo by Blake Wood

Senior Lucy Kelley had one of the best relative performances of the day in the Girls Championship Varsity race, covering the sandy, very hilly Rio Rancho course in a faster time than she had posted on the flat Joe Vigil Invite course two weeks prior. Photo by Blake Wood 

Junior Andy Enriquez led the Topper JV Boys in 8th place overall. Photo by Blake Wood