Just like last October, Valley's Lisa Romer and The Community School's Mali Noyes finished 1-2 among girls in the state-qualifying Fourth District 2A prep cross country race Thursday at Albion.
Both qualified for the State 2A footrace scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29 at Eagle Island State Park west of Boise. The 2A start their 3.1-mile trek at 1:30 p.m. followed at 2:30 p.m. Saturday by the 2A boys.
Romer (20:29), a sophomore, and junior Noyes (21:12) will return to the state meet where they had good finishes last October at Soda Springs—Noyes placing second to Firth's Lacey Holder and Romer in fifth.
The big news for coach Rick Kapala and Abi Holt's Cutthroats Thursday at Albion was the fact that a Sun Valley boys' cross country team qualified for state for the first time.
Oakley (32 points) won the five-school boys' team meet but the Cutthroats placed third (68 points) and made state as a full team—a distinction that only goes to the top-finishing teams.
Holt said, "They are thrilled to be going to state. And it was a big deal to qualify as a team without Mike Matteson, our top runner who didn't compete because of back problems."
Placing seventh and 12th of 33 boys' varsity runners for the Cutthroats at Albion were Conor Davis and Trevor Boley. Holt said, "Conor and Trevor both had really good races."
The only disappointment was Marissa Dreyer not making state as an individual, Holt said. "Marissa had her best race and got a medal for placing 10th, but she didn't make it because they only took the top third of individuals and there were only 21 girls running."
Next Tuesday is the Community School's Fall Sports Banquet at 6:30 p.m. in the Limelight Room of Sun Valley Inn. Results from Albion:
Fourth District 2A boys' team results (top three qualify for state): 1—Oakley 32. 2—Valley 63. 3—Community School 68. 4—Bliss 81. 5—Wendell 88.
Top state qualifiers, boys: 1—Jackson Burk (Bliss) 17:38. 2—Harlie Amy (Richfield) 17:49. 3—William Rose (Oakley) 18:32. 4—Rialey Hawkes (Oakley) 18:33. 5—Ryan Kingsland (Oakley) 18:44. 7—Conor Davis (CS) 19:20. 12—Trevor Boley (CS) 20:02. 18—Sam Farnham (CS) 21:00. 20—Max Danielson (CS) 21:22. 21—Sean Dumke (CS) 21:24. 26—Luke Anderson (CS) 23:34 (33 runners).
Fourth District 2A girls' team results (top team qualifies for state): 1—Valley 19. 2—Oakley 40.
Top state qualifiers, girls: 1—Lisa Romer (Valley) 20:29. 2—Mali Noyes (CS) 21:12. 3—Chelsea McEwen (Valley) 21:46. 4—Megan Bullers (Valley) 22:03. 5—Lydia Bjornn (Hansen) 22:43. Just missed state: 10—Marissa Dreyer (CS) 24:10 (21 runners).
