Fourteen Wood River Valley prep cross-country runners sprinted to the end of the 2005 footrace season Saturday during the State 5A/4A/3A/2A meets staged for a total 694 boys and girls at Eagle Island State Park west of Boise.
Once again Community School runner Mali Noyes climbed to the podium, this time with a third-place finish in the State 2A girls' run. It was the best placing for the Wood River runners representing The Community School and Wood River.
Second last year in the same state event on a different course, Noyes (20:07) finished with the bronze behind first-time winner Lisa Romer of Valley of Hazelton (19:32) and Jaclyn Puga of Nampa Christian (19:53).
Wood River had something to brag about when junior Taylor Sundali (17:06) placed 14th of 101 runners in the State 4A boys' 3.1-mile run and junior Ashley Rendahl (20:28) was 15th of 105 girls in the State 4A girls' event.
Interestingly, there were eight first-time winners in this year's state footraces, with the fastest times of the day posted by 5A medalists Sawyer Bosch of Borah (15:59) and Dana Morgan of Boise (18:35). Morgan was doing double duty—first winning the cross country title and then playing midfield for the State 5A girls' runner-up Boise soccer team.
Schools tend to dominate in Gem State cross country and this year's state team meet was no exception.
In State 2A, Firth won its ninth consecutive boys' team championship 46-95 over Malad, and the Firth girls claimed their fourth straight title 29-62 over Soda Springs. Bear Lake of Montpelier won its third consecutive girls' 3A team title 38-77 over TimberLake and the Bear Lake boys won for a second year 22-87 over Weiser.
Bishop Kelly of Boise swept the 4A boys' and girls' team championships while Boise High School won the State 5A girls' and boys' honors.
Here are top results, with finishes for the local runners:
State 2A girls: 1—Lisa Romer (Valley soph) 19:32. 3—Mali Noyes (CommSchool junior) 20:07 (79 runners). Top teams: 1—Firth 29 points (fourth straight state title). 2—Soda Springs 62 (9 full teams).
State 2A boys: 1—Seth Clark (Grangeville senior) 16:29. 63—Trevor Boley (CommSchool soph) 19:48. 66—Max Danielson (CommSchool senior) 19:59. 69—Sean Dumke (CommSchool freshman) 20:06. 85—Sam Farnham (CommSchool freshman) 21:03. 88—Luke Anderson (Comm School freshman) 21:22 (105 runners). Top teams: 1—Firth 46 points (ninth straight state title). 2—Malad 95. 12—Community School 272 (13 full teams).
State 4A girls: 1—Bethany McInturff (Century soph) 18:56. 15—Ashley Rendahl (WR junior) 20:28. 31—Tess Dahlgren (WR junior) 21:16. 43—Rosie Gilchrist (WR freshman) 21:37. 72—Maddie Cordovano (WR freshman) 22:25. 93—Patricia McLaughlin (WR soph) 23:28. 97—Meggie Rose (WR freshman) 23:50. 103—Georgia Thies (WR soph) 25:42 (105 runners). Top teams: 1—Bishop Kelly 48 points (third straight state title). 2—Moscow 110. 10—Wood River 223 (14 full teams).
State 4A boys: 1—Licivalter Lima (Bishop Kelly soph) 16:04. 14—Taylor Sundali (WR junior) 17:06 (101 runners). Top teams: 1—Bishop Kelly 57 points (first title since 2001). 2—Hillcrest 74 (13 full teams).
State 3A girls: 1—Cydney Jacobsen (Bear Lake) 19:11 (89 runners). Top teams: 1—Bear Lake 22 points (third straight state title). 2—Weiser 87 (11 full teams).
State 3A boys: 1—Frank Lagrimanta (TimberLake junior) 16:28 (93 runners). Top teams: 1—Bear Lake 38 points (second straight state title). 2—TimberLake 77 (12 full teams).
State 5A girls: 1—Dana Morgan (Boise senior) 18:35 (64 runners). Top teams: 1—Boise 55 points (first state title since 1998). 2—Mountain View 66 (8 full teams).
State 5A boys: 1—Sawyer Bosch (Borah junior) 15:59 (58 runners). Top teams: 1—Boise 40 points (first-ever state title). 2—Borah 71 (8 full teams).
