This year's Idaho High School Activities Association's State Cross Country running championships brought 680 Gem State runners including 14 from the Wood River Valley to Freeman Park's 3.1-mile course in Idaho Falls Saturday.
Senior Pedro Morales (17:17) and sophomore Chase Caulkins (17:18) of Hailey's Wood River High School posted the top finishing times among Wood River Valley boys. Junior Julia Bowman (20:43) of Wood River and Community School junior Bronwen Raff (21:50) topped the local girls.
Morales and Caulkins, running together, finished 11-12 in the 93-runner State 4A footrace at Idaho Falls for coaches James Foster and Joel Zellers. Bowman improved 28 seconds from last year to place 22nd of 89 4A girls. District champion Raff was 11 seconds faster than last year in placing 21st among 2A girls.
Only the top 20 runners in each class received medals so Morales and Caulkins brought home some individual hardware while Bowman and Raff just missed their state medals.
Returning Wolverine state qualifiers Rosie Gilchrist (21:42, 21 seconds better than last year) and Maddie Cordovano (22:35, 1:18 faster) also improved their state finishes.
Gem State running dynasties reigned Saturday as the Bishop Kelly girls (4A) and Bear Lake girls (3A) captured their fifth consecutive state team championships. The Bear Lake boys (3A) and Boise girls (5A) earned their third straight titles. Soda Springs' girls (2A) repeated as state champion. And the Firth boys (2A) made it 10 state titles in 11 years.
The Twin Falls boys (5A) won their first state championship in 31 years. Preston's boys, reigning Great Basin Conference 4A champions, won their first 4A title to go with four State 3A titles in 1994 and 200-02.
Posting the fastest boys' and girls' times Saturday were the two 5A winners—Boise sophomore Eric Fitzpatrick (16:05) and Kinsey Gomez of Coeur d'Alene (17:56).
Meanwhile, Bear Lake senior Cydney Jacobsen (19:21) won her third consecutive 3A girls' state title. Declo (3A) senior Matt Jones (16:46) was the only Fourth District individual winner. Senior Aaron Jenkins (16:31) gave Century its fourth different 4A state winner in six years.
Here are local state results:
4A boys: 1—Aaron Jenkins (Century senior) 16:31. 2—David Fillmore (Burley junior) 16:43. 3—Taylor Bean (Burley junior) 16:47. 11—Pedro Morales (WR senior) 17:17. 12—Chase Caulkins (WR sophomore) 17:18 (93 runners). Team totals: 1—Preston 66 (first-ever 4A boys title). 2—Hillcrest 86. 3—Pocatello 112. 4—Burley 116 (12 teams).
4A girls: 1—Megan Bartlett (Sandpoint junior) 18:29. 2—Kaylee Campbell (Preston junior) 18:56. 3—Bethany McInturff (Century senior) 19:01. 22—Julia Bowman (WR junior) 20:43. 40—Rosie Gilchrist (WR junior) 21:42. 57—Brooke Bowers (WR freshman) 22:24. 60—Heidi Bergt (WR senior) 22:25. 62—Lacie Anderson (WR senior) 22:34. 63—Maddie Cordovano (WR junior) 22:35. 64—Madie Deffe (WR junior) 22:37 (89 runners). Team totals: 1—Bishop Kelly (fifth straight 4A girls' title) 38. 2—Preston 40. 3—Century 137. 9—Wood River 218 (12 teams).
2A boys: 1—Zeke Wilson (Challis senior) 16:41. 2—Ryan Kingsland (Oakley junior) 16:55. 34—Sam Farnham (CS junior) 18:51. 43—Sean Dumke (CS junior) 19:00. 76—Scott Phelan (CS junior) 19:57 (104 runners). Team totals: 1—Firth (10th boys 2A title in 11 years) 66. 2—Soda Springs 86 (13 teams).
2A girls: 1—Bailee Siepert (Soda Springs sophomore) 20:03. 2—Megan Oberst (Nampa Christian senior) 20:25. 21—Bronwen Raff (CS junior) 21:50. 45—Marissa Dreyer (CS senior) 23:25 (81 runners). Team totals: 1—Soda Springs 23 (2nd straight 2A girls' title. 2—Firth 72 (9 teams).
