Fallon's Ethan Smith runs toward the finish line during Saturday's regional cross country meet in Reno.
RENO — They left it all on the course, literally.
The Fallon boys cross country exploded in jubilation after the team learned it took third place at the Northern Division I-A regional meet on Saturday at Rancho San Rafael Park.
The Greenwave nipped Truckee by one point (85-86) to clinch the program’s first team state berth since the 1971, the last state title for the Fallon cross country team. Spring Creek won the team title with 49 points followed by Elko with 51. Spring Creek’s Daniel Sallee won the individual championship with a time of 17:04.
“I skipped up to fourth place and didn’t see our name,” Fallon coach Mitch Overlie said about the results after the race. “It was kind of disbelief, so I had Jordyn Rogers take a look at it for me. She confirmed it for me. It’s surreal because we’ve had a lot of injuries all year.”
Truckee had been the team Fallon coach Mitch Overlie feared most entering the meet. The Wave had not seen the Wolverines’ full squad all season, and Truckee gave Fallon all it could handle.
Truckee’s Noah Oberriter placed second, crossing the line in 17:09, while Fallon’s first runner was Nathan Schank in seventh at 17:50. Erik Endacott followed nine seconds later in 10th, while Truckee’s Nick Morgan took 12th at 18:10.
“I started a little bit hard and fell into pace,” Schank said. “I’m coming down the stretch, there was two guys I just passed and I just didn’t want to get beat.”
Tristen Thomson squeaked past Truckee’s Simeon Murphy at the finish line for 18th, although the duo each clocked an official 18:38.
Ian Wilson gave the Wolverines a brief lead, coming in 22nd, but Fallon’s Ethan Overlie (18:58) and Ethan Smith (19:05) placed 24th and 26th, respectively, to put the Wave back in front.
“I didn’t try to preach we were going to beat Elko or Spring Creek and that was really good,” Mitch Overlie said. “It started in the summer. I think it all paid off.”
Truckee’s Jared Murphy (19:21), though, nearly pulled out the comeback for the Wolverines, but could not catch Spring Creek’s Devin Hager for 30th.
As for Ethan Overlie, the Wave junior runner ran his hardest and vomited shortly after finishing the race.
“We were doing our cool downs and heard Truckee was fourth,” Schank said. “We were just jumping because we were so excited. Coach was running toward us with his arms open. I’ve been wanting to do this for four years and I finally got it.”
As for the Lady Wave, it was a difficult day as no individuals qualified for the state meet.
Patricia Leggett placed 24th with a time of 22:54 followed by Elena Murray in 28th (23:31), Dianna Martinez in 29th (23:43), Jordyn Rodgers took 35th (24:33), Adia Sommer placed 36th (24:42) and Amanda Pursley was 44th (26:24).