Sierra Lutheran freshmen John Salonites (front) and Joshua Fox sprint into the finish during the Class 1A/2A state cross country meet Saturday. The two took 10th and 11th, respectively.
Photo by Carter Eckl.
The Sierra Lutheran boys’ cross country team was well represented at the state cross country meet Saturday at Shadow Ridge Park.
Max Woelfel, William Webster, Josiah Clark, Gabriel Basek, John Salonites, Josh Fox, Chandler Ricks all qualified as a team the week prior at regionals bringing a group of six freshmen and a lone senior to the final meet of the season.
Ultimately, the Falcons took third as a unit with 53 team points behind North Tahoe (27) and Incline (29).
After taking third place as a team to qualify for the state meet Friday, October 29, the Falcons at least had a general idea of what the course was going to feature for the state meet Saturday.
Regardless, some weather rolled into the area and may have slowed some times down just a bit.
“I had a tough race,” said Woelfel, who took 22nd as an individual. “I tried my best, but it was tough today.”
Salonites and Fox ran neck-and-neck at the regional race with Fox edging out his fellow freshman.
That result flipped Saturday by a single second.
“I felt really good. It was really fun to go with him,” said Salonites of Fox.
The two were 10th and 11th, respectively, as Salonites shaved off seven seconds from his regional time.
“I think it was my best time of the season. I’ve run in this weather before so it was a little easier that way,” said Ricks.
Ricks took 30th at the state meet, cutting 21 seconds off his regional time from just over a week prior.
Sierra Lutheran’s lone senior said he is anxious to see how the Falcons progress from Saturday’s finish.
“I’m so excited to come back and see how good they get from here,” said Webster, the lone senior of the group.
Webster took 38th in 22:46 for Sierra Lutheran.
Not only will six freshmen be returning next year, there is more talent coming up to the program next fall.
“Being a freshman right now making it to state is pretty good and I got some friends back in middle school that are really fast too. So when they join, it’s going to be a fast team,” said Fox. 
(Carson High’s Ella Dooley (18) crosses the finish line during the Class 5A state cross country meet Saturday. Dooley led the Senator runners and cut nearly 80 seconds off of her time from the regional meet a week prior. / Carter Eckl)
Carson High girls cross country finished in sixth place as a unit Saturday after taking one of the final team qualifying spots for regionals.
It was Ella Dooley who crushed her regional time for the Senators, earning the top spot of any Carson runner Saturday.
Dooley, who was 22nd at the state meet in 21:38, slashed 76 seconds off her regional meet performance Saturday, taking the top spot for Carson.
McKenna Budd was next across the line for the Senators in 30th while Claire Cartier was 48th in 22:45.
Freshman Eleanor Romero took 52nd for the Senators, cutting over a minute off of her regional meet time.
Julia Kaiser and Jinnie Ponczoch finished within five seconds of each other in 62nd and 63rd, respectively.
On the Senator boys’ side, Ethan Bauerle led the way, placing 41st.
Dominic Valdez was right behind Bauerle in 45th while Carson’s third qualifier, freshman Sawyer Macy, took 55th in 19:01.
(Carson High’s Dominic Valdez (28) runs through the downhill section of Saturday’s Class 5A state meet at Shadow Mountain Park attached to Reed High School. / Carter Eckl)
Dayton’s Winward and Hoffman run
The Dust Devils’ Whitney Winward was 16th overall in the girls Class 3A section of the state meet Saturday.
Winward finished in 22:46, which was just a hair slower than her regional meet finish.
Allison Hoffman posted a 29th place finish for Dayton, completing the course nearly a minute faster than she did at the regional meet.
