Senator boys take regional XC crown

Friday afternoon’s Class 5A North regional cross country race was a testament to the spirit of the Carson High School boys cross country team.

A regional cross country team title had been circled on the Senators’ goal sheet all season and Friday the team was able to check that off with authority.

The Senators put together 34 points as a team, with only second place Galena (43) even finishing in the same conversation.

It marks Carson’s first regional title as a team since 2018.

Five Carson harriers put on a dominant showing finishing in the top 15.

Junior Sean Thornton led the way with a second place finish as an individual in 16:28, completing the regional meet behind only the individual champion – senior Peyton Miller of Spanish Springs.

“I am so happy we managed to put this together. I know all of us have put in work to make this the best possible season we can and I think we really showed up for this race,” said Thornton.

A contingent of Senator runners chased Thornton over the final downhill stretch and through the finish line.

Carson senior Sawyer Macy took third in 16:35 while fellow senior Alex Miner was sixth in 16:43.

Sophomores Quinn Kuchnicki (17:00) and Seth Chalmers (17:37) crossed the line in the eighth and 15th spots, respectively.

“I don’t think words can describe how good all of us feel right now,” said Miner after the race. “I’m really proud of everyone. We all put in the work and we really deserve it.”

Nate Freed and Ivan Romeo both had solid races as well and though their scores don’t count in Carson’s team total, the results of the Senators’ final two runners helped displace points for every other team.

Freed finished the afternoon in 24^th place with a time of 17:56 while Romeo was 30^th in 18:16.

“At the beginning of the season, we had a few guys injured. …It’s been a shaky season for all of us. It’s been a roller coaster. I am just so glad that all of our boys managed to stick this out, get here and get it done," said Macy. 

The Rancho San Rafael course holds no secrets for the Senators after years of competing through the fall colors, slightly muddy terrain and deceptively long hills.

Strategy is always at the forefront of any Senator team and Friday’s regional meet was no different.

“This is a killer course,” said Thornton. “Kids will go out way too fast cause you have a downhill start, but these two hills are savage. … I knew that if I took it comfortable for the first few miles and then come in toward the finish and hit the last hill hard, I could pull ahead.”

The Carson team will compete at the Class 5A state meet at Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City Saturday, Nov. 2.

(Carson High’ Sean Thornton crosses the finish line in second place Friday afternoon, during the Class 5A North regional cross country race. Thornton was second overall in 16:28 as the Senators won their first regional team title since 2018. Carter Eckl / Nevada Appeal)

RICKS HEADS TO STATE IN FINAL SEASON WITH FALCON XC

Sierra Lutheran senior Chandler Ricks is also no stranger to the Rancho San Rafael course that held Friday’s Class 2A North regional meet.

The Falcon runner was sixth as an individual in 18:34, averaging exactly six minutes per mile.

“It’s pretty flat so that’s nice. It’s a fast course,” said Ricks. “I had a good one (race). I PR’d by just shy of 30 seconds. One last time (making state). Vegas here I come.”

Ricks led his teammates into the finish as Elias Woelfel was 23^rd overall in 20:03, Daniel Poole was 31^st (20:59) and Camden McSweeney took 33^rd (21:10).

Scott Schroder (39^th), Jason Wlaschin (41^st) and Cameron Bourne (54^th) were the final three Falcon runners to cross the line at Friday’s regional meet.

(Sierra Lutheran’s Chandler Ricks, left, comes across the finish line, during the Class 2A North regional cross country meet Friday. Ricks took sixth place as an individual and qualified for the state meet this weekend in Las Vegas. Carter Eckl / Nevada Appeal)