Carson Wetzel, Eleanor Raker Look To Secure 5A Individual Titles

By John Dixon for DyeStat

Nevada's NIAA State Cross Country Championship for the Class 2A, 3A and 5A levels will be held Saturday, Nov. 4 at the challenging Rancho Rafael Park in Reno (4,500 feet elevation). The 4A Championships will be held at the equally challenging Veterans Park course in Boulder City. 

5A Boys - South Regional champion Shadow Ridge and North Regional champion Spanish Springs each dominated their respective areas of the state. Shadow Ridge won last year's state title by a single point over Reno. Shadow Ridge junior Carson Wetzel’s 16:02 was one of the top times ever posted at Veterans Park. At Reno’s Rancho San Rafael park, Carson junior Sawyer Macy won with a 16:41.

5A Girls - South Regional champion Bishop Gorman and North Regional champion Carson both had relatively easy wins. Carson placed five in the top nine and will be tough to beat. Individually, Galena’s Eleanor Raker is the odds on favorite as she goes for her third consecutive state title. She’ll be challenged by the South champion, freshman Ryen Hughes from Shadow Ridge.

4A Boys - Without a 4A North, this will be a standalone meet at Veterans Park. Somerset Sky Point will go in as the favorite, winning its region by 42 points. Individually, look for Sierra Vista’s Nathan Nations and Sky Point’s region runner-up, Carter Prater, to battle for the title.

4A Girls-  Once again it’s Somerset Sky Point. The Lady Eagles scored a perfect 15 to win the regional meet by 51 points. Sky Point senior Elliot Davidson had a 27-second cushion over the next best runner and is the overwhelming state meet favorite.

3A Boys - Moapa Valley won the team title by 28 points placing five in the top seven and were led by junior Mordechai Yadegar II. Northern champion Spring Creek won by 16 points. Look for Moapa Valley's superior depth to bring the state championship to the South.

3A Girls - The North should continue its 3A girls state dominance. Tahoe-Truckee and Spring Creek looked very strong with only six points separating them at the regional. The South only had two complete teams with Pahrump Valley claiming the title. The top 10 girls in the North were all underclassmen and were led by sophomore Lyla Landy from South Tahoe.

2A Boys - Lincoln County scored a perfect 15 as it won the South by 60 points. North Tahoe won the North by 25 points. Incline’s defending state champion, Noah McMahan, won by 61 seconds and should dominate the field.

2A Girls - North Tahoe scored a perfect 15 and will be heavily favored over South champion Lake Mead Christian. North champion Britta Johnson from North Tahoe will look to defend her 2022 championship.