Tackling cross country trails at Gardner Classic meet

BELEN — Cross-country runners at the Adron Gardner Classic Saturday morning were treated to ideal weather conditions, but the 3.1-kilometer course around the Belen High School campus was not as welcoming.

Any run of that distance is going to be challenging, but the mix of different surfaces can take a toll.

“On this course, you get a little bit of pavement, you get a little bit of sand,” said BHS coach Fernando Sisneros. “You get a slight incline, so they get a little bit of everything.”

According to Valencia’s Francesca Otero, a junior who finished 13th, “Oh my gosh. That sand was horrible,” pointing out one stretch.

“It’s just something you have to overcome. Each meet is different. You just have to push through it,” said Otero, who is working back into shape after being away from the sport for a while.

The changes in the course can pop up at any time.

“One ditchbank on the east side is very packed and the ditchbank on the westside is very sandy,” Sisneros mentioned.

Belen’s Lisette Sanchez, a senior, is certainly familiar with the trails.

“I look at the ground the whole time and I make sure I know what I’m going through,” said Sanchez, who came in third. “You’ve got to expect it, be smart, find the hard spots.”

Sanchez questioned her decision to wear tennis shoes instead of spikes.

Sanchez posted her best time (20:31.33) since last season before she was injured, helping the Eagles to the girls’ team title. Moriarty’s Carmen Dorsey-Spitz zipped through the course to take first (18:51.41), while Ashley Galaz of Organ Mountain, an eighth-grader, was second (20:23.41).

BHS had three other runners in the top ten: Avery Carter (20:49.44), fourth; Sara Martinez (22:11.78), sixth; and Gabriela Jaramillo (22:33.27), 10th. The top Los Lunas finisher was Ainsley McKay, 14th at 22:52.95.

For the boys’ Kobe Rodriguez of Organ Mountain (17:08.23) outdueled Los Lunas sophomore Isaac Gonzales (17:14.91) to the tape for first place, with LLHS teammate James Kilcullen fourth (17:36.21.). The Tigers finished a close second as a team, helped by Eloy Urtiaga (18:13.94) and James Martinez (18:18.47) in 13th and 14th, respectively.

“The back half of the ditchbank, I kind of died out,” Gonzales said. “It’s a little bit sandy, so it seemed to take away a little bit of my energy. The guy in front of me (Rodriguez) had a heck of a run.”

Competitors face a variety of trails throughout the season, all in preparation for the state championship, Nov. 9 at Albuquerque Academy.

“The courses that we run are all different,” said Sisneros. “Last week, in Ruidoso, was mountainous and rocky. The week before was very steep. However, when we go to Los Alamos later in the year, that’s all on the golf course. We’re at 7,000-plus feet, but it’s on a golf course, with nice rolling, grass hills.”

Girls’ team results

1. Belen, 39 points

2. Organ Mountain, 62 points

3. Mayfield, 81 points

4. Moriarty, 97 points

5. Los Lunas, 142 points

6. Centennial, 143 points

7. Socorro, 146 points

8. Las Cruces, 147 points

Boys’ team results

1. Centennial, 43 points

2. Los Lunas, 45 points

3. Organ Mountain, 49 points

4. Moriarty, 98 points

5. Belen, 138 points

6. Las Cruces, 139 points

7. Socorro, 185 points