Carson High Girls and Boys Cross Country dominated Regionals last Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, at Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno. The girls defended their Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) North 5A team title, with all seven runners placing in the top 14, and Sawyer Macy earned the title of NIAA Regional Champion by winning the overall boys North 5A title.
Sophomore Hannah Budd lead the girls team for the win with a third-place finish followed by sophomore Vea Miner in sixth, sophomore Brianna Rodriguez-Nunez in seventh, junior Jinnie Ponczoch in eighth, sophomore Madison Hager in ninth, junior Eleanor Romeo in thirteenth and freshman Anna Shane in fourteenth.
As a team, the boys placed third overall with junior Sawyer Macy in first place, sophomore Sean Thornton in sixth, junior Alex Miner in fourteenth, sophomore Nate Freed in nineteenth, freshman Quinn Kuchnicki in thirty-second, freshman Ivan Romeo in forty-third and sophomore Mark Walther in forty-eighth.
In addition to their performances Friday, the boys team was named NIAA’s 5A Academic State Champions earlier this month for averaging a team Grade Point Average of 3.73.
Both teams will compete for the NIAA state cross country title this Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, again at Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno.
Photo Cutlines:
Girls NIAA North 5A Regional Champions left to right: Brianna Rodriguez-Nunez, Hannah Budd, Vea Miner, Eleanor Romeo, Madison Hager, Jinnie Ponczoch and Anna Shane.
Boys NIAA North 5A Top Seven Finishers: Sawyer Macy (Carson), Peyton Miller (Spanish Springs), Kole Steele (Galena), Eric Ortega-Gammill (Reno), Hunter Steele (Galena), Sean Thornton (Carson) and James Peachey (McQueen).