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ENLARGE
The Incline High School girls cross country team, crowned 2009 NIAA State Champions in the 2A division.
Girls team scores
1. Incline
Total Time: 1:51:22.00
Average: 22:16.40
2. Sage Ridge
Total Time: 1:53:13.00
Average: 22:38.60
3. North Tahoe
Total Time: 1:59:39.00
Average: 23:55.80
4. Virginia City
Total Time: 2:00:48.00
Average: 24:09.60
5. Laughlin
Total Time: 2:03:04.00
Average: 24:36.80
6. Henderson Int'l
Total Time: 2:24:08.00
Average: 28:49.60
Total Time: 1:51:22.00
Average: 22:16.40
2. Sage Ridge
Total Time: 1:53:13.00
Average: 22:38.60
3. North Tahoe
Total Time: 1:59:39.00
Average: 23:55.80
4. Virginia City
Total Time: 2:00:48.00
Average: 24:09.60
5. Laughlin
Total Time: 2:03:04.00
Average: 24:36.80
6. Henderson Int'l
Total Time: 2:24:08.00
Average: 28:49.60
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ENLARGE
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Mike Sunseri ran to a second-place boys finish at the 2A meet.
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INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Briana Drago and the Incline girls captured the 2A state cross country title over defending state champ Sage Ridge with an impressive performance Saturday at Reno's Rancho San Rafael Park.
Drago, a junior, raced to a top finish in 20 minutes, 23 seconds on the 5-kilometer course to earn the individual state title. Averaging a 6:34 mile, she crossed the finish line 35 seconds in front of her next-closest competitor, Becky Grabow of Sierra Lutheran.
“Before the start I wasn't feeling too well. I was kind of hurting,” said Drago, conceding she was “really” nervous. “But once the gun went off all the nerves just kind of went away and it just came down to the race.”
The state championship marked the fourth ever for the Incline girls, and first since 2003. They won back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992, according to the NIAA Record Book.
On the boys' side of the competition, Incline senior Mike Sunseri led the Highlanders to second place as a team with a runner-up finish behind Wade Meddles of Sierra Lutheran — who's ranked 12th in the nation on prep website DyeStat.com.
“For the girls, our goal at the beginning of the season was to win state,” said Incline head coach Bill Devine. “For the boys, we wanted to be on the podium, which is the top two teams. So to pull off second was very satisfying.”
Drago's Incline girls won the title with a score of 39 to Sage Ridge's 48, which, as expected, was a relatively tight competition, Devine said.
North Tahoe's girls placed third as a team with a score of 84. Virginia City (85) was fourth, Laughlin (100) fifth and Henderson International (155) sixth.
Four Incline girls finished in the top 15, as Melanie Swick placed fifth in 21:34, Chloe Dodge was ninth in 22:10 and Katie Cochran 13th in 22:48. Drago and Swick made the All-State first team, which goes to the top seven finishers, and Dodge and Cochran made the All-State second team, which is reserved for the seventh- through 14th-place finishers.
Incline sophomore Kelsey Tokunaga raced to a gritty 24th-place finish (24:27) despite battling a flu, Devine said, while teammates Amy Lindsey finished 33rd in 25:40 and Ashley Vomund 35th in 25:58.
Sunseri posted a time of 17 minutes, 3 seconds while averaging 5:29 per mile on the 5K course.
He was one of two Incline boys to record top-five finishes, as senior Sterling Vinson came in fifth overall with a time of 18 minutes flat to earn a spot on the All-State first team.
Spencer Wilson, a sophomore, also ran a strong race for a 19th-place finish in 19:05. Both Vinson and Wilson impressed their head coach with their results.
“Sterling I think had the biggest breakout at the end of the season,” Devine said. “... It was neat to see him come through. Spencer also had his best race of the year.”
The Highlanders needed every one of their solid results, as they edged North Tahoe by a single point, 64-65, in the team competition. Sierra Lutheran, led by Meddles' top finish in a blazing 16:06 — a course record — won the team title with a low score of 32. Sage Ridge took fourth (71), Laughlin fifth (132) and West Wendover sixth (163).
Individually for Incline, sophomore Eric Baron placed 22nd in 19:15, and was followed by teammates Levi Dodge in 26th (19:28), Daniel Baron in 31st (19:42) and Mitch Comstock in 40th (21:40).
Complete results can be viewed at the NIAA website (www.niaa.com).
Drago, a junior, raced to a top finish in 20 minutes, 23 seconds on the 5-kilometer course to earn the individual state title. Averaging a 6:34 mile, she crossed the finish line 35 seconds in front of her next-closest competitor, Becky Grabow of Sierra Lutheran.
“Before the start I wasn't feeling too well. I was kind of hurting,” said Drago, conceding she was “really” nervous. “But once the gun went off all the nerves just kind of went away and it just came down to the race.”
The state championship marked the fourth ever for the Incline girls, and first since 2003. They won back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992, according to the NIAA Record Book.
On the boys' side of the competition, Incline senior Mike Sunseri led the Highlanders to second place as a team with a runner-up finish behind Wade Meddles of Sierra Lutheran — who's ranked 12th in the nation on prep website DyeStat.com.
“For the girls, our goal at the beginning of the season was to win state,” said Incline head coach Bill Devine. “For the boys, we wanted to be on the podium, which is the top two teams. So to pull off second was very satisfying.”
Drago's Incline girls won the title with a score of 39 to Sage Ridge's 48, which, as expected, was a relatively tight competition, Devine said.
North Tahoe's girls placed third as a team with a score of 84. Virginia City (85) was fourth, Laughlin (100) fifth and Henderson International (155) sixth.
Four Incline girls finished in the top 15, as Melanie Swick placed fifth in 21:34, Chloe Dodge was ninth in 22:10 and Katie Cochran 13th in 22:48. Drago and Swick made the All-State first team, which goes to the top seven finishers, and Dodge and Cochran made the All-State second team, which is reserved for the seventh- through 14th-place finishers.
Incline sophomore Kelsey Tokunaga raced to a gritty 24th-place finish (24:27) despite battling a flu, Devine said, while teammates Amy Lindsey finished 33rd in 25:40 and Ashley Vomund 35th in 25:58.
Sunseri posted a time of 17 minutes, 3 seconds while averaging 5:29 per mile on the 5K course.
He was one of two Incline boys to record top-five finishes, as senior Sterling Vinson came in fifth overall with a time of 18 minutes flat to earn a spot on the All-State first team.
Spencer Wilson, a sophomore, also ran a strong race for a 19th-place finish in 19:05. Both Vinson and Wilson impressed their head coach with their results.
“Sterling I think had the biggest breakout at the end of the season,” Devine said. “... It was neat to see him come through. Spencer also had his best race of the year.”
The Highlanders needed every one of their solid results, as they edged North Tahoe by a single point, 64-65, in the team competition. Sierra Lutheran, led by Meddles' top finish in a blazing 16:06 — a course record — won the team title with a low score of 32. Sage Ridge took fourth (71), Laughlin fifth (132) and West Wendover sixth (163).
Individually for Incline, sophomore Eric Baron placed 22nd in 19:15, and was followed by teammates Levi Dodge in 26th (19:28), Daniel Baron in 31st (19:42) and Mitch Comstock in 40th (21:40).
Complete results can be viewed at the NIAA website (www.niaa.com).
Girls individual results
Top 7 finishers = All-State first team7th through 14th = All-State second team
Place, Runner School Time
1. Briana Drago Incline 20:23
2. Becky Grabow Sierra Lutheran 20:58
3. Katrina Breithawpt Virginia City 21:26
4. Monica Herrera Sage Ridge 21:34
5. Melanie Swick Incline 21:34
6. Mary Jo Wright Wells 21:43
7. Haley Kennedy Sage Ridge 21:51
8. Tobi Steele Virginia City 22:04
9. Chloe Dodge Incline 22:10
10. Amber Rodriguez W. Wendover 22:31
11. Mariah Gramolini Silver Stage 22:38
12. Brittany Huff Henderson Int'l 22:40
13. Katie Cochran Incline 22:48
14. Kimberly Mejia Laughlin 22:55
24. Kelsey Tokunaga Incline 24:27
33. Amy Lindsey Incline 25:40
35. Ashley Vomund Incline 25:58
Boys individual results
Top 7 finishers = All-State first team7th through 14th = All-State second team
Place, Runner School Time
1. Wade Meddles Sierra Lutheran 16:06
2. Mike Sunseri Incline 17:03
3. Nathanael Williams Sierra Lutheran 17:17
4. John Robinson Whittell 17:58
5. Sterling Vinson Incline 18:00
6. Zack Dayton Sage Ridge 18:00
7. Levi Grabow Sierra Lutheran 18:05
8. Hugo Ramirez North Tahoe 18:10
9. Carson Clark North Tahoe 18:21
10. Preston Lyons Sierra Lutheran 18:33
11. Patrick McElravey North Tahoe 18:35
12. Caesar Garduno Sage Ridge 18:37
13. Chris Crawford Whittell 18:48
14. Jorgen Davidson Laughlin 18:52
19. Spencer Wilson Incline 19:05
22. Eric Baron Incline 19:15
26. Levi Dodge Incline 19:28
31. Daniel Baron Incline 19:42
40. Mitch Comstock Incline 21:40
Boys team scores
1. Sierra Lutheran
Total Time: 1:28:56 Average: 17:47.20 2. Incline Total Time: 1:32:51 Average: 18:34.20 3. North Tahoe Total Time: 1:33:40 Average: 18:44.00 4. Sage Ridge Total Time: 1:34:17 Average: 18:51.40 5. Laughlin Total Time: 1:48:07 Average: 21:37.40 6. West Wendover Total Time: 1:46:32 Average: 21:18.40 |
