NM Rankings

[tough guy]

New Mexico is teaming with a group of teams that are all bottled neck at the top and the question arises other than Academy (who is a clear number 1 in the region) where do the rest of the teams fit. Los Alamos beginning ranked 7 and 8 respectively is a great compliment to the Hipwoods and what the have developed and earned the respect of the region.

On the boys side is Rio Rancho. they were ranked 10th in the region for a short time last year and they return all there guys except number 5 and they averaged about a :45 to 1 min between 1-7. Gallup pulled off an amazing upset at the state meet last year and return 5 of 7 and loss numbers 2 and 7 Cibola has the potential to be great if the get the transfer eligble(he finished 9th last year) and keep their guys healty due to a lack of quality depth, they return on 9:50 two milers from last years squad. Eldorado has matt tebo which speaks for its self so you are running 5 against there 4 and they have good young talent. Sandia has the legendary coach curtis Williams from gallup who won multiple state titles, he returns all his guys who are well experinced seniors they could mix things up. And that is leaving out Los Alamos and La Cueva who are traditional powerhouses.

Ranking for NM(Boys)
1. Academy
2. Rio Rancho
3. Gallup
4. Cibola
5. Eldorado


As for the girls Academy and Eldorado will battle out to see who is the best of new mexico. Both returning their entire teams and adding some new fresh talent. Academy has a new coach, so we will have to see what she implements to continue the charger success. But you can never count out the gallup girls who are on a 9 year streak of state titles and will most definitely be in the mix again this year. After those 3 you can put in Los Alamos, St. Mike, Rio Rancho, and Sandia.

NM Rankings(Girls)
1. Academy
2. Eldorado
3. Gallup
4. Los Alamos
5. Rio Rancho

[mountainman]

thats just about how I figure things. Only difference is I have Gallup and Rio Rancho flip flopped on the boys side. Team wise I think Academy will earn a NTN trip on the boys side and I could actually see both Academy and Eldorado going on the girls side if Academy performs well at Liberty Bell(Eldorado can't travel out of state). Individually will be exciting too. Tebo is a national title contender but I could see Martin or Johnson possibly making footlocker with strong NTN races assuming they are doing the same qualifying procedure as last time. On the girls side, Brasher and Amer could make footlocker with strong races. Its great to see the talk about Tebo and Academy but really the whole state is looking very strong this year.

[NM Runner]

It will be very hard for the NM Girls to get into NTN. Of course everyone is making rather blind predictions at this point. Most of the rankings will be settled after the UNM and Liberty Bell meets. The one obvious point is that how St. Mikes and Academy perfomes at the Liberty Bell will determine if any NM team makes it to Portland Meadows. Anythink short of a top 3 performance at the Liberty Bell will shut the state out. These two teams will have to determine how important that race is for them.

Girls Pre-Season: 1.Academy 2.Eldo 3. Gallup 4.Los Alamos 5.ST. Mikes (this team will be much better by the end of the year.)

As for the Boys, Academy will run a tough schedule and prove that they belong. The other teams in the state are just jockeying for State position and the 5A trophy. If a team thinks they can go to NTN in NM they must defeat Academy and lately no one does that.

Boys: 1.Academy 2.LaCueva 3.Gallup 4.Rio Rancho 5.Cibola (Cibola jumps to two if the transfer student becomes eligible)

[rippev]

la cueva number 2? please, please explain your logic

[wizard05]

Gallup will also be attending the Liberty Bell Invitational.

[NM Runner]

LC had an amazing sophomore class a year ago and their results at state are probably an aberration. Travis Clark is an excellent coach and the Bears had trouble adapting from the rather "lax" Hellebuyck to the strict Clark. Besides making bold predictions is what the preseason is about. It is easy to pick gthe defending 5A champs.

[mountainman]

I just got back from the Albuquerque High meet. I must say that La Cueva looked very strong with Everett sitting out. If he's healthy they are gonna be very tough to beat in 5A. Eldorado sat out Tebo but had sophomore Bryce Palmer win the race. Still look to be hurting in the depth department though with many runners too far back. On the girls side Eldorado completely dominated with 6 of the top 7. Only Valley's Elba Holguin was able to break a perfect score with a 4th place finish. Apparently she was later disqualified but I'm not sure why. Surprise of the meet was Freshman Kristy Hannah who was Eldorado's 6th and still within 70 seconds of the winner Julie Brasher. Adds even more depth to the team. Any other results from other meets? Del Norte's Invite? Moriarty?

[RedArmy]

Del Norte Invite-

Albuquerque Academy 37, Sandia 53, Cibola 62... 12 teams.

Anthony Roybal-Cibola 18:14, Drew Rasmussen-Cibola 18:21, Todd Nickerson-Sandia 18:32, Academy 4,5,6,7 and 15th. No Dustin Martin (#1) college visit - or Ben Johnson (#2) being cautious with slight injury - full squad next week at UNM.

Girls- Academy 33 to 88 over Sandia. Callie Osborn-Sandia 21:57, Academy 2nd,3rd,4th: L. Harper, A. Throckmorton, P. Throckmorton

[wizard05]

Alamosa Invite

Boys Team: (15 Teams)
Los Alamos 29, St. Michael's 58, Center CO 142
Individual:
1) Allen Pittman LA 16:31, 2) Mike Hart SM 16:34, 3) Gareth Gilina LA 16:47 4) Mike Schmidt Pueblo W 16:49, 5 Edwin Cruz Del Norte 16:55, 6) Nathan Romero LA 16:57, 7 Kyle Pittman LA 17:07, 8) Nico Mora SM 17:07 9) Saul Martinez Center 17:08, 10) Trevor Serrao SM 17:10
NM Teams: All looked to be at full strength!

Girls Team: (15 Teams)
Los Alamos 51, Pojoaque 54, St. Michael's 90
Individual:
1) Lindsey Sawards Alamosa 18:57, 2) Anna Harshall Pueblo W 18:57, 3) Tess Amer SM 19:32, 4) Holly Walker LA 19:39, 5) Camille Martinez POJ 19:47, 6) Sophia Torrez POJ 19:48, 7) Megan Stockton LA 20:00 8) Kate Norskog SM 20:03 9) Kelci Johnston Pueblo W 20:17, 10) Anna Trugman LA 20:20
NM Teams: None appeared to have everyone running!

[gotigers]

anyone have the results for the albuquerque academy races that have taken place this season?

[rippev]

anyone have the results for the albuquerque academy races that have taken place this season?

look up about 3 posts..

[mountainman]

after the first week of results I'd say that La Cueva and Sandia are looking better than I expected. Eldorado and Cibola a little weaker. The jury is still out on Gallup, Rio Rancho, and Los Alamos as there wasn't anyone to really compare to in their meets. Oh, and nobody will touch Academy.

Girls side Eldorado looks a lot stronger than Academy right now but I know Academy came on really strong at the end of the year last year. Hard to tell on everyone else. Sandia looks good, La Cueva looks better than last year. Still gonna be Eldorado vs Gallup in 5A and Academy vs Los Alamos in 4A though.

[rippev]

i hate how dyestat says El Dorado. It's Eldorado. just thought it was annoying

[rippev]

On the boys side is Rio Rancho. they were ranked 10th in the region for a short time last year and they return all there guys except number 5 and they averaged about a :45 to 1 min between 1-7.

this is wrong they lost dan bueno who got 14th at state last year.

[NMFAST]

From the training schedules that I have heard other schools are following--I would expect teams like Sandia/Rio Rancho/Cibola are peaking to early-So we shall see but doing two interval sessions a week this early-- leaves the door wide open. Looking at the UNM invite Academy is completely the number one team and they do their training right. However I would venture to say we haven't seen the last of Gallup or La Cueva. Gallup is always dangerous and I would look for them to sneak in and win it all.

[KS Roadrunna]

That would depend on what type of intervals they're doing. Intensity, length, recovery...etc. Many good teams run intervals twice a week all season & peak just fine. It's just a matter of how you adjust those sessions as the season progresses.

[abqscene]

i would speculate that curtis williams' record at gallup indicates that he knows how to peak his team in november. personally, i expect sandia to be tough late.

eldorado, cibola, and la cueva all have relatively young coaches with less experience, but i expect them to field competitive late season teams for years to come.

gallup (boys and girls) proved last year that coach martinez knows how to prepare his teams for late season competition.

throw rio rancho into the mix and 2006 should be another exciting year in 5A.

[KS Roadrunna]

Exactly what I thought when I saw Sandia listed. Perhaps NMFast is just praying for this to happen.

[505runner]

dont forget that La Cueva's coach was Matt Tebo's former coach and he turned out pretty good

[NM Runner]

Last year and this will prove to be the most exciting for the big school division. I believe all of the coaches of the top teams are intelligent and that it may come down to the team that stays healthy. Jimmy Butler could not keep Velarde from falling last year in the state race if she doesn't he has his first state title and possibly a trip to NTN. + his job is made more difficult by the "other" coaches in Eldorado who have a constant influence on his team. Travis Clark is one of the most knowledgable coaches out there don't let his age fool you. And Coach Henry from Cibola is of course a Henry and something has deffinatly rubbed off. Larry Chavez of Rio Rancho is a proven vet who has driven the team concept into his gang. As it was already noted Galen Mtz did a great job getting Gallup ready for state. And finally, even though there is friction between some of the Sandia Runners and their legendary coach I believe they will be ready come november.

[NMFAST]

I am not praying for any of the teams to fall on hard times-or struggle-Its just Gallup is always in the hunt-never count them out. I really want state to be a great race and I think it will be. Good Luck to all the teams.

[gvd]

I do not think La Cueva will be a factor this season or for a while. "lax" does not explain the previous state championship program and their program that has slipped tremendously. How the boys went from state champs to not on the podium and the girls from 2nd to 10th in 2005 in 1 year is beyound comprehension. That is not "lax", and if you ask most LA Cueva runners they will agree, there is alot of chaos in the program and a lack of faith. And this years UNM meet with Everett, shows that the young Travis Clark who by the way never really coached Tebo, he coached the rest of the team.Tebo had his own program and agenda. 5A, Boys 1 Sandia 2. Rio Rancho 3. Gallup. Girls 1. Eldoreado, 2 Sandia 3. Gallup.

[mountainman]

[QUOTE=gvd]Travis Clark who by the way never really coached Tebo, he coached the rest of the team.Tebo had his own program and agenda. [QUOTE]

this is completely untrue. Tebo, despite how good he is, has always been coached by whomever was Eldorado's coach at the time. Chip Smith, Travis Clark, and Jimmy Butler have all been his coach. The drop in La Cueva's performance is concerning but there is always a transition period from new coach to old coach even if both are competent coaches. La Cueva has an incredible Junior class and the true test will be to see how they perform this year and the next. The girls team is much improved over last year as well. Maybe not to the level they were but not 10th in the state.

[NMFAST]

La cueva has slipped but this last weekend at the Manzano meet I saw them compete. The boys moved up and still lost to Sandia, but much improved over UNM. The girls ran alot better despite a terrible start they put 7 girls in the top ten. so well see if they do show up.

[rippev]

La cueva has slipped but this last weekend at the Manzano meet I saw them compete. The boys moved up and still lost to Sandia, but much improved over UNM. The girls ran alot better despite a terrible start they put 7 girls in the top ten. so well see if they do show up.


they ran well but they didn't really race against anybody..(the LC girls)

[NM Runner]

Over the last two years 5A (Boys) in NM has been really special. I believe the difference between 1st place (Gallup last year) and 5th place was minimal. To put all that on the Coach is absurd. Gallup went from runner up in distict to state champs in a week last year, they looked flat at UNM and at state they looked perfectly fresh. I think that the Gallup Runner have now (and before with Curtis Williams) totally bought into the concept that is being pushed by their coach and are succeeding. I believe that when Clark land Williams can win over their younger runners they will see similar success. Transition can be tough.

[abqscene]

gvd,

you lose all credibility when you refer to the last coach at la cueva, who was an immoral, drug cheat. la cueva did win a state championship during that time, but i'd argue that coach murray and highland's near win that year was much more impressive.

three questions to consider. 1. is coach clark enthusiastic? 2. is coach clark knowledgable about training? 3. does he treat his athletes in a fair manner? if the answer is 'yes' to all three questions, then i would suggest that the problems at la cueva are a result of the athletes and/or parents and not the coaching.

[KS Roadrunna]

I had the priveledege of talking to Coach Clark a few times when our teams competed against eachother. He knows what he's doing & is a great guy. Give him time. You can't expect someone to jump into a program & make things happen instantly. Someone mentioned something about a team winning state & then not coming close to that the next year. It happens, usually because you have nothing but seniors on varsity. Sometimes though it is injuries, people quitting, moving, etc. If Hellebyuck would'nt have brought in his son & Kiptoo in 2003, they sure as hell wouldn't have finished 3rd in XC or defended that track championship.

[mountainman]

Really I think there are 6 teams that can win state in boys 5A still. Sandia has looked the best early being led by 5 seniors but they had injury issues last year. If they stay healthy they will be hard to knock down for anyone. Gallup is looking suprisingly strong for this early which may be bad news for the rest of the state as they traditionally come on strong at the end of the year. Not hosting the state meet may affect them but I wouldn't bet on it. Cibola has a great 1-2 punch and it looks like their supporting cast is stepping up to make for a great team. Still no word on Crosby. Rio Rancho was without Mondragon at UNM who is solidly their #2 as he showed at Belen. They will still need the best #5 in the state if they want to win it all, which they might have. La Cueva was without the services of a healthy Everett at UNM but he looked like he's making progress at Manzano last weekend. Put him near the front with a strong support and they will be great. Eldorado has gotten stronger each week. Tebo will win state and B. Palmer should be top 10. Their supporting cast is young and inexperienced but they will get better as they learn to race as the season goes on. At Academy this friday we will see Sandia, Gallup, La Cueva, and Eldorado go at it. Add Academy and Los Alamos for a great meet. Should give a better idea of how 5A is shaping up.

[nmrunner]

Great run down, very knowledgable, how about the girls side?

[KS Roadrunna]

Where is state this year? Never thought I'd see the day it wouldn't be at Red Rock.

[mountainman]

Girls 5A is all about Eldorado right now. They were impressive at UNM and have 6 runners within 60 seconds of the top returner in the state. Kristy Hannah adds the depth they lacked last year and should result in a state championship team. But not so fast, Eldorado was killing Gallup at this point in the season last year as well. Jordan Brown can run with anyone Eldorado has and their 2, 3, 4 were only 30 seconds back from Eldorado's at UNM. A gap that they have shown can shrink to 0 by state. They really need a 5th right now but I have to imagine someone will step up as they have such a large and deep team. Sandia is looking strong with the Osborns up front. Callie is a state champion contender and her sister is an all-state contender. I'm assuming Sandia sat at least their top 3 this last weekend and there aren't injury issues. If Gallup stumbles, I could see Sandia passing them. Carlsbad is a mystery. I have not seen any results from them thus far. Obviously the Castillos will be tough. Whether they will be State Champion type tough or just 10th tough I don't know. If Carlsbad picks up some depth from either new faces or big improvements they will be up with Sandia and Gallup. Then there's La Cueva and Rio Rancho. Neither has a front runner like the above mentioned teams but both can sport a 30 second pack time. Expect to see a lot of Blue/White and Blue/Green between 15th and 40th at state. This will push back the scoring runners of teams that lack depth. Lastly, Clovis might be a mystery team. They are led by Caitlin Waters who had a superb track season. If they added some depth they will be good as well. We'll see on Friday if Eldorado can continue their dominating ways and if Gallup has found a 5th yet.

[mountainman]

State is at Rio Rancho this year. I'm sad to see it leave Red Rock but after they took all the hills out the course wasn't near as fun. What kind of impact this will have on the results is yet to be seen. I doubt it really does anything physically but I know many Albuquerque teams would mentally think Gallup had an advantage which of course gave them one.

[KS Roadrunna]

Interesting, thanks! I know a lot of people made it out to Gallup to watch the state meet, but with it being in Albuquerque it should have even more. Should be interesting to see what kind of crowd is there. There's nothing like running in a cross country race with the entire course lined with fans on both sides of you.

[abqscene]

i hope the abq area supports this meet. the gallup-area community really turned out in big numbers. they seem to appreciate the sport of cross country as well as any part of our state.

[NM Runner]

Here are some results for Carlsbad. First meet of the year at Clovis. As you can see Brandi ran well but Brittany was off of the pace. Also Clovis defeated Carlsbad while Rio Rancho defeated both squads easily. I don't believe that either squad (Clovis, Carlsbad) are a threat to win a trophy at this time. Clovis followed this performance by getting drilled at a small texas meet (not promising for the south)

Mike Boit Invitational: Eastern New Mexico University 9/2/06

Girls Team:
1.Rio Rancho 43;
2.Clovis 78;
3.Carlsbad 80;
4. Artesia 120;
5. Hobbs 138;
8Teams Total

Girls Individual:
1.Brandi Castillo (carlsbad) 18:38;
2.Catlan Watters (clovis) 19:40;
3.Jenna Padilla (rio rancho) 19:52
4.Brittney Castillo (carlsbad) 20:03;
5. no name (gateway) 20:04;
6. Raquel Cuaderes (rio rancho) 20:15;
7.Michelle Shank (clovis) 20.17;
8.Tamara Lementino (rio rancho) 20.40
9. Nicole Johnson (clovis) 20.47;
10. Brittney Cruickshank (rio rancho) 20.48

[KS Roadrunna]

fyi, that's actually at Portales, on a golf course. Clovis has a decent cross course with about a 1/2 mile hill between the mile & 2mile marks.

[mountainman]

looks like state is coming down to Rio Rancho, Gallup, and Albuquerque teams for both boys and girls then. Brandi looks like she might contend for the title but I thought Brittney and Caitlin would be much faster. They are gonna have to work to finish in the top 10.

[NM Runner]

FYI: I know that ENMU is in Portales but the meet was held in Clovis. Thanks for the attempted corrrection.

http://www.enmusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=37841&SPID=3128&DB_OEM_ID=8200&ATCLID=590832

[KS Roadrunna]

Yep, that is definitely Ned Houk. Thanks, I guess I haven't kept up on things as much as I thought.

[gvd]

I am currently on the La Cueva team, and it is not the same program anymore which makes me sad. Hellebuck did not "recruit" his son, and beleive me they investigated Kiptoo to death to ensure he was not recruited, but nice try. After Marion Jones A/B episode they are
looking at no longer using that test and giving Eddie some 6 figure settlement that is in the works. But what does that have to do with coach Clark? Why did Eldorado girls and Tebo improve so much when Coach Clark left? Some of the top runners did not even return to La Cueva's program. Your right the athletes and parents are part of the problem, but why was that not a problem for the previous coach. Sandia, Eldorado and Gallup had coaching changes and immediate success. I am sticking with my picks, and Coach Curtis at Sandia is amazing. With the course now being at Rio Rancho my picks change Boys 1. Sandia 2. Rio Rancho 3. Gallup
Girls 1. Eldorado going to NTN afterwards 2. Gallup 3. Sandia or rio Rancho

4A Acadamy boys going to NTN and Academy Girls

[KS Roadrunna]

Improve so much when he left? Perhaps you didn't see Tebo go from 20th in cross country to 2nd in the 3200 in the same year.

Ponder this. UNM redshirted their entire varsity lineup during Kiptoo's senior year. Then pulled him in for the next & placed very well at Nationals. Was that all just a coincidence?

[mountainman]

early guesses at Individuals
Boys:
1) Matt Tebo, Eldorado (duh)
2) Anthony Roybal, Cibola (great start to his season so far)
3) Drew Rasmussen, Cibola (will run off of Roybal all year)
4) Matt Everett, La Cueva (gotta think he'll be fit by state)
5) Philbert Brown, Gallup (very talented but starts season slow)
6) Zach Doran, Highland (is the future of NM if he quits soccer)
7) Josh Bueno, Rio Rancho (been solid since he was 10th as a frosh)
8) Todd Nickerson, Sandia (finally his year to do well at state)
9) Bryce Palmer, Eldorado (gonna be great future battles with Doran)
10) Matt Jones, Manzano (should be top 10)
Honorable Mention(no particular order): Cory Kalm Sandia, Joel Hartenberger Sandia, Marcus Porter La Cueva, Marcus Dowican La Cueva, Richy Vidmar Highland, Ray Suina Gallup, Sammy Smith Gallup, Gabe Mondragon Rio Rancho

Girls:
1) Julie Brasher, Eldorado (top returner, mile state champ)
2) Callie Osborn, Sandia (hope rumors of stress fracture are false)
3) Jordan Brown, Gallup (will be up there come state)
4) Brandy Castillo, Carlsbad (looks strong early)
5) Rachel Velarde, Eldorado (great start to the year)
6) Allison Bedonie, Eldorado (has looked strong, off race at UNM)
7) Elba Holguin, Valley (solid start and good track season)
8) Brittany Castillo, Carlsbad (coming off of injury, will get better)
9) Caitlin Waters, Clovis (very talented, lots of speed)
10) Erin Madden, Eldorado (came on strong at the end of last year)
Honorable Mention(no particular order): Cory Osborn Sandia, Tasha Lovell Sandia, Kristy Hannah Eldorado, Laynee Valverde Eldorado, Vanita Joe Gallup, Commish Chischilly Gallup, Kristy Calderon Highland, Carollan Ehn Albuquerque

did I miss anyone?

[nmrunner]

2) Callie Osborn, Sandia (hope rumors of stress fracture are false)

Is something going on, is she hurt and how bad, does anyone know?

[mountainman]

heard some people say that she was seen wearing "the boot". Thats all I know. All rumors at this point.

[BLCH]

To gvd:

If you are really on La Cueva's team, maybe you should transfer. It is so pathetic to see someone defend someone who cheated, and was fired. Eddie is a cheater! Eddie is a cheater! Eddie is a cheater! Someday you, Marion Jones, Eddie Hellebuck, Trevor Grahm, and Barry Bonds will understand. I hope that comes sooner than later.

[abqscene]

gvd,

you and others on your team with similar attitudes are the root of any problems at la cueva. someday i hope you grow up enough to realize that you were a negative influence on your team. in the end, if la cueva doesn't run to it's potential this season, you can thank yourself.

again, can you truthfully answer no to any of the following questions:
1. is coach clark passionate about cross country
2. is he knowledgeable about training
3. does he treat kids fairly

eddy failed the A and B test, marion did not, but if you think either of them never used performance enhancing drugs, i've got some beautiful ocean front property in nebraska that you might be interested in purchasing.

please do the right thing for the la cueva program and step aside.

[abqscene]

gvd,

you and others on your team with similar attitudes are the root of any problems at la cueva. someday i hope you grow up enough to realize that you were a negative influence on your team. in the end, if la cueva doesn't run to it's potential this season, you can thank yourself.

again, can you truthfully answer no to any of the following questions:
1. is coach clark passionate about cross country
2. is he knowledgeable about training
3. does he treat kids fairly

eddy failed the A and B test, marion did not, but if you think either of them never used performance enhancing drugs, i've got some beautiful ocean front property in nebraska that you might be interested in purchasing.

please do the right thing for the la cueva program and step aside.

[NMFAST]

Its truly sad to see a kid who bashes on his own team. I personally know all the coaches at La Cueva. They love the sport and their team. Having coaches that were on the UNM team means they know running, maybe you should listen to them. Pathetic.

[gvd]

Well most coaches are passionate, so I will not argue there. Passion does not win meets, experience and programs do. I will not step off the team because I plan to run in college, although I was faster as a Freshman with Coach Eddie than I am now. My parents asked him to privately coach me after not running as well last year, but Eddie declined because he said a team should train together. The problem is that I plan to go out of state for college, and once you do not consider UNM then Coach Clark treats the athlete differently and that is not fair. So I am stuck and maybe would quit. Plus one of my best friends-female quit the team because her mother got in an arguement with Coach Clark he does not know how to communicate with adults when problems arise. So I will quit if you want to help pay for my college.

[505runner]

Well most coaches are passionate, so I will not argue there. Passion does not win meets, experience and programs do. I will not step off the team because I plan to run in college, although I was faster as a Freshman with Coach Eddie than I am now. My parents asked him to privately coach me after not running as well last year, but Eddie declined because he said a team should train together. The problem is that I plan to go out of state for college, and once you do not consider UNM then Coach Clark treats the athlete differently and that is not fair. So I am stuck and maybe would quit. Plus one of my best friends-female quit the team because her mother got in an arguement with Coach Clark he does not know how to communicate with adults when problems arise. So I will quit if you want to help pay for my college.

I ran at La Cueva under Coach Eddy, not Eddie; and he is right a team should train together. When i was a senior, Coach Clarke made the other senior on the team and me make a list of colleges we were interested in attending, so I find it hard to believe he's forcing any one into UNM. And passion can win meets, Highland came within 1 point of a state championship because of a comment Coach Eddy made in the paper.

[nmrunner]

I think Clarke will and has done a good job in transforming the program into a respected club, and not one of question. As everyone can see the talent of the past is not there yet, but Clarke was in those tradition rich groups at La Cueva and probably knows how to regain those runners. They have made improvments from last year and looks to improve with each year.

[Bleed Red and Blue]

Sandia runner here..

Callie is confirmed with a stress fracture, out for the majority of the season, with the possiblity of District and State. She's swimming daily.

Corey is doing soccer. Our poor girls team. Hopefully they can pull out well the next few meets.

As far as ranking, it's going to be an intense race at state. I'm not sure I like the course just yet, especially how confusing it is. I like the earlier Rio Rancho course better.

I'd like to personally refute the rumor that Curtis Williams had immediate success with our team. The five seniors (myself included) have a good amount of talent, and have been working up to this point since early in our highschool carrier.

Myself, I do think Williams has a great amount of experience, but I agree that the possiblity of peaking early is there, especially with how the work outs are going. I'm not all that worried though. I'd like to say that all my enthusiam for my Team, and my Running, has been drawn from my sophmore year.

Abq Invite was a poor race for us, we'll improve I hope. 5A is going to become incredibly competitive this year. I hope it pans out to somethine worth while.

As far as Rankings for NM, I only know the boys decently

1Tebo, Matt
2Roybal, Anthony
3Everett, Matt
4Rasmussen, Drew
5Palmer, Bryce
6Doran, Zach
7Brown, Philbert
8Nickerson, Todd
9Bueno, Josh
10Kalm, Cory

Top 5 5A Teams(no particular Order; except us first of course)
Sandia (experienced seniors, front strength, pack strength)
La Cueva (strong pack, strong front runner)
Gallup (reigning state champions)
Cibola (strong front runners)
Rio Rancho (strong pack)

And naturally, Academy is still first in NM.

[BLCH]

Nice job Bleed Red and Blue. Very Candid. You're right, 5A is where the competition and excitement is this year (and every year.)

I can't believe I am saying this, but I think Rio Rancho is the team to beat. They can train on the State Championship course until they know it forwards and backwards. Just like the Academy at the City Championships.

[wizard05]

Does anyone have the results from the meet up in Gallup?

[rippev]

eldorado girls won with 18 points. (1,2,4,5,6)
gallup boys won sandia 2nd

[eagle08]

yeah it's on the southwest page too if you want further results
under curtis williams invitational

[runninxc]

anyone know what academy's next two weeks look like invite wise?

[mountainman]

Highland Invitational on the 6th
Albuquerque City Championships on the 14th

[mountainman]

end of september update:
Boys Teams
1) Gallup - best pack of the teams with their front runner Philbert Brown starting to come around. Best overall depth too
2) La Cueva - Everett is starting to run like himself and they have a strong supporting cast. Neck and Neck with Gallup
3) Rio Rancho - Assuming Bueno is fine and just didn't run at La Cueva they will be strong. Top 3 are all very close and similar with a front runner and then a very strong pack
4) Sandia - Only reason they're down here is the injury to Nickerson. If he can get healthy and running well by state they will be tough to beat as they are senior led and look to have 3-4 guys that should all be 8-18ish at state
5) Eldorado - They will be winning state through 3 guys. Tebo will win easy, Bryce Palmer will be top 7 or 8 and Kevin Palmer will be top 20. If they can find a 4 and 5 they could steal the show
6) Cibola - Have a great 1/2 punch but there was a huge gap to 3 at Gallup. With everyone ahead of them having front runners and more depth they will have a hard time

Boys Individuals
1) Matt Tebo - fully healthy with some good weeks of training behind him now, he should win state by close to a minute.
2) Matt Everett - looks to be rounding into form. Tough runner with lots of speed will make it hard not to pick him in a close race for second
3) Zach Doran - Sophomore phenom looks great. Doesn't know his own talent.
4) Anthony Roybal - Doesn't look as strong as earlier in the year but will have senior motivation will push him to a good race
5) Drew Rasmussen - Has good speed, if he runs smart he will be up there in the hunt for second
6) Josh Bueno - assuming he's 100% healthy he will also be in the race for second.
7) Bryce Palmer - just outkicked by the Cibola guys this weekend. Has gotten stronger and could challenge for another 1-2 Eldorado finish
8) Philbert Brown - could easily be second if he continues to improve
9) Matt Jones - having a solid senior season. Maybe not quite at the level of the guys ahead of him
10) Cory Kalm - I gotta think at least 1 of Sandia's group will manage all state. He had the best race this weekend so I pick him.
Honorable Mention in no particular order: Todd Nickerson, Joel Hartenberger, Paul Amend, Sammy Smith, Ray Suina, Kevin Palmer, Marcus Porter, Joel Frazier, Richy Vidmar, Gabe Mondragon

Girls Teams
1) Eldorado - They could put 6 in the top 10 which is unreal. Also had their 7th step up this weekend and is looking like she'll be top 20 as well.
2) Gallup - May be able to challenge Eldorado through 3 if they step up at state but they don't have the 4 and 5 to repeat the surprise win of last year
3) Sandia - This assumes Callie Osborn gets healthy and cross trains like crazy in the upcoming weeks. If not they'll be 5th or 6th
4) Rio Rancho - Great depth, lack of a frontrunner prevents them from challenging the front 3
5) Clovis - I knew they had possibilities. Looked strong last meet with Caitlin Waters looking to be all-state and they should have 3 in the top 20. Lack of depth prevents them from challenging for a trophy
6) La Cueva - up and down team. Still have good depth but they didn't look great last meet

Girls Individuals
1) Julie Brasher - kind of an up and down season but has the best mix of speed and endurance.
2) Rachel Velarde - been consistantly fast all season. Look for her to move up very strong late in the race
3) Brandy Castillo - looks to be in great shape and should challenge for the win
4) Elba Holguin - been consistantly good all year. Should be up there late in the race
5) Allison Bedonie - on a hilly course she could be top 3. Ran great at Academy but not so well on the dirt track that is Gallup's home meet
6) Jordan Brown - could challenge for the win but seems to do better on flat and fast than hilly courses
7) Caitlin Waters - looks like she's rounding into form. Lots of speed so she could move up if she can hang in the middle part of the race
8) Kristy Hannah - Superstar freshman. Has looked strong all season and has raced smarter than most
9) Laynee Valverde - looked much stronger this weekend. Should be a solid #5 for Eldorado
10) Vanita Joe - has been just behind Eldorado's pack all year. Could move up and beat some of them by State
Honorable Mention in no particular order: Erin Madden, Faviola Valdez, Corey Osborn, Callie Osborn, Tasha Lovell, Michelle Schenk, Nicole Johnson, Cammish Chischilly, Tamara Lementito, Tatiana Lucero

[LCHS Runner 2007]

I have run for Coach Clark now for 2 years. In that time I have gone from a mediocre C-team runner to a consistent top JV runner. Clark has a lot of dedication and cares about his team. He does what he thinks is right, conform to his program and you will succeed. A difference of 3 mins in my PR is all credited to him. He has fueled my passion for running and motivated me during hard practices. They boys team has a great deal of respect for the man, and he for us. And with that has come success. I am excited to see how this years juniors and a few stand out sophomores will do in years to come.


"who got yo back? I got yo back!"

[rippev]

Only reason they're down here is the injury to Nickerson. If he can get healthy and running well by state they will be tough to beat as they are senior led and look to have 3-4 guys that should all be 8-18ish at state



he will dont worry :p

[for a cause]

he will dont worry :p

Don't you mean "I will dont worry :p" and please stop talking in the third person

[rippev]

Don't you mean "I will dont worry :p" and please stop talking in the third person

i dont know what youre talking about. maybe you should stop :confused:

[rippev]

1. Matt Tebo---------- (eldo.)
2. Matt Everett--------(LC)
3. Philbert Brown-------(Gal)
4. Drew Rasmussen-----(cib)
5. Josh Bueno ---------(RR)
6. Gabe Mondragon-----(RR)
7. Ernest Padilla-Garcia-(San.)
8. Sammy Smith--------(Gal.)
9. Bryce Palmer --------(eldo)
10. Marcus Porter ------(LC)
11. Ray Suina ----------(Gal.)
12. Herman Yazzie------(gal.)
13. Jesse Rodriguez-----(RR)
14. Todd Nickerson-----(san.)
15. Kevin Palmer -------(eldo.)
16. Donovan Jim---------(gal.)
17. Zach Cartwright------(LC)
18. Lawrence Chavez-----(RR)
19. Cory Kalm------------(San.)
20. Louie Trujillo ---------(RR)
21. Jd Jacoby -----------(eldo.)
22. Paul Amend----------(San.)
23. Anthony Roybal------(Cib.)
24. Patrick Wallace ------(LC)
25. Joel Maestas ---------(Cib.)
26. Jordan Ghiassi -------(eldo)
27. Joel Frasier----------(LC)
28. Joel Hartenberger----(san.)
29. Jesse Darling--------(cib.)
30. Travis Powell -------(cib.)

Team Scores:


Gallup=50
Rio Rancho=62
Eldorado=72
La Cueva=80
Sanda=90
Cibola=111

top 5 teams state results from last year. i know it means nothing i was just bored. i dont even know if some of these people have graduated

[barryclaman]

i dont know what youre talking about. maybe you should stop :confused:

stop what, Todd?

[rippev]

stop what, Todd?

talking to me

[barryclaman]

:eek: it really IS Todd!

[rippev]

Ben Johnson-11, Academy 15:49 (new course record, old - Arguellas, 2005)
Dustin Martin-12, Academy 16:17
Anthony Roybal, Cibola 16:27
Zach Doran, Highland 16:31
Matt Jones, Manzano 16:33
Joel Hartenburger, Sandia 16:35
Pat Zacharias-9, Academy 16:49
Matt Everett, La Cueva 16:41
Corey Kalm, Sandia 16:43
Kyle Cooper-11, Academy 16:49
Richie Vidmar, Highland 16:53
Paul Ahmed, Sandia 16:59
Jon Baybalid, Los Lunas 17:01
Anthony Lauriello, Academy 17:05
Taylor Murray, Academy 17:10
Eric Olivias, Sandia 17:16
Jacob Hernandez, Hope 17:20
Ryan Fenton, Hope 17:24
Carlos Gonzales, Bernalillo 17:26
Joel Frazier, La Cueva 17:30

this was actually charlie ebbers sandia's #5 runner.

[NMFAST]

By the way LC ran their 1,2 6,7,8, 9 and 10 runners at Highland. Joel F was sick and matt was told to just put in a hard run. So saying La Cueva has been up and down true but not when at Full Strength. City is going to be a real dog fight.

Here is my list

1.Academy
2. Sandia
3. La Cueva
4. Eldorado

[rippev]

their 1 or 4 didn't run.
they will not be full strength at city either

[NMFAST]

Your not on La Cueva, so you wouldnt know.

[rippev]

Your not on La Cueva, so you wouldnt know.

you spelled you're wrong. and i was talking about sandia. learn to read

[NMFAST]

Sorry about that!!

[rippev]

"Academy unleashed a record setting 55 point victory over Sandia (now back at full strength) and the rest of the field."

this is wrong our top returner from state last year ran for the first time at city(C team) and will be back strong by district and that was my first time running at all for 3 weeks.

what meets are this weekend? pretty much no schools are at our invite and i know a few are at LA but what about everyone else?

[mountainman]

La Cueva and Eldorado do not have a meet scheduled. There are the Sandia and Valley Invitationals inside Albuquerque and Los Alamos outside that I know of.

[runninxc]

Tebo is going to Mt. Sac from what ive heard.

[Ballyard]

Man did it get quite in here.
I miss all the talking from last week!!!

[mountainman]

I'll post my final predictions for 5A after this weekend. Still shaping up to be a 6 team race on the boys side without anyone as the clear cut favorites.

[nmrunner]

I don't think so, it's down to 3 maybe at the most 4 teams in the 5A boys division, and that's it.

[mountainman]

obviously Rio Rancho, Gallup and Sandia all look like contenders. Then there's Eldorado, La Cueva, and Cibola. With the second Palmer stepping up, Eldorado will be dangerous. The question is on their 4 and 5 where they are weak. However, that is usually where the most improvements can be made. You would be foolish to count La Cueva out. Dowdican dropping off of his early season pace hurts them but they have the ability and talent to win it all. If Everett runs even halfway smart at City they beat Eldorado. Then there's Cibola. Before you start saying they are done, take a closer look at the results from city. Rasmussen was 24th. We all know he's top 10 at City caliber. Their 5th ran 18:05 for 42nd. But they had a C-team kid run 17:48 which would have been 30th. Drop 14-18 points on Rasmussen and 12 points for the C-team kid and they're at just over 100, ahead of both Eldorado and La Cueva. Add that both Gallup and Rio Rancho did not look amazing at their meets last weekend and I still say there are 6 teams capable of winning it all.

[halfast]

obviously Rio Rancho, Gallup and Sandia all look like contenders. Then there's Eldorado, La Cueva, and Cibola. With the second Palmer stepping up, Eldorado will be dangerous. The question is on their 4 and 5 where they are weak. However, that is usually where the most improvements can be made. You would be foolish to count La Cueva out. Dowdican dropping off of his early season pace hurts them but they have the ability and talent to win it all. If Everett runs even halfway smart at City they beat Eldorado. Then there's Cibola. Before you start saying they are done, take a closer look at the results from city. Rasmussen was 24th. We all know he's top 10 at City caliber. Their 5th ran 18:05 for 42nd. But they had a C-team kid run 17:48 which would have been 30th. Drop 14-18 points on Rasmussen and 12 points for the C-team kid and they're at just over 100, ahead of both Eldorado and La Cueva. Add that both Gallup and Rio Rancho did not look amazing at their meets last weekend and I still say there are 6 teams capable of winning it all.
I wouldn't count them out yet either. C-team kid also has a twin that was 6th in the jv race, 17:52. Runners 3-8 (by time) were all within ten seconds (17:48-17:58). Roybal is looking good and has his early season form back. He was actually ahead of Martin, later in the race.

[rippev]

dont count cibola out for sure. they will be at the sandia invite tomorrow correct?

[halfast]

They are scheduled to be there.

[battman]

Here it goes. . .Top Ten Boys 5A Teams and Individual Predictions for State Championships:
Individuals:
1.) Matt Tebo
2.) Anthony Roybal
3.) Zach Doran
4.) Josh Bueno
5.) Bryce Palmer
6.) Ritchie Vidmar
7.) Alex Cabaday
8.) Matt Jones
9.) Nico Barea
10.) Drew Rasmussen

Teams:
1.) Sandia
2.)Gallup
3.) Rio Rancho
4.) Eldorado
5.) La Cueva
6.) Manzano
7.)Cibola
8.)Los Lunas
9.) Albuquerque High
10.) Carlsbad

[halfast]

Everett? Sandia guys?

[mountainman]

I'm still working on mine and hoping for more detailed results between now and tomorrow. I will say this, with all the parity in 5A scores will be high and close. I'm expecting 85-100 points to win it and 6th place to be under 140.

[RedArmy]

Look for a state preview from Gang Green and RedArmy to be posted tomorrow morning. It'll cover all four classifications boys and girls.

[Academy09]

I'm still working on mine and hoping for more detailed results between now and tomorrow. I will say this, with all the parity in 5A scores will be high and close. I'm expecting 85-100 points to win it and 6th place to be under 140.

I would have to agree with that mountainman but i might even extend that to 115 points really depending on how each team feels but my guess would defintely be on Sandia to win the State trophy

[mountainman]

I better get my 5A predictions out quick then so that people don't claim I copied you guys :)

Look for a state preview from Gang Green and RedArmy to be posted tomorrow morning. It'll cover all four classifications boys and girls.

[runningmachine]

i hope it comes out tonight i can't wait to read it!

[mountainman]

ok, here they are. Don't be offended by anything typed here, its just one guy's opinion.

BOYS TEAMS
1) Sandia - This is the team to beat in 5A. Kalm and Hartenberger are threats for all-state and Nickerson and Padilla-Garcia are getting stronger every week. The real reason they are #1 though is their depth. Sandia is the only team that can probably win state without everything going right for their top group. They are 7 men deep and have looked very strong lately
2) Gallup - If Philbert Brown runs like his old self, they are #1. If not, they will still be a close #2. Gallup also relies on great team running and has had several guys be their top man throughout the year. If more than one steps up on the same day, they will have a great shot at winning.
3) Rio Rancho - One man will make or break their state meet. Robert Selph. If he's up with Mondragon like at Eldorado they can win it all. If he's a distant 5th like at District they don't get a team trophy. They don't quite have the frontrunners that Eldorado has or the depth that Sandia and Gallup has so they need a mixture of the two.
4) Eldorado - This team is very very dangerous. They have the best top 3 in the state and will be winning by around 20-30 points through those 3. Close examination shows that their 4 and 5 closed the gap a bit at District making them even more dangerous. Any slips up top and they will take advantage.
5) La Cueva - Two bad meets in a row is not a good sign going into state. Everett appears to be doing ok but Porter and Dowdican have really dropped off their early season pace on a team that surprisingly is lacking depth. I still don't want to rule them out just because of the talent factor but they are heading in the wrong direction at the wrong time right now.
6) Cibola - Roybal has been great all year and Rasmussen looks to be healthy. They have a respectable group after that but nothing that will lead to a state title. They can however manage a team trophy with a great state showing which would be a great rebound for them.
7) Manzano - Actually looked dangerous at district. Matt Jones appears to be getting healthy and they have a pretty good group behind him. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Manzano picks off one or two of the 6 teams ranked ahead of them if anyone falters.

After Manzano there is a noteable gap and I don't see any of the rest of the teams having a shot at the top 6 or so placings. Here's my guess for 8-10 though.

8) Los Lunas
9) Carlsbad
10) Albuquerque High

Overall Race Comments: This is going to be an amazing race to see. I peg Sandia and Gallup both at around 90 points with Eldorado and Rio Rancho both at around 105. I'm 99% sure the team champion will be one of those 4 schools. Look for Sandia and Gallup to be battling eachother out between spots 15 and 30 with both teams having at least 5 runners in there. If they beat eachother up, that opens the door for Eldorado and Rio Rancho. If one dominates the other, that is going to be your champion. Eldorado is going to be sneaky because outside of Kevin Palmer, Sandia and Gallup won't really see them in the race. All Eldorado really needs is about 35th-40th out of their 4 and 5. If they do that, they could steal the show. For Rio Rancho, simply start counting after Mondragon crosses the line. If it gets to 10 guys and Selph hasn't crossed yet, they are in trouble. If he's right with Mondragon I think they have a great shot at winning.

Individual Predictions:
1) Matt Tebo, Eldorado - Wins by about a minute
2) Anthony Roybal, Cibola - Consistently great all year
3) Matt Everett, La Cueva - not his best year but too much talent to not be here
4) Zach Doran, Highland - finishes a great sophomore campaign as top returner
5) Bryce Palmer, Eldorado - another great duel between him and Doran
6) Josh Bueno, Rio Rancho - consistently solid all year, might leap frog the sophomores
7) Nico Barrera, Carlsbad - Great year, should earn all-state honors
8) Alex Cabaday, Los Lunas - up and down year but ran right with Palmer and Doran at Districts
9) Drew Rasmussen, Cibola - overcomes injury to earn all-state
10) Matt Jones, Manzano - overcomes illness to earn all-state
11) Corey Kalm, Sandia
12) Richey Burk-Vidmar, Highland
13) Sammy Smith, Gallup
14) Joel Hartenberger, Sandia
15) Gabe Mondragon, Rio Rancho
16) Kevin Palmer, Eldorado
17) Ray Suina, Gallup
18) Donavan Jim, Gallup
19) Ernest Padilla-Garcia, Sandia
20) Todd Nickerson, Sandia

[mountainman]

GIRLS TEAMS
1) Eldorado - what can I say. Led by a top 3 that are all in contention to win it individually and sporting a less than 1 minute pack time. This team has trounced everyone in New Mexico. Hannah and Valdez give them the depth they lacked last year. Look for them to put 5 in the top 10 with good races. This is one of the best teams in the country and one of the best ever from NM
2) Gallup - Their reign at the top will come to an end but they are still a very strong team. They always seem to step it up at state and thats why they are listed at #2 but they will be pushed by Rio Rancho and Sandia. They need a 5th to step up or they might have issues
3) Rio Rancho - Has gotten stronger all season culminating with a near win vs Gallup at district. State might be a better shot for them since they are deeper than gallup at 4 and 5. If Padilla replicates her district performance with Lementito and Lucero having good races they can get second.
4) Sandia - Injuries have slightly derailed them but they are still a very strong team. If Lovell can rebound from district they will also have a very good shot at second. Callie Osborn will be in the front group of runners but they will need someone else in the top 20 at state to have a real shot at second. Corey Osborn has the talent to do it so we'll see.
5) Clovis - Led by 3 great runners in Waters, Schenk and Johnson they are dangerous. Unfortunately they fall off steeply after that. Waters should be top 10 with Schenk and Johnson working on top 20. They will need at least an average of 40th from 4 and 5 if they want a shot at a trophy
6) La Cueva - Showed decently well at Districts. Lack of a front runner really hurts them. Knewitz and Freeman both could be top 20 but will have to step it up to get there. They will need a great team effort to have any shot at a trophy since everyone ahead of them is likely starting with single digits for their front runner

I don't see anyone else having a shot at a team trophy. Highland could slip into the top 5 with a good race though. Here are my guesses for 7-10

7) Highland
8) Mayfield
9) Carlsbad
10) Los Lunas

Overall Race Comments: This will be exciting just to watch Eldorado run. Their top 5 have all been consistently great with their 6th and 7th showing very well at times as well. For close team racing action, watch Gallup and Rio Rancho matchup girl for girl. If Lementito and Lucero beat Chischilly, its on. If not, Gallup will likely pull out second. Look for a second Red jersey in the top 20. If you see it, look for a pack of them in the top 30. If you see that, Sandia could be second. The individual title is also up for grabs with 8 or so girls having a shot at it, should be a good race up front unlike the boys.

Individual Predictions:
1) Elba Holguin, Valley - she's been on another level the last 3 races or so. I think she'll either win decisively or crash and burn. Looked great at city though so I think she'll win
2) Julie Brasher, Eldorado - been Eldorado's #1 most of the season. Had some ups and downs but should do well at state. If its close at the end she can win it all
3) Rachel Velarde, Eldorado - been the most consistant runner for Eldorado this year with many great races. Look for her to move up decisively in the last mile
4) Allison Bedonie, Eldorado - should do well on a hillier course. Will be packed with the other two Eldorado girls pushing things up front.
5) Brandy Castillo, Carlsbad - Very solid year and could very well win the whole thing. It will be interesting to see how she races against Eldorado since they haven't met all year yet.
6) Jordan Brown, Gallup - Solid front runner for Gallup. Could be higher up but she seems to do better on a flatter course.
7) Callie Osborn, Sandia - Was the favorite until she got hurt. Should rebound well to earn all-state and help her team battle for a trophy. Very talented and could move up just on that
8) Caitlin Waters, Clovis - Sort of an up and down season but very fast and very talented. If she can hang with the front pack for the first 2.5, she'll move up in the group
9) Kristy Hannah, Eldorado - Look for her to run smart and pick people off as they fall off the front group. Super talented freshman and could move up if people are unable to hang up front
10) Laynee Valverde, Eldorado - Look for her to run with the front group and then hang with Hannah once she's caught. Has looked much more solid lately and if she can keep up she'll manage all-state.
11) Kepra McBrayer, Highland
12) Brittany Castillo, Carlsbad
13) Vanita Joe, Gallup
14) Erin Madden, Eldorado
15) Jenna Padilla, Rio Rancho
16) Sarah Ellison, Alamogordo
17) Michelle Schenk, Clovis
18) Tamara Lementito, Rio Rancho
19) Tatiana Lucero, Rio Rancho
20) Cammish Chischilly, Gallup

[XCforever]

do you have any 4A predictions?

[RedArmy]

GIRLS TEAMS
1) Eldorado - what can I say.....
Individual Predictions:
1) Elba Holguin, Valley - she's been on another level ....

Mountainman - good work. It looks very much like what Sal and I put together for 5A boys and girls. I'll ask him if he wants to post it on "talk" or in the SW section.

[rippev]

i would have to think the team that wins state will have at least 1 in the top 10. you don't have either gallup or sandia with 1 in the top 10 i don't think the tram winning state can win without a front runner

[watchout]

i would have to think the team that wins state will have at least 1 in the top 10. you don't have either gallup or sandia with 1 in the top 10 i don't think the tram winning state can win without a front runner

Sandia is also the only team where he listed with 4 in the top 20... which would be impressive. Expecting things to go wrong, that's still suggesting 100 or less for the top 4 ... meanwhile, the next closest is Eldorado with 3 in the top 16 (suggesting sub-50 through 3) and Gallup with 3 in the top 20 ... suggesting sub-75.

What that means?

Going by that, Eldorado would need to score within 50 points (with their #4/5) of Sandia's #5 to beat them ... lets say Sandia's #5 is 25, that would mean Eldorado would only need to score 75 or less - say top-35 and top-40.

Eldorado would need to score within 25 of Gallup's #4/5 runners to beat them ... let's say Gallup finishes #25 and #30, that would mean Eldorado would need a pair of top-40's.

And, finally, for Sandia to beat Gallup, Gallup's #4/5 would have to total within 25 of Sandia's #5. Say that Sandia's #5 was #25, again, and Gallup would need a pair of top-25 guys.

So, I would say that a team with 4 in the top 20-25 guys is in pretty good condition ... even if they didn't have a runner in the top-10. Especially when the only team with multiple guys in the top-10 struggle with their #4/5 guys.

[Bleed Red and Blue]

Well I'm going to try my hand at this guessing game.

These are basically my insane ideas here, so throw them at the wall as hard as you can please.

Team 5A

1 Sandia
For starters, the pack strength, the overall competitiveness, but most importantly the team spirit. Our whole group just wants it. To not put my team in first, would deny myself the pleasure of at least saying it is possible. Aside from that, Joel, Myself, Todd, Ernest, are all very talented, Paul and Eric will be right there with us. Possibly could have 4 in the top 15 on a good race, 5 maybe 6 in the top 20. Most likely will have 5 in the top 25, 4 in the top 20 Most people would say that I'm insane here, but to pick a single of these runners that would be knocked out would be hard for me, the pack is fairly tight.

Most people would say, "How foolish, divulging the secrets of his team." Truly there are no secrets here. Results show this.

2 Rio Rancho
This is a tough Choice. Gallup is always really strong at state, but somehow I think Rio Rancho has an advantage. It's their turf, and really, they're a strong team. The pack is nice, and their front strength is a little bit up on Gallup, which in a race like this should help. If their number 4 and 5 pull up well the number of runners won't rip their pack apart.

3 Gallup
Gallup is the defending state champions, etc. etc, but from what I can tell some of their runners are better on flat as opposed to hills. Rio Rancho is a fast hilly course, so I think Gallup will slack off in their pack speed, because they don't have the leaders to bring them up. However if Philbert comes back with another of his astounding state races, he could bring the pack forward, which would likely oust Rio Rancho, and probably catch Sandia. Only problem is Gallup always runs well at state, so putting them in third is somewhat foolish.

The main difference between Gallup and Rio Rancho is the overall pack distance. Gallup is a tighter group, but in a larger meet may get broken up. Rio Rancho has a spread strength, though may fall off on their fourth and fifth in the larger race. The main question is will Rio Rancho's front strength over come their pack weakness.

4 Eldorado
Eldorado has the front strength. Their success depends, as others have said, their 4 and 5. I personally believe that 4th and 5th runners make or break a team. Either they improve the most because they are driven, or they fall off because they are not confident. I don't think that Eldorado will pull close enough to oust one of the top three, but they'll be close. Having 1st guarantied, and another in the top 7 really helps them.

Others: Cibola, La Cuava

Invidual
1Tebo - Eldorado

2-10 is harder to predict

2Robyal - Cibola
3Doran - Highland
4Everette - La Cueva
5Palmer - Eldorado
6Cabaday - Los Lunas
7Bueno - Rio Rancho
8Kalm - Sandia
9Vidmar - Highland
10Hartenburger - Sandia

Jones - Manzano: He's coming back, but I don't think he'll be top Ten
Rasmussen - Cibola: He's also coming of an injury, but we'll see, probably will be top 10, but I'm not sure.

PS: My name doesn't have an E in it.

[mountainman]

this is actually EXACTLY what I'm thinking. Sandia and Gallup are going to battle things out between 15 and 30 with both teams puting practically their entire team in there(1 and 2 maybe better than 15 and 6 and 7 maybe worse than 30). This will basically be "the meet within the meet". If one of the two manages to put most of their scorers up on the other, its over. If they are mixed together, they will beat eachother up giving Rio Rancho and Eldorado an opening. Meanwhile, Eldorado will have to have their 4 and 5 between 35 and 40 to have a shot. I have them at 40ish and 45ish so not quite there but doable. Sandia and Gallups 6 and 7 will also be important since they can displace the Eldorado guys. For every top 30 guy that bombs and gets 60th, Eldorado's score goes down by 2 points. I'm getting excited just thinking about how this meet will go!

Sandia is also the only team where he listed with 4 in the top 20... which would be impressive. Expecting things to go wrong, that's still suggesting 100 or less for the top 4 ... meanwhile, the next closest is Eldorado with 3 in the top 16 (suggesting sub-50 through 3) and Gallup with 3 in the top 20 ... suggesting sub-75.

What that means?

Going by that, Eldorado would need to score within 50 points (with their #4/5) of Sandia's #5 to beat them ... lets say Sandia's #5 is 25, that would mean Eldorado would only need to score 75 or less - say top-35 and top-40.

Eldorado would need to score within 25 of Gallup's #4/5 runners to beat them ... let's say Gallup finishes #25 and #30, that would mean Eldorado would need a pair of top-40's.

And, finally, for Sandia to beat Gallup, Gallup's #4/5 would have to total within 25 of Sandia's #5. Say that Sandia's #5 was #25, again, and Gallup would need a pair of top-25 guys.

So, I would say that a team with 4 in the top 20-25 guys is in pretty good condition ... even if they didn't have a runner in the top-10. Especially when the only team with multiple guys in the top-10 struggle with their #4/5 guys.