If the Class 4A state cross country meet were held today instead of mid-October, the Mountain Crest girls would win hands down. At least that's what Mustangs coach Mary Kirby believes as she leads her team into the 2007 cross country season. The Mountain Crest coach isn't alone, many of the Region 5 coaches are touting the Cache Valley school as the team to beat statewide.
The defending 4A champions are led by top runner Macinze O'very. As runner-up in the 2006 state meet, O'very has proven to be one of the state's top runners, but the school's other elite runners have closed the gap on her. Kirby jokingly suggests that injuries might be the only opponent that could take the Mountain Crest girls out of title contention.
"It's scary because — what if they get hurt?" Kirby says. "Then it's all my fault."
Barring a catastrophic injuries scenario, Mountain Crest should be the odds-on favorite to win the 4A crown once again.
Overall, coaches from Region 5 seem to be resigned to the fact that they're probably playing for second place. Box Elder, Woods Cross and Sky View are the consensus picks to follow Mountain Crest, while Bonneville and Bountiful are bringing up the rear.
On the boys side, Mountain Crest stands above the rest of the region, but not as prominently as their female counterparts. With the graduation of 4A cross country champion Justin Hedin, the torch is now passed to seniors Kevin Dickey and Neal Ferrin. Dickey took third place at last year's state meet and is expected to be one of the state's top runners.
If the Mustangs falter, a surprise team could steal the region title. Some coaches are predicting Roy as the region sleeper. Royals coach Gary Adams may have a squad best-suited to contend for the title since questions remain about Woods Cross and Box Elder. Sky View and Bountiful are bubble teams that are hoping to qualify for state, and Bonneville is very young with only a few experienced runners. With the season upon us, here's a team-by-team look at Region 5 cross country.
MOUNTAIN CREST: No doubt the girls team is looking for bigger and better things than just a region title. It should win Region 5 and could stand an excellent chance to repeat as state champions. Laura Hatch, Whitney Curtis and Talina Nelson are the girls' top runners along with O'very. If injured runner Kimber Labrum returns, it will only bolster the Mustangs' championship caliber team. The boys team finished second to Timpview last fall but also lost their best athlete in Justin Hedin. Coach Kirby hopes to replace Hedin with seniors Kevin Dickey and Neal Ferrin but also draw on the talents of Zak Dymock and junior Skylar Riggs. With 100 athletes involved in cross country at Mountain Crest, the program doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Both girls and boys teams appear to be the pace setters in the region.
BOX ELDER: The excitement of Bees girls coach Wayne McConkie is tempered a bit by knowing that Mountain Crest is the team to beat whether it's at the region or state level. "They've taken that step to be the best in state," McConkie says. "We know who we need to chase." He knows his own team too, and his daughter, Hope McConkie, has emerged as the team's top runner, along with Camille Bahe, Shelby Fromm, Lisa Ream and Luara Nelson. With a strong top five, the girls are poised for a good season. The boys team is not nearly as solidified, and coach Jeff Rawlings says the team could finish anywhere from second to fourth. Losing two of the team's top runners to graduation is the main reason for his uncertainty. Keaton Braithewaite, Tim Weigle, Andrew Weight and Trevor Brown return as the most experience in a team that finished 11th at state. Newcomer Braden Perry is also expected to make an impact.
WOODS CROSS: With several experienced runners back in the fold, the girls team will be looking to compete with Mountain Crest and Box Elder for region supremacy. Sarah Edwards finished third overall at last year's state meet and is considered one of the best distance runners in 4A. Allison Edwards, Allison Snow and Maggie Edminster bring veteran leadership from last year, while junior Krishelle Anderson and senior Cindy Ford round out a team that is coming off a seventh-place finish at state. The girls team has plenty of solid athletes and should finish near the top of the region. With only two returning seniors back, the boys team could take a while to gel. Zach Zimmerman and Chaz Rymer will lead the way for a young team. Juniors Connor Hyde and Griffin Hansen will also be in the Wildcats top five. Hansen sat out last year with an injury, but his experience will be valuable this year. Sophomore Paul Olea and senior Kevin Anderson are also expected to play significant roles on a team that coaches describe as hungry.
SKY VIEW: Coach Kyle Wright says his girls team is hurting. With some runners fading from competition and others moving away from the school, Sky View's girls team is in flux. Nancy Chandler, Chauntel Hunter, Natalie Caufield and Shelynn Egley will try to keep the team competitive. Wright says if they can qualify for state then they've accomplished a huge goal. The boys are also on the bubble. Seniors Jake Hansen and Jon Thorne bring the most seasoning to a team that lost a core group of runners from last year. Devin Pierson along with Jacob Dodge bring the right attitude to the team. Wright says things are unsettled at this point and the boys could finish anywhere from third to sixth at the region championship.
ROY: Four seniors and one sophomore comprise the heart of Roy's girls team. Coach Gary Adams likes how motivated the team has become and believes it could be a surprise. Jessica Carter is the team's top runner, followed by Chantel Berenyi, Shaina Kassebaum, Mary White and Heather Satterthwaite. Freshman runner Alyssa Berry joins the team and should be a good addition to a savvy group. The boys return four of the team's top runners from last year's team. Adams believes the veteran group will compete with Mountain Crest and Box Elder for the region title. Led by seniors Brett Lechtenberg and Justin Berry, Roy is a dark horse to win the region. Junior Tyson Christensen and Curt Trickett add depth to a team that finished seventh at last year's 4A championship meet.
BONNEVILLE: The Lakers failed to qualify for the 4A state meet last season, but Lakers coach Terry Pacheco is optimistic about his girls team returning to the championship meet this season. With four varsity runners back, the team is looking for at least a fourth-place finish in region. Felicia Hammons and Megan Larson are leading the way. Hillary Stevens, Megan Welsh and Jamie Martin strengthen a team that is looking to escape the bottom half of the league. The boys team is led by Lorne Nelson and Joe Dailey, but that is about all the coaches are sure of. The team's remaining five spots will be filled by sophomores and juniors. One of those standouts has been Chris Crezee. The miler has been posting solid times but has yet to compete at the high school level. Pacheco feels that the team can compete, but it might be a year away.
BOUNTIFUL: The girls were unable to field a complete team last season, and Braves longtime coach Mitch Wiley is concerned that might be the case again this season. Girls cross country at Bountiful has been hampered by soccer, tennis and volleyball. Still, the team does have a few participants, including Adrianne Briggs, Laurel Patten and Ana Roundy. Wiley is more hopeful about his boys team because he has more participation and two very good young runners in Cubby Taylor and Kyler Hodgson. A trio of other runners should keep the Bountiful boys competitive right down to the region championship. Steve Quinn, Josh Faber and Jared Eggett give the Braves hope in a tough region for cross country.
Coaches predictions
Boys: 1, Mountain Crest, 2, Roy, 3, Woods Cross, 4, Box Elder, 5, Sky View, 6, Bountiful, 7, Bonneville
Girls: 1, Mountain Crest, 2, Box Elder, 3, Woods Cross, 4, Roy, 5, Sky View 6, Bonneville, 7, Bountiful
E-mail: tpeterson@desnews.com