THORNTON | Smoky Hill claimed both the boys and girls team championships at the Class 5A Region 1 race Thursday, earning automatic trips to the state meet in the process.
Half of the top six finishers in the girls race at the Margaret Carpenter Rec Center were from Smoky Hill, as sophomore Emmah Johannes came in third and seniors Brynell Yount and Jamie Jezier crossed the finish line within a second of each other in fifth and sixth, respectively.
Julie Eoff (19th) and Carlie Andrie (22nd) rounded out the scorers for the Buffs, who finished with 55 points — 20 fewer than both Arapahoe and Dakota Ridge — despite competing without one of its top runners in Lesley Fatica.
Chatfield and Arvada West picked up the other two automatic team qualifying spots for the Oct. 25 state meet in Colorado Springs.
Senior Blake Yount — coming off a victory in the Centennial League Championship race — finished second behind Thornton’s Joshua Joseph in the chase for the boys Region 1 title, with support coming from Cody Miller in eighth and Spencer Bradshaw in 10th.
Amir Kassahun (18th) and Michael Andress (24th) rounded out the scoring for Smoky Hill, which totaled 62 points to finished 23 in front of runner-up Arvada West. Arapahoe, Thornton and Dakota Ridge also claimed state team spots.
Eaglecrest had a pair of individual 5A state qualifiers in the girls race in sophomore Janine Taurchini and freshman Jess McQuaid, who finished back-to-back in 10th and 11th.
Taurchini is the younger sister of Alicia Taurchini, who made four state meet appearances for the Raptors.
Aurora Central finished 11th in the boys and girls standings.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 CLASS 5A REGION 1 CROSS COUNTRY MEET
Boys team scores: 1. SMOKY HILL 62 points; 2. Arvada West 85; 3. Arapahoe 99; 4. Thornton 103; 5. Dakota Ridge 107; 6. Columbine 138; 7. Legend 147; 8. Denver East 154; 9. EAGLECREST 242; 10. Chatfield 302; 11. AURORA CENTRAL 360
Top 15 individuals (state qualifiers): 1. Joshua Joseph (Thornton), 15 minutes, 35.90 seconds; 2. BLAKE YOUNT (SMOKY HILL), 15:48.80; 3. Joseph Horen (Arvada West), 15:58.40; 4. Mason Brevig (Arapahoe), 16:22.90; 5. Max Sevcik (Arvada West), 16:23.10; 6. Steven Goldy (Arapahoe), 16:29.80; 7. Jose Garcia (Thornton), 16:32.30; 8. CODY MILLER (SMOKY HILL), 16:36.20; 9. Scott Johnson (Legend), 16:47.60; 10. SPENCER BRADSHAW (SMOKY HILL), 16:48.30; 11. Harrison Scudamore (Denver East), 16:52.20; 12. Josh Campbell (Arvada West), 16:52.90; 13. Joe Berg (Dakota Ridge), 16:54.70; 14. Jake Keithley (Thornton), 16:56.40; 15. Jerod Kuhn (Columbine), 17:02.40
Aurora team-by-team results (in order of finish)
Smoky Hill (62): 2. Blake Yount, 15:48.80; 8. Cody Miller, 16:36.20; 10. Spencer Bradshaw, 16:48.30; 18. Amir Kassahun, 17:10.80; 24. Michael Andress, 17:14.70; 31. Ricardo Quijada, 17:25.00; 37. Simon Geday, 17:35.90; 51. Michael Anthony, 18:05.80; 53. Jemil Kassahun, 18:14.50; Eaglecrest (242): 29. Mason Brown, 17:21.70; 43. George Rykovich, 17:42.40; 47. Andrew Mills, 17:55.90; 68. Evan Keely, 18:45.90; 74. Conner Shonka, 19:03.00; 82. Liam Ladd, 19:29.50; 83. Cameron Magor, 19:33.00; 84. Nicholas Johnson, 19:33.80; 94. Alex Stewart, 20:57.90; Aurora Central (360): 79. Jose Millan, 19:22.70; 89. Andy Rodriguez, 20:18.80; 96. Savion Harris, 22:39.40; 97. Jordan Henderson, 23:05.20; 98. Danny Nguyen, 23:20.80; 99. Nicolas Flores, 23:30.40
Girls team scores: 1. SMOKY HILL 55 points; T2. Arapahoe 75; T2. Dakota Ridge 75; 4. Chatfield 152; 5. Arvada West 155; 6. Denver East 168; 7. Columbine 175; 8. Legend 185; 9. EAGLECREST 202; 10. Thornton 222; 11. AURORA CENTRAL 355
Top 15 individuals (state qualifiers): 1. Catherine Liggett (Legend), 18 minutes, 46.10 seconds; 2. Erin Rawe-Thomas (Arvada West), 18:56.70; 3. EMMAH JOHANNES (SMOKY HILL), 18:59.00; 4. Mandee Middleton (Arapahoe), 19:01.30; 5. BRYNELL YOUNT (SMOKY HILL), 19:17.60; 6. JAMIE JEZIER (SMOKY HILL), 19:18.80; 7. Noelle Cobb (Columbine), 19:23.90; 8. Mia Valerio (Dakota Ridge), 19:32.50; 9. Cayli Hume (Dakota Ridge), 19:52.40; 10. JANINE TAURCHINI (EAGLECREST), 20:00.50; 11. JESS MCQUAID (EAGLECREST), 20:01.40; 12. Michelle Renner (Dakota Ridge), 20:01.70; 13. Colleen Richards (Arapahoe), 20:02.00; 14. Allison Marizza (Arapahoe), 20:04.20; 15. Isabella Marshall (Denver East), 20:11.90
Aurora team-by-team results (in order of finish)
Smoky Hill (55): 3. Emmah Johannes, 18:59.00; 5. Brynell Yount, 19:17.60; 6. Jamie Jezier, 19:18.80; 19. Julie Eoff, 20:25.00; 22. Carlie Andrie, 20:30.10; 30. Kaycie Schubert, 20:47.50; 37. Rhonda Patrom, 21:14.70; 48. Sarah Powers, 21:35.10; 56. Cierra Munns, 22:00.60; Eaglecrest (202): 10. Janine Taurchini, 20:00.50; 11. Jess McQuaid, 20:01.40; 69. Cassidy Henderson, 22:36.60; 73. Mae Acuna, 22:45.80; 75. Rebecca McMillian, 22:51.20; 76. Tara Vigil, 22:53.40; 77. Emily Hunter, 22:53.80; 83. Mariah Gordon, 23:39.60; 84. Jordanne Stobbs-Vergara, 23:41.90; Aurora Central (355): 90. Dulce Gonzalez Beltran, 26:00.10; 91. Aiden Martinez, 27:34.10; 92. Marlene Mendoza, 29:02.00; 93. Maria Millan Toledo, 29:07.10; 94. Jenesse Hicks, 36:19.20; 95. Chastityn Ruiz-Estrada, 40:54.00
