Cavemen place three in top four in first matchup with new 6A boys rival Chargers, who compete without Allred and Boyle; Lone Peak girls prevail in one of country’s strongest regions

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

One of the deepest collections of high school cross country talent in one small geographic area in a single state was on display Wednesday in Utah at the Pre-Region 4 meet at Pleasant Grove High.

RESULTS

And even with the significant early season recognition for Corner Canyon following its move this year to 6A, reigning boys state champion American Fork was quick to remind the Chargers that it won’t be an easy path to the title in October.

American Fork placed three athletes in the top four and all seven runners among the first 14 finishers to prevail by a 29-60 margin over Corner Canyon, which competed without senior Mark Boyle and still has senior Easton Allred recovering from a stress fracture in his foot, with a timeline for his return uncertain.

Lone Peak produced a 26-49 victory over defending girls 6A champion American Fork, with juniors Eliza Arrington and Reagan Gardner taking the top two spots for the Knights by covering the 3-mile course in 18:22.72 and 18:33.72, respectively.

Senior Caleb Johnson won the boys race for Corner Canyon in 15:51.84. Even if Boyle did compete and gave the Chargers the top two finishers in the race, American Fork still would have won by a 10-point margin.

Nathan Jaster, a sophomore transfer from Weddington NC, finished second for American Fork in 15:55.91, followed by senior teammates Ashton Hysell (15:59.66) and Ben McBride (16:01.88).

Kooper Dibb took ninth in 16:17.69, with Samuel Nelson (16:20.09) and Dylan Rawlings (16:20.72) placing 11th and 12th for the Cavemen, who had Nathan Hess finishing 14th in 16:23.43.

Corner Canyon had Alex Harbertson (16:14.44) and Ben Dastrup (16:18.81) secure eighth and 10th, along with Arik Manwaring (16:42.62) and Carson Day (16:44.62) finishing 21st and 22nd overall.

Lone Peak was third in the boys race with 69 points, with Westlake placing fourth (87) and Skyridge (120) earning fifth.

Michael Moffat (16:04.31) and Jedidiah Megargel (16:09.66) were fifth and seventh, respectively, for Westlake, with Jake Bybee (16:04.93) placing sixth for Lone Peak, which had all five scorers finish in the top 20.

The Knights had all seven female finishers in the top 15, with Katie Bybee (19:20.78) and Sarah Merrill (19:32.66) supporting Arrington and Gardner by placing fifth and sixth. Sadie Lehnhof (19:59.65) and Monet Winger (20:02.40) were 12th and 13th, respectively, with Shea Conroy (20:09.62) securing 15th for Lone Peak.

After American Fork finished third Saturday behind the host Thunder at the Westlake Grass Relays, the order was reversed Wednesday, as Westlake took third with 65 points. Pleasant Grove (121) was fourth and Corner Canyon (130) took fifth in the girls competition.

Emma Heslop, a transfer from FEAST Home School in San Antonio, Texas, placed third in 18:45.78 for Westlake, which also had Kanza Allen take 10th in 19:59.15.

American Fork was led by Natalie Jensen finishing fourth in 19:11.12, with Sadie Hess (19:51.44) and Avery Moore (19:54.47) placing eighth and ninth. Cassidy Teucher was seventh for Pleasant Grove in 19:43.22.