Rocky Mtn. cross country teams ready for state championships on Saturday

The Rocky Mountain High School cross country teams competed at the 2A West Regional Meet against a strong field of teams Friday in Ethete. The event served as both a final test and a confidence builder before the Grizzlies head to the Wyoming State Championships this weekend. Eight schools took part in the regional competition: Burlington, Wyoming Indian, Thermopolis, Wind River, Fort Washakie, Rocky Mountain, St. Stephens and Arapahoe Charter School.

Head Coach Tim Jones said the weather made for excellent racing.

“The weather was almost perfect,” Jones said, “no wind, no rain, cool but not too cold. The course was mostly dry.”

The favorable conditions helped the Grizzlies post several season-best efforts and an All-Conference performance for junior Avery Thomas.

Thomas led the Lady Grizzlies with a sixth-place finish in 23:59, earning All-Conference recognition for her consistency and toughness.

“She’s just incredibly gritty,” Jones said. “She doesn’t have the reps this year because of injuries, but she worked through the pain and found a way.”

Senior Evynn Alvarez placed 15th (26:25), and senior Ellie Alvarez finished 22nd (28:05), rounding out a determined Rocky Mountain girls squad that’s been gaining strength each week.

In the boys race, freshman Rowan Hanusa led the way for Rocky Mountain, finishing 23rd in 20:59. Sophomore Zach Unruh was right beside him in 24th (20:59), and sophomore Ethan Haslem rounded out the team in 39th (24:06).

Jones said the team has been focusing on improving its race strategy as the season comes to a close.

“The middle of our races has been solid this year,” he said. “We’re focusing on starting faster and finishing faster.”

Jones credited assistant coach Gerry Burton for helping maintain energy and morale throughout the season.

“He’s an energizer bunny,” Jones said with a laugh. “He has lots of great knowledge dealing with running, recovery and nutrition. He helps in so many ways that benefit our kids and our program.”

With steady progress and strong finishes across the roster, both the boys and girls teams are peaking at just the right time. The Grizzlies will compete this weekend at the Wyoming State Cross Country Championships, which will be held at Little America in Cheyenne. The 2A boys will race at 11:30 a.m., and the 2A girls will close out the meet as the final race of the day at 1 p.m.