Utah Week in Review: September 16 - 22

If air quality was a concern for you in Utah this weekend, it was likely a bigger concern in Boise, where they ran the Bob Firman Invitational. Regardless of particulate levels in the air, those who competed seemed to run very well this weekend. And there were not a few stunning outcomes this last weekend:

 

Bob Firman Invitational

That great shaking of the foundations you heard was Herriman beating Davis to alter the known order of things in the Utah universe. North Central and Aracadia went 1-2, but then it was a string of tightly-packed Utah teams, with Herriman leading the pack. Herriman needs to find a way to package this momentum and carry it through the remainder of the season.

You don't go to Bob Firman to run a B-team kind of effort, so Davis has to be looking at how the put the wheels back on this wagon. The Darts finished one point behind Herriman, two points ahead of Ogden and 14 points up on Mountain View. Suddenly, a lot of possibilties that seem closed before look very much open now. 

Ben Saarel, Jake Heslington, and Jordan (can somebody set me straight on the correct spelling of Cross's first name, please?) Cross take top individual honors among the Utah boys, finishing third, fourth, and ninth, respectively. Saarel's 15:08 doesn't just look like an outstanding time; it is an outstanding time.

On the girls side of things, this meet seems to have witnessed a revival of Park City's fortunes. The Miners were conspicuously second behind a very solid Davis girls team. with Skyline going third, Orem fifth, and Ogden sixth. At this moment, the injury bug seems to have bitten the Ogden Tigers, but there's time to get the wheels back on this wagon, too.

As we've grown accustomed to seeing, Summer Harper paced the Utah girls in second, but Shea Martinez likely had her best meet of the season to date in third. Lucy Biles, Sarah Feeny, Ellie Child, and Emily Rich continue the parade of Beehivers at the front of the field. There is a gnawing sense, however, that the times being posted have plateaued for the moment.

On-Site Coverage

Girls Highlights

Boys Highlights

Nebo XC Invitational

Unlike most of Utah's powerhouse programs, American Fork stayed home this weekend. And maybe a lot of the schools at this meet wish that they hadn't. I don't know.

After the usual win by American Fork in the boys division, it was Bonneville in a solid second. This meet thus validates the Bonneville performance of two weeks ago. Colby Myers and Cade Perry lead the pack, but this is a very good team, and yet another team to consider in the 4A race.

The American Fork girls were nearly as dominant as their male counterparts, but Maple Mountain did keep it very close through three runners. If you show up for a race against American Fork, however, you'd better have five. And that would be five who can finish a 5K at right around 20-flat or better. 

Individual honors to Jordan's Tavia Dutson and Alta's Kramer Morton. Mr. Morton has won a few races lately. Pine View's Michael Finch ran an impressive second in the boys race, as did Cedar's Aimee Bryson in the girls event.

Meet Results

Girls Highlights

Boys Highlights

Utah Pre Region 3 Meet

If the names of Tavia Dutson and Kramer Morton seem peculiarly familiar, it would be because you just read them. But Nebo wasn't the only race they won in the last week, just the biggest race they won in the last week. They dominated here as well, and probably at a more moderated level of effort.

Wasatch Rendezvous

Spelling seems to be my issue of the week. Does this meet name use a variant spelling of Wasatch?

I won't even attempt to decode the scoring of this meet. If you were there, you understand what went on. The big idea is to match teams first, second, third, etc. runners in mini-races. Of note is the fact that St. Joseph's Lyna Garcia was the only non-first runner among the females to break 20. Her 19:57.9 put her at the top of the 3rd runner race, but you will look in vain for a St. Joseph's #1 or #2 in those races. Nice run, but I'm puzzled about the placement. Cedar's Aimee Bryson had the top run of the day at 18:40.

For the boys, it was East's Tomy Gutierrez with the top run of the day, and the only sub-16, at 15:49.