The Lincoln County girls Cross Country team qualified for the state meet with a second place finish at the Division III Southern Regional meet last Saturday in Las Vegas.
Sophomore Madison Mathews broke up a first place sweep by The Meadows in the women’s 5,000-meter race by taking sixth place in a time of 23:58.1, her second best time of the season at that distance.
The Meadows was first place with 15 points, and Lincoln was second with 69 points, edging out Laughlin with 70 points. Both Lincoln and The Meadows advance to the NIAA State Championships this Saturday at Sunset Park on Eastern and Sunset in Las Vegas.
Amy Thomas for Lincoln was 8th in 26:06.1, Sydney Anderson 14th, 30:08.2, Ally Wadsworth 23rd, 33:49.9, and Mayah Hafen 25th, 35:42.5.
Coach Lacey Pearson said she had expected the girls would do well this season. “I gave each of them individual instruction as they passed me (at the regional meet), and they responded well. Every one of them did their part.” She said Ally Wadsworth ran down the Laughlin runner at the end and gave the Lynx the one-point team advantage to qualify for state.
The Lincoln boys finished their 5,000-meter race in third place with 58 points, and missed out qualifying as a team, but Alex Gomez did qualify as an individual.
Pearson explained he finished the race in 7th place in 19:55.3, and after West Wendover and The Meadows were taken out as team qualifiers, the next top three individuals also qualified. Gomez was third behind two men from Adelson.
“These kids have worked really, really hard all year,” Pearson said, “and done everything I’ve asked and I’m so proud of both teams.”
At the state meet, Gomez will have to compete against the top runners from both North and South. Top men’s 5,000-meter time this season in Division III/IV is Cole Synder of Whittell in 17:16.0, and the top women’s time is Urs Volz of Incline in 19:42.0.
