Tucumcari, San Jon runners compete at state meet

Runners from Tucumcari and San Jon competed Saturday in the state cross-country championships, with the lone Rattler representative finishing in the top half of his field.

Tucumcari’s Alex Bueno De La O finished the 5,000-meter course at Albuquerque Academy in 18 minutes, 39.49 seconds. That was good for 38th place of 92 runners in the Class 3A boys field.

Bueno De La O will have another shot next year to make the state meet, as he is a junior.

Landen Sandoval of St. Michael’s won the Class 3A boys individual title in 16:01.04, which was 12 seconds faster than runner-up Brile Dauphinias of Tohatchi. Quinlin Dry of Santa Fe Prep finished third in 16:32.27.

Zuni won the Class 3A team title with 68 points, edging Santa Fe Indian School and its 78 points. Navajo Prep finished a close third with 82 points.

Ruidoso was the top team in Tucumcari’s district at state, finishing eighth.

San Jon freshman Rayna Sena finished 86th in the Class A-2A girls field of 127 entrants.

Sena finished the 5,000-meter course in 25:14.59.

Sena was San Jon’s only varsity runner this year when the school district offered the sport for the first time.

Oak Grove’s Olivia Marquez breezed to the A-2A girls individual title with a time of 19:03.40, beating runner-up Cecilia Campos of Chesterton by more than 46 seconds.

Academy for Technology and the Classics, aka ATC, won the girls team title with 61 points, easily outpacing runner-up Legacy Academy and its 84 points. Gateway Christian was third with 159 points.