Record-breaking build-up to state in Utah
By Doug Binder, DyeStat editor
With a week to go before the Oct. 23 state meet at Sugar House Park, Utah is already experiencing a cross country season for the ages.
On Monday, the US#1 Davis girls put seven girls across the line between 17:56 and 18:44 on the three-mile course at Layton Commons Park in the Region 1 meet. (4,350 feet elevation).
On Wednesday, the US#3 American Fork boys dominated the Region 4 meet at Westlake High School (Elevation: 4,500 feet). Connor McMillan led the way with a course record 14:32.9 and Fork's fifth was across in 15:14.9. It was the fastest team performance in state history on a three-mile course.
Also Wednesday, Lucy Biles of Herriman ran 16:53.3 to win the Region 4 meet by 40 seconds.
The times are so fast that they have caused Westlake coach and meet director Aaron Robison to measure and re-measure the course to make sure it is a full three miles. (It is).
"We had meet there 10 days ago and the times were very fast," Robison said. "Today was even nuttier."
The lead pack of boys went through the mile in modest 5:06. But then McMillan and teammate Zac Jacklin took off. McMillan covered the final two miles in a jaw-dropping 9:27.
And farther north, in the Region 5 meet at Weber Fairgrounds, Sarah Feeny of Ogden won her state qualifying race in 17:00.6 and Conner Mantz of of Sky View ran 14:32.5.
All of it sets up what could be an historic state meet next Wednesday at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City. The depth of individual talent and quality teams has never been higher in Utah. (Kramer Morton of Alta, another of the state's top guns, ran 15:11 in his regional meet).
One casualty of Utah's regional qualifying system was Herriman's boys, who were fifth in Region 4 on Wednesday (the top four advance) despite being the seventh-best team in the entire state.
