2024 Nevada State Cross Country Preview

By John Dixon for DyeStat

The Nevada state meet will be held Nov. 2 at Boulder City’s Veterans Memorial Park.  This is a relatively slow course with loose sand and long uphills.

The course records are 15:54 for the boys and 17:57 for the girls.

5A Boys – It’s Keenan Dagge’s course and we’re just here to admire. Dagge has been the dominant Nevada runner all season. At the regional meet he broke a course record, even having to double back after missing a turn. The team championship looks like Shadow Ridge with challenges from Carson and Galena. 

5A Girls – Shadow Ridge looks like the team to beat led by regional champion Elynn Okuda. Challenges could come from Northern teams Galena and Carson. Galena has two runners, Eleanor Raker (Foot Locker finalist) and freshman Gioia Coudriet (Northern Region champion) that have run very few races this season and could be a major factor. Don’t count out Carson for a podium finish.

4A Boys – The only way Somerset Sky Pointe loses is if they miss the bus! The Eagles won their regional meet easily, not even running their top seven. No. 1 Carter Prater (14:58 5k) rested.  Look for a very low score from the Eagles.

4A Girls - Same as the boys.  After scoring 15 at regionals, odds are that they repeat that perfect score. Mackenzie Teel, two-time Southern Nevada Athlete of the Week is the team's No. 1 and won the regional in 20:10.  Sky Point placed seven in the first eight at that meet and will not be challenged.

3A Boys - Having finished no worse that third in any meet this season, Truckee’s Kiefer Wilcox looks like the man to beat. He will be challenged by Moapa Valley’s Mordechai Yadegar. Knowledge of the course may play in Yadegar’s favor, but Wilcox in one of Nevada’s best. Truckee and Moapa Valley will battle for the team title.

3A Girls-  The North, as in most years, will dominate this division. The South cannot seem to break through the stranglehold the Northern teams have on this race. South Tahoe’s region champ Lyla Landy and North Valley’s Taylor Dickey were only separated by two seconds at regional and should be the class of the field. Truckee is the clear favorite for team honors followed by Elko and Spring Creek.

2A Boys - Lincoln County’s Ben Finlinson was third at state as a sophomore and second as a junior.  He’s looking to move up one more place for his first state cross country title. Northern champ Logan Robinson from Whittell has raced sparingly this season, but with excellent results. Lincoln County placed 1-2-3-4 at Region and will be hard to beat, but never count out North Tahoe.

2A Girls- North Tahoe is the clear favorite for another state championship.  The Lakers junior, Britta Johnson, is undefeated and favored for her third straight title.