Evelyn Prodoehl of Lakota West in Ohio elevates from 41st last season to win girls gold title, Daniel Skandera becomes first Alabama athlete to triumph at national competition at John Hunt Park

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The success of Utah boys programs and Colorado girls teams wasn’t just limited Saturday to competition in Oregon, with the fourth edition of the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships showcasing the strength of both states at John Hunt Park in Alabama.

Skyridge High became the third Utah boys lineup in meet history to win the 5-kilometer gold race, joining American Fork in 2020 and Riverton last season, placing five scorers in the top 125 to prevail by a 106-119 margin against Farragut of Tennessee.

RESULTS

Devan Green led Skyridge – sixth place Oct. 24 in the Utah 6A state final and again Nov. 18 at the Nike Southwest Regional – by finishing 41st in 15 minutes, 45.6 seconds, with Farragut bolstered by third-place competitor Matteo Tonnos clocking 15:16.9.

Daniel Skandera, a sophomore competing unattached, became the first Alabama athlete to triumph in the gold race in meet history, running 15:05.3.

Junior Allen from Oakton High in Virginia placed second in 15:15.0, Isaac Rivera of Lincoln College Prep in Missouri finished fourth in 15:17.5 and Jaden Merrick from Cedar Falls in Iowa clocked 15:19.5 to secure fifth.

Brother Martin of Louisiana took third as a team with 162 points, Cheyenne Mountain from Colorado was fourth at 197 points and Orem High in Utah earned fifth with 205 points.

Fossil Ridge, which placed second Oct. 28 to Nike Cross Nationals champion Air Academy in the Colorado girls 5A state final, emerged victorious in the girls gold race with a 94-112 victory against Barrington High of Illinois.

Fossil Ridge, which had five competitors in the top 125 led by Tatum Berg taking 31st in 18:32.2, made it four straight victories for Colorado girls programs in Alabama, joining Mountain Vista in 2020 and last season, along with Niwot in 2021.

Fossil Ridge was seventh Nov. 18 at the Nike Southwest Regional, with the top four programs in the race – Air Academy, Niwot, Mountain Vista and Lone Peak from Utah – securing those spots Saturday at Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon.

Brentwood from Tennessee took third at 136 points, Central Kitsap of Washington finished fourth with 155 points, Mountain View from Utah placed fifth at 159 points and Lucas Lovejoy of Texas secured sixth with 170 points.

Evelyn Prodoehl, a junior at Lakota West in Ohio, elevated from 41st last season at John Hunt Park with a 70-second improvement to secure the victory in the gold race in 17:32.8.

Sadie Adams, competing unattached from Virginia, was second in 17:40.0, with Morgan Boonshaft from Providence Day in North Carolina taking third in 17:44.6.

Gail Vaikutis of St. Joseph in Michigan ascended from 33rd last year with an improvement of more than 45 seconds to place fourth in 17:48.5.

Addison Dorenkamp from West Des Moines Valley in Iowa clocked 17:50.3 to finish fifth, Nicki Southerland of Delta High in Indiana secured sixth in 17:50.5, Scout Storms was a catalyst for runner-up Barrington by capturing seventh in 17:57.2 and Addison Moore from Woodford County in Kentucky earned eighth in 17:58.1, rounding out the sub-18 competitors.