The Fountain Hills Invitational wasted no time in presenting the best of the field. The early favorites of the Varsity Boys race, Carson Klepinger (Mesa Mtn. View, Jr.), David Nelsen (Hamilton, Jr.) and Caden Hercules (Desert Mtn., Jr.) emerged around the first half-mile among other familiar faces we hadn't seen this season yet like Saguaro's Michael Barney (Sr.) and William Ryan-Johnson (Pinnacle, So.).
Klepinger, Barney, and Hercules pressed the pace around the lake and over the next lap Barney took control of the race and crossed the finish first in 15:53.1. Klepinger followed in 2nd place, Nelsen placed 3rd and Caden Hercules was 4th. Mesa Mountain View repeated as winners with all five scoring runners in the top 30 and a score of 64 points.
In the Varsity Girls race, Emily Wilcox (Boulder Creek, Jr.) led the pack for the first loop around the lake with Kailey Welch (Mesa Mtn. View, So.) and Desert Mountain's numbers 1 and 2 Alexis Hocken (Sr.) and Stephanie Stewart in tow. The Lady Wolves Seniors worked together to dominate the next mile.
Alexis powered through for the win in 19:26.4, but with 200 meters to go it was Kailey Welch who chased down Stewart for 2nd place and disrupted Desert Mountain's 1-2 finish. Veritas Prep Sophomore Meghan Barney and Michael Barney's younger sister finished fourth and Emily Wilcox crossed the finish in 20 minutes flat for 5th place.
In the open junior/senior divisions Thunderbird's Jason Archuleta (Jr.) and Peyton Solheim (Jr.) won their Boys and Girls races respectively, while Mesa Mountain View and Hamilton won as Boys and Girls teams. In the boys' freshman/sophomore race Mt. Pointe's Alex Graham (Fr.) broke away early claimed the victory in 17:51.2, 24 seconds ahead of sophomore Deshawn Malone (Mesa Mountain View) who edged out Geoffrey Grossthal (Valley Christian, Fr.) for 2nd.
In the last race of the day, the Mtn. Pointe all-freshman squad sealed the meet with an individual win for the Lady Pride's Molly Harrison, and a team victory thanks to her teammates Kirsten Ensley (2nd), Caroline Fye (4th), Haila Reed (8th), Yesenia Chavez (35th) and Lilly Martinez (55th).
The Mountain View Toro squad obviously came up big on Saturday morning but positive impressions of each of the race winners were left on spectators as well excited for the next time they will see such incredible performances out of young athletes.