BOUNTIFUL—Davis County residents Carlee Hansen and Dalton Mortensen are among the best prep runners in the state. The two high school seniors have combined to win five cross country state titles over the past three seasons. And as the track and field season heads down the home stretch, the pair of neighborhood friends are in line to bring home even more hardware.

Hansen of Woods Cross is currently ranked first in the state 1,600-meters as well as the 800. Mortensen of Bountiful High is first among 5A runners in the 3,200 and is third in the 1,600.

For Mortensen, he currently has a personal time of 4:10 in the 1,600 and a personal best of 9:10 in the 3,200. He would like to beat both times before the conclusion of the season.

“I think I have a good chance,” he said. “I have a couple of more good races left.”

For Hansen, being ranked first in the state has brought her so much excitement and relief.

“I’m so happy about the 800,” she said. “I have not been able to break my PR since my freshman year. I swear I ran 2:12 like 50 times. In the1,600, I have had improvement from two years ago. It’s keeping me motivated.”

But with COVID restrictions still in place in certain parts of the country, Hansen says the season is not what it could have been.

“I feel like I have not been able to perform as best I can,” she said. “I haven’t been able to go out of state and run.”

The two of them both grew up in the same Bountiful neighborhood, attending the same elementary and junior high schools.

“I remember the first time he beat me,” Hansen said. “I was so devastated and was like this is so sad. My mom said you better get used to it.” Hansen says to this day they cheer each other on at races.

Mortensen says her success has been a motivator for him.

“Seeing each other have success,” he said, “is a motivator for the other to fulfill their potential.”

Still, both started taking running seriously as they entered high school.

For Mortensen, it came down to playing soccer or participating in track and field. The two sports had conflicting practice schedules, so he was forced to pick one.

“I wanted to see how far I could go in the sport,” he said. “I’m better at running than I was in soccer.”

The decision has turned out to be the right one for Mortensen as he has claimed the last two 5A state cross country titles.

“I started running on the side for conditioning for soccer,” Mortensen said.

Hansen had a difficult time at the state cross country meet her freshman year. And after that, she vowed not to repeat that ever again.

“I’ve been running forever,” she said. “After my freshman year, I decided that I wanted to be good at it.”

Subsequently, Hansen has won the last three 5A state cross country titles.

“It’s mostly out of grit,” she said of her success in cross country. “And I like to win. I was like there is no way I’m losing again in cross country.”

Both have a bright future in front of them. Upon graduation later this spring, Mortensen will leave for a church mission in August. After his two years, he will return and will compete in track and cross country at BYU. 

Hansen will attend the University of North Carolina where she will compete in both cross country and track. She had considered Stanford, but when the Stanford coach took a job at North Carolina, it forced Hansen to reconsider her options.

She also had Princeton on her list of schools as well.

“I hold academics very high,” she said.

The state 5A and 6A state track and field meets will be held at Davis High School on May 18-19. And the rest of the state should be on notice.

“I have mixed emotions,” Hansen said of the state meet being moved to Kaysville. “Going to BYU is always fun, but I always do well at Davis.”