Bountiful’s Hooper wins state cross country title
Nov 08, 2024 08:57AM ● By Tom Haraldsen
Local runners at this year’s Utah High School cross country championships included Hayden Hooper from Bountiful (state champion), Talmage Bruschke from Viewmont, Harrison Skousen from Davis, Isabella Cram from Davis, Alyssa Clayton from Viewmont, Katie Hansen from Woods Cross, and Ellie Dorius from Farmington. Photos by Tom Haraldsen.
It was a great day for local prep runners on Oct. 30. Bountiful senior Hayden Hooper won the individual 5A boys championship, and Viewmont captured second-place in the 5A boys team scoring at the Utah High School Activities Association State Cross Country Championships. The three-mile races for all divisions were held on a new course at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City.
Hooper traversed the course in a time of 15:07.26, well ahead of second-place finisher Edward Stout of Taylorsville who finished at 15:34.71. The Warriors ended up edging Viewmont for the boys’ team title, the first state championship in that school’s history.
Viewmont was second at 80 points, the second straight year the Vikings have brought home the silver trophy. Senior Talmage Bruschke finished fourth at 15:36.77, and senior teammate Hayden Arbuckle was seventh at 15:43.21.
“Across the board, six out of seven runners had a fantastic day,” said Viewmont coach Trent Hooper, who happens to be the uncle of Hayden Hooper of Bountiful. “We knew we would have to have our best day to beat Taylorsville – but they were on. Both teams were really on today.”
He said he was most proud of Bruschke.
“He’s been waiting in the wings all year,” coach Hooper said. “He’s not always been our top runner each meet, but he stepped up on a huge stage today. It’s been a shuffle week-to- week for every race – we’ve had a different set of seven (scored runners) and a different top five because of sickness and injury. Across the board, we put four boys closely together, and that’s what clinched the second place for us. The times from our first runner to our fifth runner were a 31 second spread.”
Also scoring for Viewmont were senior Peter Gehring, 22nd at 16:02.82; senior David Tervort, 23rd at 16:03.55, and junior Clement Burton, 24th at 16:08.40. Viewmont senior Ben Hyde was 26th at 16:10.38 and senior Bryce Arbuckle was 31st at 16:19.20.
Bountiful finished 9th in team scoring. Redhawks’ senior Simon Barlow just missed a top 10 finish, taking 11th at 15:48.05. Other Bountiful runners were sophomore Evan Ostler (77th, 17:14.79), sophomore David Ebert (99th, 17:34.24), junior Elijah Guzman (127th, 18:07.19) and junior Jackson Burgener (137th, 18:17.56).
Woods Cross took 16th place in the teams event. Junior Henry Hyde was the top Wildcat finisher in 51st place at 16:44.71. Fellow Wildcat scored runners were junior Sam Phippen (78th, 17:15.52), senior Skyler Pace (90th, 17:26.72), sophomore Hobbes Campbell (111th, 17:51.66), and senior Tyler Noall (112th, 17:52.45).
5A GIRLS
This race was dominated by Timpview, which easily held off Box Elder to win the girls team title. It was particularly dominated by Timpview senior Jane Hedengren, who will take her talents down the street a few blocks next year when she runs for BYU. Hedengren, ranked fourth nationally by MaxPreps for distance running, captured the title in a time of 16:21.48. That’s a full MINUTE ahead of her teammate Lily Alder – the largest winning margin in state history in a 5A final.
Viewmont sophomore Alyssa Clayton took seventh in a time of 18:21.76, helping the Vikings to a fourth-place team finish, one place higher than last year’s team. Woods Cross senior Katie Hansen finished her remarkable career in cross country with a ninth place finish at 18:34.29. The Wildcats finished eighth in team scoring, and Bountiful was 17th.
For Viewmont, scored runners include senior Audrey Lemon (31st, 19:42.26), senior Tempe Anderson (39th, 20:08.95), senior Lexi Toronto (48th, 20:25.25) and freshman Josie Lee (56th, 20:33.49).
For Woods Cross, scored runners other than Hansen were junior Brie Nydegger (25th, 19:22.61), junior Kiara DeVries (26th, 19:26.55), sophomore MaKenna Webster (80th, 21:01.03), and junior Abigail Marx (111th, 21:43.77).
Senior Ella Becker was Bountiful’s top finisher, taking 54th in a time of 20:32.43. Other Redhawks who scored were junior Ella McQuay (68th, 20:51.49), sophomore Ellie Showalter (73rd, 20:55.10), junior Taya Sanders (88th, 21:10.44) and freshman Grace McQuay (106th, 21:29.52).
6A BOYS
Davis finished fifth and Farmington 11th in team scoring. The top Dart finisher was sophomore Harrison Skousen (24th, 15:55.44). Other Davis scored runners were senior Carter Rawlings (34th, 16:07.40), senior Cade Rawlings (36th, 16:08.73), sophomore Jonas Clay (41st, 16:14.69) and senior Jonny Reed (42nd, 16:14.85).
For Farmington, senior Landon Sturgeon led all Phoenix in 44th place at 16:20.37. His scored teammates were senior Joseph Miller (45th, 16:20.88), senior Koda Hildreth (49th, 16:22.71), sophomore Hudson Scott (59th, 16:31.29) and senior Casey Ward (75th, 16:44.89).
6A GIRLS
There were two local top 10 finishers in the girls’ race, as Farmington freshman Ellie Dorius came in fourth at 18:07.25. She has been dominating races since mid-season and had a great run at Sugar House. Davis sophomore Isabella Cram continued her great season as well, taking sixth in a time of 18:29.56.
The Lady Darts were 10th in team scoring. Other Darts who were scored were freshman Erin Christensen (34th, 19:23.02), senior Eliza Swain (56th, 20:05.86), sophomore Courtney Burbidge (60th, 20:09.69) and senior Helen Glaze (64th, 20:18.13). Farmington did not qualify as a team, but the Phoenix had two other runners in the finals. Junior Gabriella May finished 91st at 21:21.74, and senior Hailey Bird was 95th at 21:38.91. λ