Albuquerque Metro Championships Preview: Trophy season is upon us
APS Metro Championship Central
The first of several Championships will be on hand at Nusenda Stadium in Albuquerque this weekend. The best of the Metro area will be toe the line for the blue trophy in what should be a great start to the latter half of the season.
Defending Metro Champions Albuquerque Academy boys and girls come into this meet the favorites.
Girls varsity race will include strong competition from 5A defending state champion Eldorado as well as Rio Rancho. The Individual race will see Eldorado's Jasmine Turtle-Morales and Sue Cleveland's Leah Futey duke it out yet again for what has been a game of leap frog thus far in the season. Also in contention is a equally capable Emily Schoellkopf. Others also shooting for individual Metro champion status is Volcano Vista's Isabella Schrader and Rio Rancho's Faith Lovato. Turtle-Morales is the defending individual champion from a year ago while Futey finished in 3rd.
Boys varsity should see Sue Cleveland and Rio Rancho playing catch up to Albuquerque Academy. The only time these three teams will have a chance to go head-to-head for a championship regardless of classification. Individual races will be expected to consist of plenty of Charger red vying for the #1 spot as Justin Hickey, Julian Garcia and Oliver Pilon have been dominant midway through the season. Looking to break up any chances of a sweep will be Rio Rancho's Dawson Gunn and La Cueva's Stevie Salas who both remain 5A front runners. Salas who took runner-up honors at last years metro championship is the best returning finisher from that race and the only top 10 returning runner from that race.
The first freeze of the Fall has arrived and runners will see crisp conditions in the early mornings of Saturday as hot air balloons ascend at the Albuquerque International Ballooon Fiesta. Its starting to feel like cross country season in the Land of Enchantment.
Schedule of events
Saturday, October 12
7:00am Team Access to Facility
8:00am Meet Packet Distribution, Northeast Building at Track Level
8:30am Mandatory Coaches Meeting, Track Pavilion
9:15am Girls Open B Race
10:00am Boys Open B Race
10:45am Girls Open A Race
11:30am Boys Championship Race
12:00pm Girls Championship Race
12:30pm Boys Open A Race
2019 Metro Championships Packet
2018 Albuquerque Metro Championships results
Metro Championships top 100 boys past 7 years
Metro Championships top 100 girls past 7 years
