Related State Championship Content
4th Straight for Hilltoppers as They Show No Sign of Stopping
The race was close but it would be the reigning defending 4A champ Los Alamos once again hoisting the blue trophy for a coveted 4th straight year. The Hilltoppers had been a mystery entering this championship compared to years past. They had managed to skip all the major meets in the state including Academy Extravaganza, Rio Rancho Jamboree, and Lobo Invitational. Despite their lack of competition against the 4A powerhouses, they remained a team very much in control of their own destiny. ABQ Academy had found success all season long in its own right. They proved to be the best chance at disrupting the Hilltoppers a few weeks prior at the Academy Extravanganza where they were able to get a great performance from their top runners in Katie Patton, Anna Hastings, and Addison Julian. It would be Emma Montoya running away with the 4A crown as she had been the #1 runner in class 4A all year long and proved it by capturing her first state xc title as a Senior. As expected it was a flurry of red and green jerseys to start the finish line as the first six finishers were all Academy and Los Alamos. a Closer finish than years past as it would be a 31 point victory for the Hilltoppers over ABQ Academy's 37 points. Shiprock would hold on to a podium spot led by Kaydence Platero's 8th place finish.