The Lobo Invitational, held at the University of New Mexico North Golf Course, saw a vibrant display of Eldorado burnt orange as the Eagles girls cross country team delivered a commanding performance on Saturday morning. The team, already recognized for their prowess, proved their dominance by sweeping the top three spots in the individual standings.
Freshman Helene Gessner emerged as the individual champion, clocking in at 18 minutes, 36.22 seconds. Her victory came just two seconds ahead of her teammate, junior Gianna Rahmer, who finished in 18:38.31. Completing the impressive 1-2-3 finish for Eldorado was eighth-grader Isla Rahmer, who crossed the line in 18:53.52. Gessner's triumph marks a strong start to her competitive running career, having previously placed second at the season-opening meet at Cleveland.
Reflecting on her performance, Gessner expressed her determination, stating, "I just felt like I still had a kick, and I felt I had been working really hard, so I decided to go." This season is particularly significant for Gessner as it is her first year competing for the Eagles, although she has experience running in clubs. She joined the cross country program to enjoy the sport and improve her skills while balancing her commitments to volleyball and basketball.
The Eldorado team showcased their depth, with six runners finishing in the top eight. Gianna Rahmer, who had faced challenges at the previous meet due to heat exhaustion and dehydration, rebounded strongly to help lead her team. Freshman Ava Denton also contributed to the team's success, finishing fifth with a time of 19:27.83. The Eagles secured a total of 18 points, solidifying their position at the top of the standings.
“I was really excited for our team,” Gessner added. “My team helps me a lot; they all push me. Gianna has taught me a lot about running. I haven’t been running for too long; I just want to learn and get better.” The only runner outside of Eldorado to break into the top five was Santa Fe High freshman Andi Severy, who finished in 19:16.44.
On the boys' side, Diego Friedrich from Albuquerque Academy claimed the individual title, finishing in 15 minutes, 55.85 seconds, making him the only boy to complete the race in under 16 minutes. His performance was a significant improvement from his third-place finish at Cleveland the previous week. Friedrich noted the challenges of the UNM course but was pleased with his victory, stating, “It was really cool.” Christopher Severy from Santa Fe took second place in 16:20.36, while Cache Webb from Farmington, Keller Ford from Centennial, and Aiden Roybal from Volcano Vista rounded out the top five.
In the team standings for the boys, Cleveland narrowly edged out Centennial with a score of 112 to 122, while La Cueva finished third with 174 points. Notably, the event also marked the absence of the Coombs family from Las Cruces, who have been prominent in the local cross country scene, as they have relocated to Utah.
In addition to the Lobo Invitational, junior Mariah Galbraith from Rio Rancho, who won the previous week’s meet at Cleveland, competed in the prestigious Liberty Bell Invitational in Littleton, Colorado, finishing 13th overall out of 154 runners in the Sweepstakes Varsity division. Meanwhile, in the college division, UNM’s Noel Barlette and freshman Rhys Crawford from Scotland also secured first place in their respective limited fields.
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