Déjà vu.

That's what the rest of the 4A field had to be thinking as they watched the Mountain View boys and girls capture the cross country titles on Wednesday -- again.

It's actually been five years since both teams earned gold trophies at the same time, but it probably hasn't felt like it to everybody else.

This represents the 17th overall crown for the girls, who were second last year and won in 2007 as well.

The boys have earned 13 trophies in a row, including nine straight first-place titles, then three runner-ups, and now back to first again. They have won 14 championships overall.

Ashley Robison said a big part of the success of the Bruin girls came from the team members liking to talk to each other during their two-hour practices.

The conversation paid off, as the girls easily edged Ogden 38-85 after Robison finished third overall at 18:41 and three other teammates (Ashleigh Warner, Kelsey Brown, Jennica Redd) were in the top 10.

Throw in Taylor Jolley's 12th-place showing and Mountain View had it won before most teams had even come close to crossing the finish line of the three-mile event that wrapped up at Highland High School. Ashley Harrison and Ellie Eyestone also competed.

"We've come a long ways. Our team worked really hard at being a team this year," the senior Robison said. "We wanted to help each other. We run as a group, win as a group. We're like a family.

"That was our motivation. The more we became friends, the more we ran together because we wanted to run together. People wanted to keep pace."

Coaches and friends praised Robison effusively for running a smart, patient race even as she was slightly disappointed for a few breathless minutes after being just six seconds away from the top spot -- Ogden's Avery Calton claimed it in 18:35.

Orem's Summer Harper, a freshman, finished second. She only lost to Calton by four seconds. That could be a quickly growing rivalry, as both are ninth-graders.

Harper grew up watching brothers and sisters in the state meet at the hilly course which begins in Sugar House Park, and used that experience and her own dedication as fuel.

"I was just thinking about how hard I've trained, and that I could push myself to a higher level," Harper said.

The Orem standout praised Mountain View as well.

"They're pretty good," she said, before smiling and catching herself. "I mean, they're really good."

Bruins coach Mike Hunter agreed.

"It's what we talked about going in, it was one of our goals," he said of having so many runners in the top 20. "It was great to achieve it. It's one thing to talk about it, and another thing to do it. And these girls did what they said they would."

Hunter said he'd been more confident about the girls winning because there was a bigger spread between them and other teams during the regular season.

But the boys came through as well. Senior Nicholas Harrison led the way in fourth place at 16:06, followed by Jared Swain (10th), Shinano Miyazawa (12th), Travis Taylor (13th) and Parker Goodwin (16th). Javier Pastrana and Jaydn Asay rounded out the squad.

"The key was that they ran as a group too, just as we've done all year," Hunter explained. "We don't have a standout runner, but all seven have scored, and we've had three different leaders on both the boys and girls teams this season. We've had to use everybody."

They never did it any better than in Idaho earlier this season, when only nine seconds separated the No. 1 through 5 boys in an event there. Similarly tight running allowed Mountain View to hold off Timpanogos 55-79 on Wednesday.

The Timberwolves were ahead for a time, but when the Bruins' No. 3, 4, 5 and 6 runners came in so close together with an 11-second spread, Timpanogos could not overcome that.

"It takes a lot of pressure off the kids when they don't have to be one or five," Hunter said. "From Day 1 in the summer, these kids have been willing to work hard. Their goal was not necessarily to win but to run their best, and they have."

Springville's Joseph Christensen was the top local finisher at third overall with a 16:05 mark.

"I was just hoping for the top 10, so third is great," he said. "There's so many fast guys here and they're all so good. It was an awesome race and it went better than expected for me. I loved the competition."

A junior, the Red Devil is looking forward to next year as well. "I hope to do at least as well then," he said. "This is so fun, I don't want it to end."

• Jason Franchuk can be reached at jfranchuk@heraldextra.com. Beky Beaton can be reached at bbeaton@heraldextra.com.

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• Mountain View sweeps Region 7 cross country titles
• Bruins second, T'Wolves third in 4A, 5A meets
• Runners heading to state cross country meet
• MV girls take 4A title; Harper wins race
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