Doubling Down: American Fork wins boys, Lone Peak claims girls 6A cross country titles
-
- Lone Peak runners celebrate after the 6A girls race at the 2023 state cross country meet at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- American Fork’s Kaden Evans, left, celebrates with teammates after the Cavemen won the 2023 6A Boys state title at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- The Lone Peak girls cross country team runs as a group during the 6A girls race at the 2023 state cross country meet at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- Lone Peak senior Andie Aagard wins the 6A girls race at the 2023 state cross country meet at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- American Fork’s Daniel Simmons crosses the finish line to win the 6A boys state championship race at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- A Lone Peak runner recuperates after the 6A girls race at the 2023 state cross country meet at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- American Fork senior Avalon Mecham crosses the finish line in the 6A girls race at the 2023 state cross country meet at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- Runners start the 6A girls race at the 2023 state cross country meet at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- The American Fork boys cross country team raises the trophy after winning the 6A state team title at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- American Fork’s Kaden Evans crosses the finish line in second place during the 6A boys state cross country final at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- American Fork’s Kaden Evans competes in the 6A boys state cross country final at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- Runners begin the 6A boys state cross country final at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- The Lone Peak girls cross country team raises the trophy after winning the 6A state cross country team championship at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- The Top 10 6A girls cross country finishers pose for photos at the state finals at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- The Lone Peak girls cross country team poses for a selfie after winning the 6A girls title at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- Lone Peak’s Addie Meldrum collapses to the ground after finishing third in the 6A girls state cross country finals at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- Lone Peak’s Andie Aagard prepares to cross the finish line first in the 6A girls state cross country final at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- From left, American Fork’s Avalon Mecham and Lone Peak’s Boston Bybee, Addie Meldrum, Maya Bybee and Anna Bybee lead the pack during the 6A girls state cross country final at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- The American Fork girls cross country team begins the 6A race at the state finals at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
-
- The Lone Peak girls cross country team begins the 6A state finals at Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
SALT LAKE CITY — American Fork and Herriman were at the top of the rankings all season in Class 6A boys cross country, so it was only fitting the state final would come down to one race at Regional Sports Complex.
The Cavemen executed a nearly flawless race and edged out the Mustangs 33-39, with AF senior Daniel Simmons winning his second straight individual title in a meet-best time of 14:44.0.
On the women’s side, the Lone Peak girls were nearly perfect, finishing first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth to score a meet-low 19 points, well ahead of second place American Fork with 48.
Andie Aagard, who won last year’s individual race, duplicated that effort this season to pace the Knights to another victory.
6A Boys
American Fork finished 1 (Simmons), 2 (Kaden Evans) and 3 (Chase Pack), with Lone Peak’s Nathan Rummler third. Then came three Herriman runners in fifth (Tayshaun Ogomo), sixth (Jonah Tang) and seventh (Jack Beckstrom). American Fork’s fourth finisher was Ben Bradshaw in eighth, with Herriman getting ninth (Max Hofheins) and 12th (Micah Tang).
The Cavemen secured the win with Ben Jaster crossing the line in 20th place.
“The boys had a plan and they raced their plan,” AF coach Timo Mostert said. “When you work hard, good things happen. Give Herriman all the credit, they had a good race plan and their boys raced phenomenally today. It’s been a battle all year so I’m just grateful we had the opportunity to come out on top. It’s three and a half weeks until regionals and nationals. We’ll see what happens there. That’ll be phase 2. We want to represent well at Nike Cross Country Nationals.”
Mostert praised Simmons for his consistent work in practice.
“He ran all by himself today,” Mostert said. “We try to optimize our practices so that we’re getting the most adaptation possible for what we do. We don’t try to overtrain them or do too much. That could actually lead them to be slower. So there was good training plan, a good race plan and great attitudes, camaraderie and brotherhood on this team. That’s why it’s not just an individual champion, but a team when a plan comes together, and it’s wonderful.”
Simmons, who plans to compete at BYU before he serves a church mission, wasn’t challenged in winning by nearly 25 seconds over second-place finisher and teammate Evans (15:10.3), with Pack third (15:11.4).
“We just wanted to believe in each other and that’s what we did,” Simmons said. “We wanted to go in thinking we could win but stay humble and make sure that we’re not trying to force it. I wanted to go smooth today and try to hit even split the whole race. I felt really fast and I felt really good. I felt like it went really well for my plan.
“We’re really just grateful for this opportunity, where we can come and do our best. We were coordinating together very well and it ended up working out.”
Monday’s team title was the 11th for the Cavemen and their second in a row.
6A Girls
Aagard and American Fork’s Avalon Mecham finished 1-2 last season and repeated that feat in 2023. This year, Aagard won in 17:25.9, with Mecham coming in at 17:38.4.
Then came Lone Peak’s other four runners, assuring the Knights of a championship. Addie Meldrum (third, 17:45.4), freshman Maya Bybee (fourth, 17:48.3), Boston Bybee (fifth 17:53.1) and Anna Bybee (sixth, 18:11.7) all helped bring home the gold.
Lone Peak athletes and supporters wore t-shirts that read, “Power of the Pack” and demonstrated that ideal on the championship course.
“At Mile 2, we still had four of our girls together,” Knights coach Courtney Meldrum said. “That’s how they run. It’s just who we are. We believe in team and you don’t do it except with your team. So it’s kind of just our motto. We know our girls are never not going to run hard. So it’s like if they can pull the other girls to her.”
Aagard doesn’t even plan on running cross country in college: She’s a top mountain bike champion who competes nationally and internationally.
“We really emphasize running together as as team,” she said. “That’s us being side by side, and that helps us go faster. So most of the race you can see we’re all together at the front. And I think that helps us be a really strong team.
“I’ve been injured lately and it’s been kind of frustrating. So I wasn’t sure about the race today but I really felt like I could do it.”
Lone Peak won its second straight state title.
6A State Cross Country Results
6A Boys Top 10
1 Daniel Simmons, Sr., American Fork 14:44.0
2 Kaden Evans, Jr., American Fork 15:10.3
3 Chase Pack, Sr., American Fork 15:11.4
4 Nathan Rummler, Sr., Lone Peak 15:17.5
5 Tayshaun Ogomo, Jr., Herriman 15:21.9
6 Jonah Tang, Jr., Herriman 15.22.2
7. Jack Beckstrom, Sr., Herriman 15:22.3
8. Ben Bradshaw, Sr., American Fork 15:22.7
9. Max Hofheins, Sr., Herriman 15:27.3
10. Davis Rydman, Sr., Layton 15:27.8
6A Boys Team Scores: 1 American Fork 33, 2. Herriman 39, 3. Lone Peak 95, 4. Riverton 146, 5. Riverton 146
6A Girls Top 10
1 Andie Aagard, Sr., Lone Peak 17:25.9
2. Avalon Mecham, Sr., American Fork 17:38.4
3 Addie Meldrum, Sr., Lone Peak 17:45.4
4. Maya Bybee, Fr., Lone Peak 17:48.3
5. Boston Bybee, Jr., Lone Peak 17:53.1
6. Anna Bybee, So., Lone Peak 18:11.7
7. Cailey Bracken, Sr., Mountain Ridge 18:17.6
8. Skye Jensen, Fr., American Fork 18:20.0
9. Millie Robinson, Jr., Westlake 18:20.9
10. Sophie Steiger, So., American Fork 18:22.7
6A Girls Team Scores: 1 Lone Peak 19, 2. American Fork 48, 3. Westlake 111, 4. Riverton 145, 5. Herriman 159
For complete results and times, go to UHSAA.org or runnercard.com
