Ric Rojas Running Boys Win Regional Cross Country Championship

Advance to National Championships in Virginia
The fastest team of runners in the Rocky Mountain Region live right here in Boulder County.

A team of local middle school boys captured the Rocky Mountain Region USATF Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships last weekend. Rich Sanchez, a 7th grader at Louisville Middle School, led the Ric Rojas Running 11-12 year old boy's team to the 3K title by taking 2nd place in a field of 90 competitors.
Rounding out the team scoring were Zane Jeffress, Eldorado Middle School (9th place); Naat'aani Todea, Centennial Middle School (8th place), Zac Petrie, Oberon Middle School (14th place) and Charlie Carner, Louisville Middle School (34th place). Team "10-Tcm Rez Runners" (Arizona) placed second and "The Utah Project" placed third.

The race criss-crossed the sandy arroyos of the Albuquerque Academy preparatory school. Competitors from Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas comprised the field.

"All five of us had to give 100% to win," said Sanchez. "There was a lot of bumping and pushing and we had to elbow your way through the pack," added 5th man Charlie Carner. "We won Regionals and now we're psyched to get to Nationals and take first place," said 9th place finisher Zane Jeffress.

Also qualifying for Nationals were Amanda Worthy in the girls under-10 division (9th) and Emma Sanchez in the girls 11-12 division (9th). Both girls represent Ric Rojas Running.

The runners will compete at the National Championships in Richmond, VA on December 13th.