Basic’s Chavez turns change in championship run

For most of her prep career, Basic cross country standout Raquel Chavez has preferred to set the pace early and maintain it. But this year, the senior has adjusted her strategy to set a more manageable pace early and save her aggressive running for late.

Chavez used her change of pace to her advantage in winning the Class 4A Desert Region girls race Friday at Veteran Memorial Park in Boulder City.

“This was a much harder race compared to two years ago because there was so much competition,” Chavez said. “I was nervous early on as I held off in the beginning, but things worked out.”

Chavez surged to the front midway through the race and crossed the finish line in 19 minutes, 25.1 seconds over the 5,000-meter course.

Chavez moved forward until the runners went up the long, sandy uphill portion on the back side of the course a second time. Her tactical move paid off in the third mile, where she previously struggled. This time, Chavez built a lead and won the race going away.

Coronado held off Bishop Gorman 61-65 for the team title, and Desert Oasis took third with 145 points. All three teams qualify for state.

Desert Pines junior Jazmin Felix won the Class 4A Mountain Region girls title. She broke to the front early and started to build a lead going up the sand a mile in with only Cimarron-Memorial freshman Olivia Garcia sticking to her. Felix pulled away midway through the race and won in 19:30.6.

“I was pretty confident coming in,” Felix said. “It is a rough course, and I knew everyone would pick it up a bit. I just stayed focused on my pace early on and then kept upping it.”

Centennial won the team title with 36 points, with Faith Lutheran (65) and Palo Verde (84) grabbing the other two state berths.

Boys

Conner Nicholas won two Desert Region championships Friday. One for himself and one for the Diamondbacks.

The senior completed the 5,000-meter course in 16:54 — one second faster than Massimiliano Swenson of Bishop Gorman — to claim the individual championship.

Landon Morrison (17:06.2), Spencer White (17:47.6) and Traylen Ruch (17:56.2) joined Nicholas in the top 10 to help Desert Oasis coast to the team title with 41 points. Green Valley finished second with 75 and Coronado third with 83. All three teams clinched state berths.

In the Mountain Region, Arbor View’s Noah Ayala was awarded the individual title after originally finishing second to Palo Verde’s Noah Jordan (17:00.2). Jordan was disqualified for missing a turn.

The team title went to Centennial with 52 points. Shadow Ridge finished second with 58. The disqualification allowed Arbor View to take third with 62.

Alex Miller, Eduardo Lopez-Cortez and Tucker Raymond finished in the top 11 for the Bulldogs.