Newcomers win titles at Cleveland cross country invite

James Yodice James Yodice James Yodice Journal Staff Writer

Published August 26, 2023 - 6:58 p.m. Modified September 30, 2024 - 2:00 a.m.

RIO RANCHO — Four months ago, one of them was a seventh-grader at Hoover Middle School. The other was living in suburban Cincinnati.

On Saturday, the start of New Mexico’s high school cross country season, Charlie Vause and Gianna Rahmer shared something in common: They were champions at the Cleveland Invitational.

Rahmer, who won a pair of national track and field titles last month in Oregon, made a spectacular varsity debut for Eldorado, outkicking Sandia Prep’s Kate Henderson to the finish and winning in 18 minutes, 30.6 seconds over 3.05 miles on an ideal morning to run in Rio Rancho.

Vause, a transfer from Ohio and a Rio Rancho High junior, crossed the finish line inside the Cleveland football/track and field stadium in 15:31.8.

“I moved here on June 27, so I’ve been here for two months and that’s all the training I’ve had (at altitude),” said a smiling Vause, who won by 10½ seconds over teammate Cody Sullivan. “It was hard at first. It was really hard.”

Eldorado’s Nick Moore set the early pace Saturday.

“I wanted to stay behind, because I knew he was going out a little bit fast,” Vause said. “I let him take the first mile, I put a surge into the second mile and then I just kept going.”

One of the biggest adjustments for Vause in the two months since moving to the high desert is the landscape.

“Where’s the green?” he said with a smile. “The chile is pretty good, but I miss the trees.”

Vause’s victory was only one part of a dominating opening-day performance by Rio Rancho, which shredded a solid field. The Rams, with four of the top five finishers, scored 26 points. It was a very long way back to runner-up Volcano Vista, which finished with 93 points. Albuquerque Academy (117) rounded out the top three.

Sullivan was second, Mateo Herrera fourth and Skyler Galbraith fifth. Moore placed third.

Rahmer already has been making headlines this summer.

Late last month, she won a pair of titles, representing Albuquerque Athletics Track, at the USA Track & field National Junior Olympic meet in Eugene, Oregon.

Gianna captured first in both the 1,500-meter final and the 3,000 in the 13/14 age division. Saturday, the eighth-grader needed a late kick to hold off Henderson over the final 50 meters.

“I saw the other girl who was coming really fast, I didn’t realize I was that close to the finish,” Rahmer said. “I was like, yeah, I guess this is gonna hurt a little bit. But I was working really hard this race, I (didn’t) want to give it up.”

Rahmer finished 3½ seconds ahead of Henderson thanks to her late kick.

“I’m so proud of myself,” she said. “I expected to do well, but I definitely didn’t expect to win.”

The Albuquerque Academy girls edged Los Alamos, 80-86, to win the team title. Rio Rancho (112) placed third.

Cleveland Invitational

Saturday — at Cleveland HS

BOYS TEAM

Rio Rancho 26, Volcano Vista 93, Albuquerque Academy 117, Cleveland 119, La Cueva 139, Los Alamos 143, Eldorado 182, El Paso Pebble Hills 186, El Paso Eastlake 286, El Paso Americas 312, Cibola 314, Oak Grove Classical Prep 341, St. Pius 376, Moriarty 382, Cottonwood Classical Prep 386, Santa Fe 401, Pojoaque Valley 420, Robertson 542.

BOYS INDIVIDUAL

1, Charlie Vause, Rio Rancho, 15:31.8; 2, Cody Sullivan, Rio Rancho, 15:42.2; 3, Nick Moore, Eldorado, 15:59.8; 4, Mateo Herrera, Rio Rancho, 16:03.9; 5, Skyler Galbraith, Rio Rancho, 16:05.7; 6, Diego Romero, EP Americas, 16:05.7; 7, Mark Barajas, EP Pebble Hills, 16:09.0; 8, Cruz Sanchez, Volcano Vista, 16:11.2; 9, Vince Madalena, Cleveland, 16:13.5; 10, Spencer Gilbertson, La Cueva, 16:17.8.

GIRLS TEAM

Albuquerque Academy 80, Los Alamos 86, Rio Rancho 112, Volcano Vista 120, La Cueva 141, Eldorado 181, El Paso Pebble Hills 187, Cleveland 218, El Paso Americas 237, Sandia Prep 252, Cottonwood Classical Prep 313, St. Pius 324, El Paso Eastlake 341, St. Michael’s 351, Oak Grove Classical Prep 380, Robertson 425, Hope Christian 498

GIRLS INDIVIDUAL

1, Gianna Rahmer, Eldorado, 18:30.6; 2, Kate Henderson, Sandia Prep, 18:34.0; 3, Chloe Griego, St. Michael’s, 18:45.0; 4, Anna Hastings, Albuquerque Academy, 19:05.9; 5, Carysa Marquez, Volcano Vista, 19:40.1; 6, Anna Wetteland, Los Alamos, 19:42.3; 7, Grace Montoya, Los Alamos, 19:42.8; 8, Addison Julian, Albuquerque Academy, 19:44.5; 9, Olivia Marquez, Oak Grove, 19:46.9; 10, Ariana Thiel-Hadjilambrinos, La Cueva, 19:51.8.