CHS, PHS to run Friday at Ned Houk Park

CLOVIS — Clovis High’s boys won’t have Jerrick Maldonado around this season to lead the way in cross country. The three-time top-4 finisher in Class 5A state competition has graduated and moved on to the college level.

Second-year coach Liz Ledezma said the Wildcats have a mix of returnees and newcomers this season. The Cats and Lady Wildcats open the season on Friday in the Clovis Invitational, also to include Portales High, at Ned Houk Park.

“We have a lot of new faces,” said Ledezma, adding that it’s good to be having the season in its normal fall slot instead of the spring. “We also have a good amount of seniors.”

Maldonado ran third in last spring’s 5A state meet, helping the Cats finish eighth as a team. He also placed second in a photo finish in 2019 and came in fourth in 2018.

Freshman Sammy Fuentes is expected to take the reins as the team’s top runner this season. Junior Hayden Levy was also a state qualifier in the spring.

“I think Sammy will be our best bet (at the state level),” Ledezma said. “I think Sammy is going to surprise people. He’s getting faster and faster every time he runs.”

Senior Shylee Tree is the top returnee for the Lady Cats, who also finished eighth at state in the spring. Ledezma added that senior and first-time cross country participant Jazlyn Salazar, who runs the 800 for CHS in track, should help.

Freshman Kira Tree, Shylee’s sister, has some good possibilities as well. “I’m excited to see her run,” Ledezma said.

Portales coach Laura McNeill is starting her third season at the helm of the school’s four-year-old program. Last year, the Rams sent a team to the Class 4A state meet for the first time, finishing 12th.

She said it’s been a quick turnaround for a lot of her runners, some of whom finished their track seasons in the state meet in late June.

“We haven’t really stopped running, except for a couple of weeks,” McNeill said. “I hop they all have a good run on Friday.”

Juniors Michael Riess and Cody Webster and senior Evan Carbajal all ran for the state squad in the spring and should be the Rams’ top runners.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what my top three returning boys are able to do,” McNeill said.

The Lady Rams are led by senior Zoe Roy and junior Aaliyah Miranda. Roy is also a member of the PHS girls soccer squad.

Freshman Hannah Riess, Michael’s sister, and McNeill’s daughters, sophomore Brooke McNeill and eighth-grader Aubrey McNeill, could also help. Due to conflicts with other sports, the Lady Rams may not have a full squad on Friday, the coach said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how it all goes,” she said.