The Orem girls cross country team won its first state championship in 24 years following a victory at the 4A state championships held on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Tigers secured the title by a single point over the second-place team.
Orem finished the competition with a team score of 96, narrowly defeating Timpanogos, which finished with 132 points. Other top finishers included Crimson Cliffs with 142 points and Cedar, also with 142 points. Highland finished in fourth place with 149 points, followed by Park City with 156 points, Mountain View with 158 points, Desert Hills with 208 points, Pine View with 243 points, and Deer Creek with 247 points.
Individual performances for the Orem team included Sydney Eraso, who finished seventh overall with a time of 18:38.12. She was followed by Kate Adams in 14th place, Callie Latham in 16th place, and Liv Trimble in 19th place. Orem coach Marie Glahn noted that the team's victory was achieved despite significant challenges and hard work.
The championship victory was dedicated to Andy Jacobs, who coached at Orem for 20 years before his unexpected passing prior to the 2025 cross country season. Glahn, who is in her second year as the Tiger coach, stated that the team's resilience through difficult times helped lead to the championship win.
The competition included a disqualification of Mountain View freshman Susan Hedengren. Although she finished well ahead of the second-place runner, officials disqualified her for having her older brother run astride her, which violates rules against pacing runners during a race.
