Southern Utah schools secured multiple championships and high rankings during the Utah High School Activities Association state cross-country championships held at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City on Tuesday and Wednesday. Panguitch's girls team captured its seventh consecutive state title, and Bryce Valley's boys secured the 1A boys championship, while Region 9 teams saw significant success in the 4A division.
Mountain View Dominates 4A Division
Mountain View dominated the 4A division on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The team posted a team score of 27, placing four runners among the first seven finishers. In the 4A boys race, Mountain View's Kyle Chipman won with a time of 15:17.56, followed by teammate Daniel Anderson in second with 15:26.27.
Disqualifications Impact 4A Girls Results
The 4A girls race saw significant drama following the finish. Mountain View freshman Susan Hedengren initially crossed the finish line first with a time of 17:54.76, nearly 17 seconds ahead of Mountain Crest senior Lily Knowles, who finished in 18:11.79. However, Hedengren was disqualified approximately 20 minutes after the race for a pacing violation involving a spectator running alongside her. Following the disqualification, Mountain View dropped to 12th place overall, and Knowles was named the individual winner.
Two Snow Canyon runners were also disqualified during the girls race because a person on a bicycle was deemed to have illegally ridden alongside them. As a result of these disqualifications, Snow Canyon finished 20th overall.
Region 9 4A Performance
Region 9 athletes achieved several high-ranking finishes in the 4A races. In the girls race, Crimson Cliffs and Cedar tied for third place with 142 points each. Desert Hills took eighth place, Pine View finished ninth, Hurricane took 15th, and Snow Canyon finished 20th. Individual Region 9 performers included Hurricane junior Arya Armstrong, who placed ninth with a time of 18:46.78, and Pine View junior Tevye Geddes, who placed 10th with a time of 18:49.63. Other top finishers included Desert Hills junior Kenzey McKinlay in 12th, Crimson Cliffs senior Taylor Baldwin in 13th, and Cedar junior Eliza Johnson in 15th.
Pine View Secures Runner-Up Finish
The 4A boys race featured strong performances from Region 9 schools. Pine View placed second overall with 121 points, narrowly beating Desert Hills, which finished with 123 points. Pine View junior Benji Williams took third place with a time of 15:45.29. Desert Hills saw two runners in the top 12, with Jackson Mathews finishing sixth at 16:00.07 and Travis Carpenter finishing 11th at 16:04.74.
Coach Reflects on Pine View Success
Pine View head coach Dave Holt noted that the team entered the race knowing that upsetting Mountain View would be a "very tall order," suggesting the team might be the best 4A team in history. Holt said the Panthers were in control of second place for much of the race, but a few runners struggled and collapsed across the finish line in the final half mile. He credited Benji Williams for a tremendous final half mile that helped secure the second-place trophy.
Panguitch Girls Win 1A Title
Southern Utah schools also swept the 1A championships on Wednesday. In the 1A girls race, Panguitch won the state title with 41 points, edging out Bryce Valley's 40 points in a narrow victory. Panguitch's win marks the seventh straight championship for the girls program. Rich senior Lyda Taylor won the individual 1A girls title with a time of 19:14.32. Other notable finishers included Panguitch's Halle Albrecht and Anni Yardley in fourth and fifth place, respectively, and freshman Abbi Dodds in 12th.
Bryce Valley Boys Win 1A Title
Bryce Valley won the 1A boys championship with 26 team points, finishing ahead of runner-up Monticello with 52 points and third-place Panguitch with 53 points. Bryce Valley senior Taj Morse won the race with a time of 16:08.86. The Mustangs' top runners included sophomore Boden Syrett in fifth, sophomore Arturo Fernandez in eighth, and senior Chris Beley in 14th.
