The RCMS cross country team delivered an impressive performance during their race at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Moapa on Saturday, September 14. The team, guided by Head Coach Ben Veloz, has made this meet a regular part of their season. This year’s 2-mile race saw both middle school boys and girls running together, bringing out competitive efforts across the board.
For the girls, 8th grader Rylan Bliss stole the spotlight. After staying with the pack for the first mile, she surged ahead, ultimately finishing 32 seconds ahead of her closest competitor, claiming first place with an impressive time of 14:36. Rylan’s performance continues to prove her dominance, having walked away with a medal at every race this season.
Joining Bliss with a medal was Addy Murphy, another consistent performer for RCMS. Known for her exceptional pacing, Addy secured 7th place with a time of 15:56. The remaining female runners for RCMS included Daniela Abarca-Franco, Zoey Campbell, Brandie Blumer, and Lynette Doty, all of whom contributed solid efforts to the team’s success.
On the boys’ side, 7th grader Zander Thompson stood out, securing his third medal of the season. Zander finished in 4th place with a time of 13:20, knocking a second off his average mile time in what was the team’s longest race of the season so far. His efforts made him the first 7th grader to cross the finish line.
Other notable performances included 6th grader William Cassell, who slashed 50 seconds off his average mile time since his previous race, 8th grader Isaiah Veloz who improved by 25 seconds, and 7th grader Marciano McDonald who shaved 13 seconds off his average mile time. The boys’ team also featured strong efforts from Jordan Garcia, Mozes Quinonez, and Jaxson Castaneda.
Coach Veloz praised his team’s progress and looks forward to their next meet, saying, “This year’s 2-mile race did not disappoint. We look forward to cooler temperatures and even more improved mile times as we head to the next race at Floyd Lamb Park this Saturday morning.”
With medal-winning performances and marked improvements across the board, RCMS is gearing up for even greater achievements in the races to come.
