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The cool mountain air and pine-lined trails of Ruidoso High School set the stage for Friday’s Ruidoso XC Invitational, where runners from across southern New Mexico battled elevation and competition in one of the season’s most anticipated early meets. With over a dozen schools represented, the event showcased both individual grit and team depth—especially from Alamogordo, Cloudcroft, and Mescalero Apache.
Alamogordo Boys Earn Podium Finish
Alamogordo’s boys team surged to a strong third-place finish overall, trailing only Lovington and host Ruidoso (MileSplit NM). Senior Matthew Snyder led the Tigers with a commanding 6th-place finish in 18:25.07, followed by Dakota Suggs (14th, 19:29.72) and Austin Stauffacher (18th, 19:58.18). The team’s top five runners all broke the 20:30 mark, with Aaron Borrego (19th, 19:58.68) and Zachary Swayzee (22nd, 20:12.74) rounding out the scoring.
Also contributing were Rylan Maroon (26th, 20:24.92) and Hayden Miller (28th, 20:27.05), helping Alamogordo edge out Roswell and Goddard for the third spot.
Alamogordo Girls Finish Fifth, Gonzalez Shines
On the girls’ side, Alamogordo placed fifth overall, led by junior Addyson Gonzalez, who claimed 3rd place individually with a time of 23:49.34. Elizabeth Farmer followed with a solid 11th-place finish (25:28.60), while Breanna Padilla (35th, 26:58.91), Jocelyn Pittman (54th, 29:08.33), and Julianna Centrella (57th, 29:31.51) rounded out the scoring five. Alex Simmons also competed, finishing 78th (33:32.81).
Cloudcroft Shows Depth, Places 10th in Boys Division
Cloudcroft’s boys team placed 10th overall, led by Fin Abel, who finished 38th (21:28.41). The Bears showed depth with seven finishers, including Noah Saffle (54th, 22:30.15), Tristan Tompkins (57th, 22:50.63), Cailan Marte (69th, 24:01.96), Landry Hunt (76th, 25:16.33), Tyler Meszler (81st, 26:58.44), and Raine Langford (83rd, 27:15.26).
Cloudcroft’s girls did not place in the top ten but saw solid efforts from Bella Johnson (49th, 28:31.86) and Gena Davis (50th, 28:34.87). Paula Finch (82nd, 36:02.96) and Brisa Johnson (85th, 39:37.00) rounded out the squad.
Mescalero Apache Girls Crack Top Ten
Mescalero Apache’s girls team placed 9th overall, led by Amaylia Smith, who finished 24th (26:24.22). Teammates Lariah Comanche (41st, 27:56.67), Khloe Trujillo (45th, 28:10.39), Ellie Gallerito (52nd, 28:37.30), Stephie Prins (74th, 31:59.74), and Lorelie Comanche (84th, 37:08.48) contributed to the team score.
In the boys division, Soren Monogye represented Mescalero Apache solo, finishing 90th (34:33.50).
What’s Next
Alamogordo heads to the Rio Rancho Invitational on September 20
Mescalero Apache competes at the NMMI Meet on September 20
Cloudcroft travels to Socorro on October 3
With Alamogordo’s boys earning a podium spot and Gonzalez’s top-three finish on the girls’ side, the Tigers continue to build momentum heading into the heart of the season. Meanwhile, Cloudcroft and Mescalero Apache showed promising depth and determination, setting the stage for strong performances in upcoming meets.
For full results and rankings, visit MileSplit New Mexico.
https://nm.milesplit.com/meets/704129-ruidoso-xc-invitational-2025/resu…
These performances reflect not just athletic talent, but the heart and dedication of student-athletes across Otero and Lincoln counties. As the season unfolds, expect these runners to keep pushing boundaries—one stride at a time.
More News from Alamogordo
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