Cloudcroft Bears Hold Their Ground at Socorro Stampede

SOCORRO, NM — The Cloudcroft High School cross country team turned in a gritty performance at Friday’s Socorro Stampede, with the boys squad finishing 7th overall in a competitive field of southern New Mexico schools. The meet, hosted by Socorro High School, drew dozens of runners from Class A and AA programs, offering a mid-season test of endurance and team depth.

Senior Fin Abel led the Bears with a 23rd-place finish, clocking in at 21:24.80 over the 5K course. He was followed closely by Triston Tompkins (29th, 22:06.79), Noah Saffle (30th, 22:14.70), and Landry Hunt (32nd, 22:45.60), all landing in the top third of the field. Rounding out the boys team were Cailan Marte (44th, 25:33.10), Landry Burch (51st, 31:14.70), and Hakan Kefeli (52nd, 31:23.60).

In the girls division, junior Gena Davis broke into the top 25 with a time of 27:13.80, earning 23rd place. Teammates Brisa Johnson (37th, 36:26.00) and Paula Finch (38th, 36:45.60) completed the team’s effort with steady pacing and strong finishes.

Top Team Rankings – Boys Division

1. Magdalena High School – Dominated with multiple top-10 finishes

2. Socorro High School – Leveraged home-course advantage and depth

3. Hot Springs High School – Consistent across varsity and JV

4. Capitan High School – Strong individual placements

5. Mesilla Valley Christian – Balanced team effort

Top Team Rankings – Girls Division

1. Socorro High School – Swept top placements with dominant varsity finishes

2. Hot Springs High School – Cohesive team pacing

3. Capitan High School – Solid top-20 finishes

4. Mesilla Valley Christian – Strategic depth

5. Magdalena High School – Emerging talent and steady performance

While Cloudcroft didn’t crack the top five, the team was praised for the team’s resilience and improvement. “They are building momentum,” said one parent. “The boys packed well, and our younger runners are gaining confidence.”

Next Stop: Artesia Twilight Invitational

The Bears will head to Artesia on Friday, October 10, for the Artesia Twilight Meet, a fast-paced evening race known for its flat terrain and competitive field. With district qualifiers on the horizon, Cloudcroft hopes to sharpen its times and continue climbing the rankings.

Full race results from the Socorro Stampede are available at nm.milesplit.com.

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