CHS kicks off cross-country season with Snow Ball Run

RIO RANCHO – School is ramping up, and that means more work, but more fun too, as the Cleveland High School cross-country team will find out on Friday when they take to the course for the first race of the season with stakes attached. On Aug. 16, Coach Kenny Henry will start running time trials for his squad as part of CHS’s 15th annual Snow Ball Run.

“The Snow Ball Run is our annual inter-squad time trial that we use mainly to determine what level — varsity, JV, C-team — each athlete will compete at the first week of competition,” says Henry, who started coaching cross-country at CHS 15 years ago and is the creator of this annual celebration-event.

“We started the Snow Ball run when I began coaching at Cleveland during the fall of 2010 as a way to kick off our season and meet with parents,” he says. “The name 'Snow Ball' was inspired by the iconic summer shaved ice treat from New Orleans ... We hoped to have a name/situation that distracted from the heat the athletes are dealing with at this time of the season. So, our athletes and families enjoy the time trial, and all enjoy Snow Balls afterwards.”

The Snow Ball Run may be an in-house time trial used to determine each team member's skill level as well as being a team- (and community) building event, but Henry says there is plenty of anticipation on top of the stakes.

“Most of our athletes are excited,” he says. “[The Snow Ball Run] provides an opportunity to ‘race’ instead of ‘train.’ Also, it provides an opportunity to see where you are right now. We have athletes who look forward to comparing what their time is now compared to this time last year and some are excited to earn a spot on a specific team.”

Last season, CHS finished third in both boys and girls cross-country, a mark Henry is proud of but looking to improve on. There are several returning runners this year, including All-State athletes, and Henry says there will be plenty to watch as the season progresses.

“We have a bunch of athletes returning,” he says. “On the girl's side, KC Winters will be one to watch out for. She was our top runner last year and, in my opinion, [an] All-State athlete. Unfortunately, she tore her ACL midway through [last] season.”

Henry says in addition to Winters, the team is returning Naomi St. Clair, Meg Mauermann, Sarah Romero and Erin Winters on the girls side.

On the boys' side, Henry says they are returning Lucas Espinosa, Lucas Pena, Nuhkon Shendo-Smith and Jon Sanchez, as well as All-State athletes Vince Madalena and Antwon Shendo.

CHS cross-country begins its official competition season Saturday, Aug. 24, when it hosts the Cleveland Invite. The starting bell goes off at 8 a.m. at Cleveland High School.