Rahmer, Vause win again; Rio Rancho boys, Albuquerque Academy girls claim metro titles

Gianna Rahmer’s season remains perfect, and she looked as unbeatable as ever. Charlie Vause avenged his only loss.

The metro area’s two best cross country runners this season stood tall again on a clear Saturday morning at Nusenda Community Stadium as they cruised to victories at the Albuquerque Metro Championships.

Rio Rancho’s boys and Albuquerque Academy’s girls were the team champions.

BOYS: It was Rio Rancho junior Cody Sullivan who perhaps most influenced Saturday’s outcome. A week earlier, Sullivan beat his Rio Rancho teammate at the Organ Mountain meet in Las Cruces.

That instilled a sense of purpose this week in Vause, who won for the fifth time in six events this season.

“Yeah, so he kicked my butt last week and good for him,” said Vause, a junior. “I always want him to do amazing, as a competitor and as a teammate.

“Coming into today, I had it in my mind, alright, if Cody is with me, I have to push, because I don’t want to lose to him.”

They went 1-2 on Saturday, just as they have at every race the Rams have entered.

Vause’s winning time was 15 minutes, 35 seconds. Sullivan (15:56) was next, then Dallan Reed (16:12) of Volcano Vista. Vause made a push about midway through the race and maintained his position.

“Yeah, I got him last week. … I don’t think I’ll get him again. I’ll try my best, but he’s a magnificent runner,” Sullivan said.

Vause and Sullivan led the Rams to another tremendous team finish. Saturday, it was 26 points, with Volcano Vista (72) second and Cleveland (74) third. Rio Rancho’s five ran to the front together as the race began, a theme throughout the season.

Also for Rio Rancho, Mateo Herrera (16:18) was fifth and Collyn Tomoyose (16:31) seventh.

“We’re really pushing ourselves,” Sullivan said. “As a team, it’s wonderful to get that nice team dynamic. I’m very proud of our boys.”

GIRLS: Rahmer’s race was a metaphor for her entire season — running by herself. This was taken to an extreme Saturday, even for her.

The eighth-grader who runs for Eldorado went out fast, established the lead right away, and simply stretched her advantage over every bit of the mostly dirt course laid out just to the east of the Community Stadium track facility.

“My start was really good,” Rahmer said.

So was her middle and her finish. She dominated, winning by nearly a minute over Kate Henderson of Sandia Prep. Rahmer’s winning time was 18:01.72. Henderson finished in 18:59.64.

“I usually go out pretty quick, but I don’t know why today was just kind of special and I guess I went out a little bit faster than usual and just tried to keep my pace,” Rahmer said.

Rahmer has five victories in five races this season. Her next appearance will be at the huge pre-state meet at Academy in two weeks.

Academy had another solid team showing, with Anna Hastings (19:12.16) running third, Addison Julian (19:23.76) fourth and Emma Michael (20:08.46) sixth.

The Chargers scored 35 points, with Rio Rancho (66) and Eldorado (96) second and third.