Tracking Titles: Storm, Rams teams ready for another run in 2026 season

RIO RANCHO — Catch them if you can, but you most likely won’t.

After the Cleveland boys took their ninth consecutive state title and the Rio Rancho girls won their second straight championship in 2025, it is clear the city has a target on its back when it comes to track and field.

But while the rest of 5A tries to run down the City of Vision, the 2026 state title may very well come down to the crosstown rivals.

“We were not happy with the way the 2025 season ended,” Rio Rancho boys coach Harvey Carreathers said. “The key point we want to address is consistency.”

Carreathers & Company are looking to break the status quo, eyeing the Rio boys' first state title to upstage Cleveland’s hunt for their 13th and decade-long streak.

That long journey begins with focusing on the little details as the first practices of the season opened up in early February. 

“We are blessed that our athletes are driven to be their best,” Carreathers said. “But of course, we have to ensure that they do the small things daily; those are the things that differentiate between good athletes and great athletes.”

Names like Marcus Briggs and Kenneth Graves, among others, will have to leap forward with Rio’s talented 2025 class now gone.

The Rams finished fifth at the 2025 state meet, behind Santa Fe, La Cueva, Organ Mountain and Cleveland.

Up the street, at the track of Lightning Bolt Stadium, boys' coach Kenny Henry doesn’t have to do much to promote the program as the results speak for themselves, but the effort level remains the same.

“Our preparation always comes from a place of motivation and excitement,” Henry said. “We spend most of the year prior to the spring talking to as many kids as possible about coming out for track.  For those who already participate, creating excitement and building on what they did a year ago is the emphasis.”

Cleveland won its first state title on the boys' side in 2012, and since then, the Storm have won every year except 2015. It is clear what the expectations are when the thunderbolt is on your uniform.

“We simply lean on our team's history,” Henry said. “We do our best to make sure they understand that each year there is a definite trend for returning athletes to set the tone for our team.”

Collin Joyner and Moses Sparks were top-six scorers in the state championship individual rankings, both earning Cleveland 11 points in their 73-point first-place finish, now in their senior years.

On the girls' side, it will be a quest for a three-peat for the Rams. Rio Rancho edged out a talented Eldorado team 56-52 to take the 2025 trophy.

Depth was a key contributing factor to the Rams' repeat, but with several major exits, such as Abigail Beam now running down south with the Aggies, could open the door for a new champion in 2026.

The key factor for the Storm this year? Hurdler Morgan James. James took the 100 and 300 hurdles at states last year to be the third-highest point earner of the meet. 

After committing to run for Boise State this past offseason, the future Bronco will have to be the difference maker if the Storm girls want their first title since 2017.

Rio Rancho and Cleveland will cross paths for the first time this season when the Storm hosts the Cleveland Invite on March 13.

“I think we have a special group this year,” Henry said. “We return 14 of the 20 guys we took to the state meet in 2025. We have a number of guys who were on the cusp of making our state team a year ago, who I feel very confident will make a huge impact this year.  We feel like we are very well-rounded.  I am excited to say the least.”

Rio Rancho will return the favor almost a month later, holding the Rio Rancho Invite on April 11.

“I think we'll be a strong team,’ Carreathers said. “We'll be more balanced between the field and the track than we were last year. I look forward to seeing how our relays develop.”