Despite sitting out three top runners, Desert Vista still finished a close third in the Division I Sectional Meet Friday, Oct. 26, in Gilbert. Blessed with the deepest team in the state, Coach Chris Hanson wanted to give a final audition to six runners to choose the final three who will compete at state.
Freshman phenom Xavier Esparza covered the 3.0 mile layout in 16:04 and earned a spot by finishing seventh out of 115 entrants. Senior Ryan Smith (16:12) proved he had recovered from a hamstring injury and placed 14th. Zach Smith (16:12) and Tyler Bonebright (16:14) were close behind at 15th and 18th. Mitchel Bogushevsky (16:22), Kyle Havriliak (16:38), and Andrew Hermanski (16:39) rounded out the finishers. The top four will join Ryan Dykstra, Jacob Walimaa and Alec Hoyt at the State Championship, running at 9:45 a.m. this Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Cave Creek Golf Course.
Unfortunately, the Thunder’s top runner Carter Macey will miss state with a stress fracture, but DVCC is counting on its incredible depth to vie for its fifth state title since 2002.