The Alamogordo High School cross country teams concluded their 2026 season on Saturday, placing 11th and 15th in the Class 5A state championships at the Albuquerque Academy course.
Competing against the state’s top programs, the Tigers’ performance in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico State Cross Country Championships highlighted a season defined by growth and competitiveness within a large 5A field.
The Tigers girls secure 11th place
The Alamogordo girls’ squad finished 11th overall, with runners delivering solid efforts on the Albuquerque Academy course. Aurora Van Beusichem led the team, finishing in 60th place with a time of 21:45.73.
Alex Simmons and Adalynn Chavez finished 62nd (21:49.96) and 66th (22:06.61) respectively. The team’s scoring depth was rounded out by Kassidy Wright, who finished 70th in 22:20.97, and Nizhoni Castillo at 82nd with a time of 23:01.92.
Final day of the State Cross Country Championships! 🏃💨 Classes 1 & 5 will run today. Yesterday, 23 local runners earned a state medal. We’ll see how many get one today. Highlights tonight on @KRCG13! 📺 pic.twitter.com/s61jxZ4Dfv
Jocelyn Pittman and Kyra Schuler completed the lineup, placing 88th and 92nd. The girls’ race was dominated by Eldorado, which secured the team title with only 22 points. Rio Rancho took second place with 80 points, followed by Cleveland (105), La Cueva (121), and Volcano Vista (137).
Individual leaders in the girls’ race
Mariah Galbraith of Rio Rancho claimed the individual state title with a time of 17:05.31. The podium was completed by Eldorado’s Isla Rahmer in second place (17:39.53) and teammate Helene Gessner in third (17:59.62).
Boys finish 15th in competitive field
On the boys’ side, Alamogordo placed 15th in Class 5A. Hayden Miller paced the Tiger runners, finishing 79th with an 18:07.64 effort. He was followed by Zachary Swayzee in 85th (18:21.00) and Nicholas Spataro in 98th (18:47.28).
The remaining scoring and lineup efforts came from Kellan Casebolt (109th, 20:38.12), Austin Amberson (110th, 20:44.33), Keagan Reese (111th, 20:45.85), and Calvin Khan (117th, 21:16.04).
The boys’ team standings were led by Cleveland, which earned the championship with 56 points. Rio Rancho followed in second with 81 points, while Centennial, Farmington, and Albuquerque High took third, fourth, and fifth places respectively.
Individual leaders in the boys’ race
Alejandro Casaus of Rio Rancho won the individual boys’ championship with a time of 15:12.74. The top five finishers included Christopher Severy of Santa Fe in second (15:39.2), Ryu Medina of Organ Mountain in third (15:42.3), Michael Sahlstrom of Eldorado in fourth (15:51.2), and Cache Webb of Farmington in fifth (15:54.2).
Class 5A state championship results
The following table summarizes the top team performances and individual leaders from the state championships held at Albuquerque Academy.
Full race results and comprehensive data are available through MileSplit via the link provided by the NMAA.
The Alamogordo program’s ability to place multiple runners in the scoring positions in a large 5A field serves as a foundation for the program’s future competitiveness.
