Douglas High senior Whitney Lindsey's biggest goal heading into the state cross country championships at Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno Saturday was simply to break 20 minutes on the course she'd come to know so well during her three-year career at Douglas.
Mission accomplished.
Lindsey ran a 19:42 on the 3.1-mile course to finish as state runner-up after becoming the first Tiger female to ever win an individual regional title the week prior.
Her back-and-forth rivalry with South Tahoe's Kelsey Smith continued as well. Smith blistered off a state-championship time of 19:06 after falling back by nearly 18 seconds to Lindsey the week prior at regionals.
Douglas junior Taylor Biaggi finished 10th with a time of 20:40.
The Carson girls' team turned out to be the surprise of the day as the Senators placed seven runners in the top 30, despite having only one finish in the top 10, to upset perennial favorites Reno and South Tahoe, who took second and third respectively.
Douglas senior Derrick Jenkins turned in a respectable showing in his first state championship meet, taking 41st with a time of 18:38.
Galena's Bryan Tibaduiza won the boys' championship with a course record time of 16:22 and Galena easily won the team title ahead of Carson and Reno respectively.
The Sierra Lutheran Falcons, of Minden, also enjoyed an impressive day as senior Taylor Love took second in the 2A state championships with a time of 18:04.
Love also had a back-and-forth battle with Sage Ridge's Nate Chellman this season and Chellman took the title Saturday with a time of 17:26.
Sierra Lutheran's Michael Kubel finished fifth with a time of 18:24, getting edged out for fourth at the finish line by Sage Ridge's Bret Webster.
"It was a great race for both Falcon runners," Sierra Lutheran coach Dave Marson said. "Both Taylor and Michael are not only outstanding runners, but each achieved a 4.0 during the grueling work of the season and I am very proud of them."
Marson said the Falcons only lose Love heading into next year, and he is hoping to field a girls' team next year as well.
