Skip to main content

Taylorsville wins region cross country championship

Feb 07, 2022 03:31PM ● By Greg James

Taylorsville runners Preston Gledhill, Noah Tucker, Ethan Tucker, Cole Jameson, Jacob Wright, Joseph White and Jaydale Hansen celebrate their region championship. (photo courtesy of Teren Jameson)

By Greg James | [email protected] 

Taylorsville captured a cross country region championship and placed well at the state finals.

“This year was great,” Warriors cross country head coach Guy Mackay said. “We accomplished some things that had not been done here in 17 years. It was 2004 the last time T’Ville won a region championship. Then to make it out of the first round of state was even sweeter.”

The season kicked off Sept. 1 with the Region 2 pre-race at Roy High School. The Warriors boys' team placed fourth overall behind Cyprus, Roy and West. The results were just the beginning of what turned out to be a successful season.

Sophomore Noah Tucker and junior Jaydale Hansen finished seventh and eighth at the pre-region race, top finishers for the boys' team. Sophomore Reagan Vanderlinden finished seventh for the girls. 

As the race season continued they ran in the Timpanogas Invitational, Park City Invitational, Pre-state and the Royal Run.

The girls' team took home a fourth-place region finish. Vanderlinden finished sixth overall. Michaela Medico, Emma Buhler, Shaelyn Openshaw and Grace Seaman participated and finished well for the team. 

The boys won their first region title in 17 years. 

“These kids are great. Not only did they run well, but they are great ambassadors for the school,” Mackay said.

Freshman Cole Jameson finished second overall in Region 2. His teammates, Preston Gledhill and Noah Tucker, placed third and fourth.

The rest of the boys' team was not far behind them. Jaydale Hansen, Ethan Tucker, Jacob Wright, and  Kai Makowski all finished in the top 25.

Jameson has become an accomplished runner. He finished second in his age group at the AAU cross country nationals held in Tallahassee, Florida, last winter. 

At the state meet held Oct. 27, Taylorsville finished 17th in the boys' division. Vanderlinden was the only girl to compete. 

“Next year I return all but two members of the team. There is definitely some excitement for next season. We would like to build on the successes of this year,” Mackay said.

Cross country running is a fall sport, usually for grades 7-12. Teams of five or more runners race together at the same time against the other teams. The top five finishers from each team are used for scoring. The runners' finishing places are totaled and the team with the lowest score wins. The racecourses often take place in public parks. 

Last season the race was run at the regional athletic complex in Rose Park. It has been held for several years at Sugar House Park.