TAHOE CITY, Calif. – Both North Tahoe High School Cross County boys and girls teams earned State Championships last Saturday at Rancho San Rafael park in Reno.

The girl’s team was led by Britta and Niki Johnson who placed first and second, while Hailey Gordon (3rd) and Kalena Steves (5th) rounded out the scoring with a total of an almost perfect 11 points (low score of 4 runners wins in 2A Cross Country). Incline scored a distant 43 points to take second place overall. Britta Johnson continues her reign as the two time individual State Champion in this event.

The Lady Lakers placed all seven runners in the top 9 out of 37 athletes. Lexie Hallenberg placed 6th, Annika Johnston 7th and Kayden Watts crossed the finish line in 9th place to wrap up the solid win.

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Coach Julien Bordes has trained these athletes all season to peak at the State Championship and it paid off in a big way. “Our girls team was so dominant that, comparing team finish times across all divisions, they would have won the 3A division and placed 2nd in the 5A division,” said Bordes. “I couldn’t be more proud of this team!”

The boy’s team finished in First with Graham Snideman 4th, Luka Karnickis 5th, Max Avril 6th and Team Captain Isaac Pacheco Martinez 9th for a total of 19 points! Incline was second overall with 33 points. Freshman Delyan Steves finished 11th, Ryder Hallenberg 16th and Senior Kenan Boals 37 out of 53 runners.

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This is the second year in a row that both teams have won the State Title. “Our success is based on dedication and the North Tahoe habit of winning State Championships that began with the legendary Warren Mills,’ said coach Tom LeFevers. “The athletes work hard and always know that they are part of a team effort that literally goes back over 40 years!”

Current coach Julien Bordes actually ran four years for Coach Mills when he was a student athlete at North Tahoe winning four State Championships all four years. “That’s one of the main reasons I felt strongly about coaching this year and continuing the legacy and success of the NTCC program,” said Bordes. “Coach Mills laid the groundwork by creating the system and environment that paved the way for our success. It’s a legacy that the entire team embraces, where each member holds not only themselves but also their teammates to the highest standards. This commitment is driven by a shared passion and a collective determination to achieve a common goal.”