Buckaroo harriers open new season

by Haley Burton
Contributing Writer
The Monticello High School cross country team traveled to Spanish Fork on August 27 to start off their 2022 season at the Utah Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Invitational.
Over 30 teams from across the state were competing in the event, but the Buckaroos were the only team representing the 1A classification.
In all, 1,245 athletes stepped up to the starting line for the 3.2-mile two-lap course around the Spanish Fork Sports Park. There were eight separate races to spread out the runners.
The MHS girls team, which consists of only four sophomores, ran in the freshman/sophomore category which featured 170 runners.
Lilli Burton led the Buckaroos, coming across the line in 14th place. Ayla Carling placed 32nd, Marah Long was 40th, and Alexis Bailey came home 148th.
The boys team was spread out over two races. Sophomores Kaiden Pehrson, Aaron Gillette, and Carter Harrod, along with freshman Kooper Nielson, participated in the boys freshman/sophomore race with 310 other runners. Pehrson led the Buckaroos with a 40th-place finish, while Nielson crossed the finish line in 77th. 
Jesse Pettit placed 12th overall in the boys junior varsity race to pace the Monticello boys in that division.
The six-member team, consisting of Jesse Pettit, Curtis Bunker, Josh Wheeler, Soren Welch, Jacob Johnson, and Aaron Peterson, all finished in the top 100 and secured a fifth-place finish for the team.
The Buckaroos will stay at home this week to host the Loyds Lake Classic on Friday, September 2. Races are scheduled to begin at 3.