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SUGAR HOUSE — For possibly the first time this season, Timpview cross country star Jane Hedengren felt like her old self again.
On a new course and with her best friend and teammate next to her — well, a minute behind her in second, but still, close enough — the BYU commit cemented herself as one of the best Utah distance running standouts of the modern era.
Hedengren cruised to a winning time of 16 minutes, 21.48 seconds Wednesday at Sugar House Park, her first foray in the Utah High School Activities Association's first time back at the venue in three years.
The senior improved on last year's title-winning time of 17:14.7 set at the Regional Athletic Complex.
"I'm happy to be back and feeling like myself, and looking forward to what this is going to bring for the future," said Hedengren, who suffered a concussion at the first meet of the season when she was hit by a stray softball while warming up for a race, and other health difficulties. "But I was feeling like myself today and happy to be out there with my team, celebrating the hard work and also my time as a high school runner."
There was no time goal, or state record to chase, she said. But her time of 16:21.48 would have beaten the previous 5A best of Davis' Courtney Wayment (17:24.7) set in 2015 — though the course has been altered since then.
Instead, Wednesday was a chance to celebrate her final season with her team, which included her best friend and the meet's runner-up.
Hedengren's teammate Lily Alder finished second in 17:21.86 to power the Thunderbirds to a second-straight 5A championship with 72 points.
"We're running workouts, recovery days, swimming together," Hedengren said of Alder. "She's my best friend, and she's a huge blessing in my life."
Alder, a junior, was more than 20 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher, Olympus sophomore Adria Favero in 17:43.96, and Timpview added Ellie Esplin in 14th (18:49.47) and Daphne Batmale in 17th (19:00.11) to win the team title by 50 points.
"We love pushing each other, working hard in workouts. It's so much fun to have her with us, and she's just been guiding me through this whole season," Alder said of Hedengren. "I'll definitely miss her."
In the 5A boys' meet, Taylorsville's Edward Stout finished second in 15:34.71 and Cole Jameson added a sixth-place time of 15:40.57 to lift the Warriors to their first state title in program history.
Bountiful's Hayden Hooper won the individual title in 15:07.26, working his way up from a fringe JV runner to capture the highest honor in 5A for the Redhawks.
"I didn't have my watch or anything, and I was just kind of racing everybody," said Hooper, a senior with interest from Montana State, Cal Poly and Division II Colorado School of Mines. "I just stuck with the front pack until I felt like I was good to go.
"I heard someone yell 1200 (meters left), and that's when I kind of knew I had to start moving."
5A girls cross country
- Complete results available at meettrax.com
Top 5 teams
- Timpview, 72
- Box Elder, 132
- Springville, 139
- Viewmont, 181
- Salem Hills, 222
Top 10 finishers
- Jane Hedengren, Timpview — 16:21.48
- Lily Alder, Timpview — 17:21.86
- Adria Favero, Olympus — 17:43.96
- Bridget Smit, Brighton — 17:54.17
- Avery Barton, Bonneville — 17:56.79
- Madelyn Reeder, Highland — 17:58.05
- Alyssa Clayton, Viewmont — 18:21.76
- Evelyn Cook, Northridge — 18;22.57
- Katie Hansen, Woods Cross — 18:34.29
- Maya Boyer, Springville — 18:40.76
5A boys cross country
Top 5 teams
- Taylorsville, 66
- Viewmont, 80
- Alta, 118
- Northridge, 150
- Maple Mountain, 152
Top 10 finishers
- Hayden Hooper, Bountiful — 15:07.26
- Edward Stout, Taylorsville — 15:34.71
- Aidan Neal, Alta — 15:35.84
- Talmage Bruschke, Viewmont — 15:36.77
- Alexander Spencer, Wasatch — 15:39.67
- Cole Jameson, Taylorsville — 15:40.57
- Hayden Arbuckle, Viewmont — 15:43.21
- Jack Jensen, Alta — 15:45.80
- Aiden Cope, Maple Mountain — 15:47.86
- David Boyce, Timpview — 15:48.00
