The Hive Sports

by James Tate

Boys Recap: Skousen, Hauck go 1–2 for the Darts

The Davis Darts reaffirmed their supremacy in Utah high school cross country, clinching the Region 1 Championship for the second consecutive year with a commanding performance from their underclassmen boys’ squad.

Defending their 2024 title with authority, Davis High School showcased depth and talent across the board. Junior Harrison Skousen set the tone early, blazing through the course to claim the individual crown in 15:17.34. His win anchored an all-underclassmen lineup that proved too strong for the competition.

Close behind was fellow junior Noah Hauck, who secured second place with a time of 15:26.99. Hauck, a top newcomer in Region 1, won last year’s junior varsity race. Reflecting on the race, Hauck credited his coaches, teammates, and faith for his growth and performance:

Noah Hauck (l) Colin Pugmire (r)

“I’ve been blessed to have some of the best coaches in the state the past couple years, and they’ve helped me grow and learn so much about the sport,” Hauck said. “I’ve also had amazing teammates as role models who’ve motivated me and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I’ve worked hard, but mostly I give all glory to God every day for how much He’s helped me improve.”

Hauck was able to finish strong and cross the finish line just ahead of the Layton runner to secure his second-place finish in a dramatic final stretch of the race.

“I always finish fast, and my teammates and coaches believe that if I’m even close to somebody with 400 meters to go, I’m going to catch them,” Hauck said. “It was probably a gap I shouldn’t have been able to close, but their belief in me helped me believe in myself. As I got to him at the line, I felt on top of the world, and all the pain went away… for a couple seconds before I collapsed on the ground.”

Junior Jonas Clay added a fourth-place finish in 15:34.37. Meanwhile, junior Parker Olsen (11th, 16:09.42) and sophomore Luke Baughman (12th, 16:14.13) rounded out the scoring five, their collective effort sealed the Darts’ second straight Region 1 team title.

Layton also impressed, placing five runners in the top sixteen. Senior Colin Pugmire led the charge with a third-place finish (15:27.17), followed by his brother Jake Pugmire in fifth (15:39.72). Senior Lincoln Swan crossed the line in ninth place (15:53.44), with sophomore Parker Harris close behind in tenth (16:09.42). Senior Walker Heiner completed the scoring with a 16th-place finish (16:21.15).

Izzy Cram (l) Eliza Thornley (r)

Girls recap: Thornley tops girls’ field, Darts win tight team finish

The Davis Darts girls team completed a back-to-back sweep of Region 1 titles with a narrow team victory over the Weber Warriors, showcasing depth and resilience in a tightly contested race.

The individual crown went to Layton sophomore Eliza Thornley, who surged to the front and finished in 17:55.67. For the second year in a row, Davis standout Izzy Cram claimed runner-up honors, clocking a personal best of 18:14.16.

Supporting the Darts’ title run were top ten finishes from sophomores Erin Christensen (fourth, 18:43.26) and Addison Loveland (ninth, 19:19.95). Senior Rachel Crummett sealed the championship effort, crossing the line in 19:57.14 to round out the Darts scoring five.

Other top ten finishers included Weber senior Catherine Wald in third place (18:18.01) and Layton senior Elizabeth Tolman in fifth (18:56.08). Kate Lang of Weber took sixth (19:10.09), followed by Syracuse senior Kennedy Hadley in seventh (19:17.20). Layton sophomore Alice Wilhem placed eighth (19:19.35), and Weber freshman Adalaide Hale rounded out the top ten in 19:28.80.

Kate Maughan

Junior varsity recap

The Darts started the day on a high note, sweeping the top two spots in the girls’ junior varsity race. Sophomore Kate Maughan led the charge with a winning time of 21:24.59, followed closely by freshman teammate Abigail Johnson in second at 21:44.95.

Other top finishers included Weber’s Cora Tippetts in third (21:52.37), and Davis teammates Katie Green (21:55.13) and Anna Hirst (21:55.38), who placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Flint Etherington

Layton’s Flint Etherington surged to the front in the boys’ junior varsity race, clocking a winning time of 16:51.62. Teammate Gabriel Jensen followed close behind in second at 16:57.59, securing a 1-2 finish for the Lancers. Darts Mitt Olsen claimed third with a time of 16:57.89, just edging teammate Solomon Bowen, who placed fourth in 17:05.07. Farmington’s Ethan Crosland rounded out the top five at 17:05.92, capping a tightly contested race among northern Utah’s rising distance talents.

all times and results courtesy of SportTrax https://meettrax.com/meets/863/results/by-event

photos courtesy of James Tate