Boys' cross-country: Familiar pain no worry for Sky View's Mantz

Sky View's Mantz pushes through stomach pain to capture the 4A individual championship.
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Conner Mantz started getting that old queasy feeling in his gut Wednesday after one trip around the pond at Sugar House Park.

It might have something to do with being over-hydrated, Mantz thought.

But then again ...

It also was the same spot where Mantz's stomach started doing somersaults during the 2012 Class 4A state cross-country championships.

"I wasn't feeling too good last year," Mantz said. "I had a root canal a few days before, so I was drained and the medication wasn't going too well with my stomach."

Mantz pushed through just like a year ago. But at race's end last year, Mantz had no television cameras focused on him and no reporters' recording devices held up to his face after he finished third. This time was different. The Sky View junior, a la Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont, raced onto the final turn at Highland High with no competitor in sight and cruised to the tape for an individual state championship at the 4A state cross-country meet.

"I feel great now," said Mantz, who ran the 3-mile course in 15 minutes, 11 seconds — 25 seconds better than the next finisher. "I think I could have sprinted a lot more there at the end."

Running is a big deal for Mantz, whose big plans for Thursday included another regular running workout.

"It's good to see him get one [a state title], as good as he's run before," Sky View coach Kyle Wright said.

"He's a great kid. He inspires his teammates. He's exactly where he should be as far as integrating them. He'll run his speed, but he'll encourage and help pull the other guys up."

It wasn't just that it was the same course that brought back memories of 2012 for Mantz. And with it perhaps a little temporary psychosomatic stomach ache.

Mantz also had to think about his teeth again right before the state cross-country meet.

This time, though, he was determined not to have any major procedures done.

"I just saw a dentist yesterday," Mantz said after the victory. "I told him, 'You're cleaning them and then I'm gone.' "

Orem captured the 4A team title behind a pair of top-five finishes. The Tigers finished with 71 points, well ahead of second-place Timpanogos' 105. American Fork's Connor McMillan ran to the title in the 5A race to lead the Cavemen to their fifth consecutive state title. Three Cavemen runners placed in the top 10 — McMillan, Zac Jacklin (third) and Tyler Bell (ninth). —

Class 1A boys

Winner • Easton Nielson, sr., Monticello 16:41

Winner's thoughts • "I got a group of guys behind me who are my brothers. It really helped me having them there."

Individual top 10 • 1. Easton Nielson, sr., Monticello 16:41; 2. Ethan Young, jr., Milford 16:59; 3. Ki-Jana Martinez, sr., Monument Valley 17:07; 4. Adam Platt, sr., Bryce Valley 17:14; 5. Keldon Norris, sr., Panguitch 17:18; 6. Connor Anderson, so., Panguitch 17:25; 7. Dylan Lindsay, sr., Altamont 17:27; 8. Cody Layton, fr., Altamont 17:31; 9. Kyler LaRose, jr., Monticello 17:39; 10. Tyler Bird, so., Monticello 17:42.

Team scores • 1. Monticello 35; 2. Panguitch 49; 3. Bryce Valley 80; 4. Altamont 112; 5. St. Joseph 132; 6. Duchesne 175; 7. Whitehorse 212; 8. West Ridge 214; 9. EskDale 225; 10. Tintic 249

Class 2A boys

Winner • Ryan Westermann, sr., Rowland Hall 16:09

Winner's thoughts • "I thought I'd be happy with second if I gave it all I had. I just went for it, and it turns out he [Wasatch Academy's Jack McCulloch] didn't have the kick I thought he had."

Individual top 10 • 1. Ryan Westermann, sr., Rowland Hall 16:09; 2. Jack McCulloch, so., Wasatch Academy 16:10; 3. Hudson Zwhalen, sr., North Summit 16:25; 4. Jonathan Rothschild, jr., North Summit 16:30; 5. Nathan Hatton, sr., Parowan 17:01; 6. Nouman Kante, jr., Wasatch Academy 17:10; 7. Kylin Cox, jr., Millard 17:16; 8. Tanner Robinson, jr., Parowan 17:21; 9. Max Warner, jr., Waterford 17:22; 10. Matt Jacobs, so., South Summit 17:33

Team scores • 1. Rowland Hall 68; 2. North Summit 79; 3. Wasatch Academy 93; 4. Millard 118; 5. San Juan 130; 6. Parowan 163; 7. Manti 190; 8. Enterprise 202; 9. Waterford 210; 10. Grand County 227; 11. South Summit 232

Class 3A boys

Winner • Garrett Marsing, sr., Carbon 16:02

Winner's thoughts • "I wanted to win. I didn't care about the time, I was just going for place and run the smartest race."

Individual top 10 • 1. Garrett Marsing, sr., Carbon 16:02; 2. Byron Warby, sr., Pine View 16:08; 3. Benjamin Powell, sr., Desert Hills 16:23; 4. Tanner Jensen, sr., Stansbury 16:24; 5. Nephi Eschler, jr., Hurricane 16:25; 6. Kyle Beling, sr., Park City 16:25; 7. Colby Judd, sr., Park City 16:26; 8. Joshua Thatcher, so., Desert Hills 16:25; 9. Joshua McPhie, sr., Desert Hills 16:29; 10. Jaden Torgerson, jr., Stansbury 16:31.

Team scores • 1. Desert Hills 49; 2. Park City 73; 3. Pine View 79; 4. Stansbury 95; 5. Cedar 161; 6. Bear River 210; 7. Hurricane 214; 8. Uintah 217; 9. Juab 272; 10. Grantsville 288; 11. Richfield 298; 12. Ben Lomond 350; 13. Union 359; 14. Payson 376; 15. Carbon 382; 16. Morgan 448

Class 4A boys

Winner • Conner Mantz, jr., Sky View 15:11

Winner's thoughts • "I wasn't in the lead until about 150 [meters] in. I usually don't go to the front that early."

Individual top 10 • 1. Conner Mantz, jr., Sky View 15:11; 2. Mike Buckley, sr., Ogden 15:36; 3. Gavin Hasty, jr., Salem Hills 15:43; 4. Matt Owens, sr., Orem 15:43; 5. Kyle Bunker, sr., Orem 15:47; 6. Garek Bielaczyc, so., East 15:55; 7. Sam Sorensen, sr., Mountain View 15:57; 8. Jacob Stone, sr., Woods Cross 16:00; 9. Koy Moore, jr., Timpanogos 16:00; 10. Taylor Dillon, jr., Woods Cross 16:02

Team scores • 1. Orem 71; 2. Timpanogos 105; 3. Ogden 112; 4. Salem Hills 159; 5. Skyline 165; 6. Sky View 180; 7. Mountain View 182; 8. Woods Cross 213; 9. Clearfield 227; 10. Mountain Crest 254; 11. Wasatch 257; 12. Box Elder 272; 13. Springville 284; 14. East 361; 15. Provo 381; 16. Bountiful 408

Class 5A boys

Winner • Connor McMillan, sr., American Fork 15:04

Winner's thoughts • "It's not a PR, but I'm happy with it considering the course. It's not a fast course. I really thought Kramer [Morton, Alta] and some of the other guys would be right with me in a sprint to the finish, but I guess not."

Individual top 10 • 1. Connor McMillan, sr., American Fork 15:04; 2. Clayson Shumway, sr., Lone Peak 15:23; 3. Zac Jacklin, jr., American Fork 15:27; 4. Andrew Brewer, sr., Bingham 15:36; 5. Rory Linkletter, sr., Herriman 15:42; 6. Kramer Morton, sr., Alta 15:42; 7. Braydon Lavery, sr., Alta 15:42; 8. Skylar Williams, sr., Davis 15:45; 9. Caleb Walker, sr., Bingham 15:46; 10. Tyler Bell, sr., American Fork 15:46.

Team scores • 1. American Fork 44; 2. Lone Peak 82; 3. Davis 107; 4. Bingham 115; 5. Westlake 136 (won on tiebreaker); 6. Alta 136; 7. Weber 194; 8. Riverton 202; 9. Copper Hills 244; 10. Fremont 272; 11. Hillcrest 274; 12. Syracuse 288; 13. Brighton 352; 14. Hunter 437 (won on tiebreaker); 15. Cottonwood 437; 16. West 485