WALNUT, Calif. - Highland senior Alex Litzsinger led a strong contingent of southest Idaho runners Saturday at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships West Regional at Mount San Antonio College.

Litzsinger finished 42nd out of 92 runners in the girls' seeded race in 19 minutes, 52 seconds. Jordan Hasay of Arroyo Grande, Calif., won the race in 18:02. The only other Idaho runner in the field, Michelle Hickerson of Boise, finished 52nd (20:15).

In the boys' seeded race, Preston's Ryan Gross finished 145th out of 160 runners in 18:30.

Bear Lake senior Jessica Leonhardt, who won the 3A state championship in November, continued her strong season with a 10th-place finish in the girls' senior race. She crossed the line in 20:19. Allie Ford of Preston finished in 20:59, good for 21st in the 146-girl race.

Preston's Colby Wilson ended the boys' senior race in 12th place in a time of 17:08. Highland's Tommy Bollinger finished 28th (17:22), Preston's Dacoda Elison 37th (17:37) and Bear Lake's Dory Alleman 67th (18:14). The race featured 237 runners.

In the All-West Region freshman/sophomore boys' race, Highland freshman Russell Farnsworth crossed the line in fourth place in 17:02. Fellow Ram Mariah Meyer finished the girls' race in 23rd (20:45), and teammate Kylie Hutchison finished 29th out of 72 people in 29:07.

In a crowded junior boys' field, Soda Springs' Kasey Meyers finished in sixth place (16:58) out of 255 runners. Bailee Siepert, also of Soda Springs, finished 21st out of 124 girls' runners in 20:43.