The Scoop: Labor Day Weekend Produced Impressive XC Results

Sep 05, 2022

Third-Straight Echohawk-Heninger Duel Lived Up To The Hype At Timpanogos Invitational

* Tayson Echohawk (Orem, UT) and Liam Heninger (Mountain View, UT) race stride-for-stride to the finish last season at the 2021 running of the Timpanogos XC Invitational.

Photo Credit: Melanie Pontius/MileSplit Utah

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Just weeks into the 2022 season, the matchup between Utah 5A cross country runner-up Tayson Echohawk (Orem) and fourth-place finisher Liam Heninger (Mountain View) is already shaping up to be one of the most intriguing national headlines.

It began at the Pre Region 8 Meet on Aug. 19, with Echohawk taking the slight win over Heninger, running 15:07.80 to the Mountain View senior's 15:14.30. But a week later at the UIAAA Invitational, Heninger stormed back to clock a winning three-mile personal best of 14:48.10 -- which was only a second ahead of Echohawk in second in 14:49.20.

So come time for the Timpanogos XC Invitational, who knew which of the two Utah talents would come out on top.

For the third meet in a row, Echohawk and Heninger battled from gun to finish, but it was Echohawk who got back in the winning column with his 15:24.20 5k finishing time. Heninger crossed the line less than a second behind as the runner-up 15:25.00.

The showdown between the two senior talents -- both in the 5A division -- will be a matchup to pay attention to as the season progresses, especially at the state meet on the national stage.

ELITE BOYS 5000 METER RUN FINALS	
PLACE	ATHLETE		TEAM	RESULT	POINTS
1	Tayson Echohawk	12	Orem	15:24.20	1
2	Liam Heninger	12	Mountain View	15:25.00	2
3	Daniel Simmons	11	American Fork	15:41.90	3
4	William Horne	12	Herriman	15:42.20	4
5	JoJo Jourdon	11	Olympus	15:44.40	5
6	Austin Westfall	11	Orem	15:49.00	6
7	Parker Barnes	12	Mountain View	15:54.20	7
8	Jaron Hartshorn	12	Lone Peak	15:56.40	8
9	Noah Jenkins	12	Herriman	15:57.60	9
10	Chris Henry	12	Park City	16:00.90	10