Twomey, Banks top 10 at state cross country

[caption id="attachment_9349" align="alignright" width="172" class=" "] Rocky senior Denice Escalante competes during the state cross country meet Saturday in Sheridan. Escalante placed 31st in her final race.[/caption]It was a grand way for a pair of Rocky Mountain Grizzlies to finish the cross country season Saturday as Dominic Twomey and Casey Banks earned all-state status with top-10 finishes at the state cross country meet on the grounds of the VA Hospital in Sheridan.It was a picture perfect day Saturday, and both Rocky runners ran strong throughout the race. Twomey, a sophomore, placed sixth with a time of 18:25.82, just five seconds behind Natuin Trosper of Wyoming Indian, and Banks closed out his senior season with a ninth-place finish, covering the course in 18:39.23, two seconds behind Cory LameBear of WIHS but beating Hudson Roling of Thermopolis down the stretch.Freshman Scott Banks showed promise with a 31^st-place performance, recording a time of 21:11.39 and right behind him was sophomore Zach Milbrad in 32^nd place at 21:17.64.Junior Josh McCracken finished 36^th at 21:31.38, junior Seth Fuller 38^th at 21:46.56 and sophomore Trevan Lytle 48^th at 23:31.25.As a team, the Grizzlies placed a solid fourth place behind Wyoming Indian, Saratoga and Wright and ahead of Lyman, Pine Bluffs/Burns and Tongue River.In the girls race Burlington sophomore Pacee Garza placed 24^th with a time of 24:10.52, a strong sign for the future. Burlington junior Zariah Tolman finished 29^th at 24:58.86, and Rocky senior Denice Escalante wrapped up her career with a 31^st-place finish in 26:52.16.David Peck