INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — The Incline Highlanders boys and girls cross country runners have slayed the giant that has ruled competition in Nevada for the last several years.

The teams each beat their rival, the North Tahoe Lakers, on Friday, Oct. 28, to win the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association 2A Regional Championships at Shadow Mountain Park in Sparks and hope to repeat their performance this weekend at the state championships.

Incline sophomore Kira Noble led the Lady Highlanders with a first-place finish in a field of 24 competitors.

Incline, without a single senior, placed five runners in the top 11 spots and scored 24 points, 11 better than North Tahoe (35) and well ahead of third place Coral Academy (63).

Noble finished the 5,000-meter course in 22 minutes, 29 seconds.

Catherine Kerrigan was fifth (23:49), Lainey Lowdon was seventh (24:45), Adelina Laforge was eighth (25:59) and Madison Racich was 11th (27:20).

The boys had three runners in the top six and narrowly beat the Lakers 37-42.

Noah McMahan has led the Highlander runners all season and earned second place last Friday, finishing the course in 16:47.

Brendan Pietzke earned fourth (18:36), Josiah McMahon was sixth (18:54), Andrew Duckworth was 19th (21:03) and Owen Graeber was 22nd (21:51) in a field of 43 runners.

The Highlanders return to Shadow Mountain Park on Saturday for the state championships.

The boys’ race is at 10:30 a.m. and the girls will begin at 1 p.m.