1A cross country teams strong in multiple races
by Bill Boyle
SJR Editor
More than 160 high school racers participated in the varsity races at the annual John Thornton Cross Country race in Blanding on October 2.
Keiarra Martin raced to an 18-second victory in the girls race, pacing the Whitehorse Raiders to a fifth-place team finish. Martin racked up an additional victory in what has already been a very successful cross country season.
Other Raiders in the race include Lamyia Benally, Maria Yellowman, Heidi Clark, Rayauna Lee, Brandilyn John, and Halleigh Roberts.
Monticello Buckaroo Marah Long finished third in the race and led the Lady Bucks to a third-place team finish. Long was joined by teammates Ayla Carling (ninth overall), Allie Carling, Alexis Bailey, Mikaylah Gillette, and Xymenah Alvarado.
The racers also include 24 boys who raced from the 1A schools in San Juan County. Kooper Nielson led Monticello with a 13th-place finish in 20:09 in the boys race, leading the team to a fourth-place team finish.
Other Buckaroos included Eli Carling, who finished in 20:34, and Kaden Pehrson, who crossed the finish line in 20:46.
Aaron Gillette was the fourth racer for the Buckaroos, while Charlie Welch was fifth, Alejandro Austin was sixth, and McKay Nielson was seventh.
The Whitehorse Raider boys finish seventh in the team race, paced by Elam Etcitty in 20:45. Ethan Begay was the second Raider to finish, followed by Riley Benally, Jayden John, Lance Tsinigine, Brayden John, Brayden Kinsel, and Phoenix Chee.
The Monument Valley Cougar boys were led to an eighth-place finish by Josiah Gipe in 21:02, followed by teammates Talon Brooks, Riley Stanley, Jake Deswood, Akecheta Shortman, Caleb Cly, and Alexander Hicks.
Navajo Mountain sent two racers to the event, including Carl Greymountain and Rayden Salaba.
To close out a busy week the Monticello harriers traveled to Pagosa Springs, CO for the McGinn Memorial Challenge while Whitehorse competed in the Lake Powell Invitational in Page, AZ on Saturday, October 5.
Keiarra Martin added a second-place overall finish to her résumé in Page, finishing just 17 seconds behind the race winner in 20:40. Lamyia Benally was eighth overall in 23:29. Maria Yellowman took 26th for the Lady Raiders and Rayauna Lee was 31st.
Elam Etsitty once again paced the Whitehorse boys team, finishing 21st overall with his time of 19:17. Ethan Begay was next across the line in 29th with a time of 20:10.
Lance Tsinigine was the third Raider to finish the race followed by Riley Benallie, Jayden John, Brayden John, and Brayden Kinsel. The boys were seventh as a team at the event.
In Pagosa Springs Marah Long led the Monticello girls to a second-place team finish with her second-place overall performance on the mountainous McGinn Memorial course, crossing the line in a hard-fought 22 minutes, 55 seconds.
Ayla Carling snagged a top-ten finish in the race, coming home eighth in 24:24. Lilli Burton was 14th for the Lady Bucks and Allie Carling took 16th. Xymenah Alvarado and Alexis Bailey also finished the race.
Kooper Nielson led the Buckaroo boys to fourth place as a team with his ninth-place finish in 20:51. Eli Carling was 14th overall when he crossed the line in 21:04.
Kaden Pehrson was 28th in the race and Charlie Welch took 34th. McKay Nielson and Alejandro Austin also contributed to the Monticello team effort in Pagosa Springs.
The teams are all getting right back to action this Saturday, October 12. Monticello and Monument Valley will be in Mancos, CO for the annual Chicken Creek Challenge. Whitehorse harriers are scheduled to run the Bud Davis Invitational in Tuba City, AZ.