Hopi High boys, girls place second at Hopi Invite

The Hopi High boys cross country team took second place in the boys race during the Hopi Invite Aug. 28 (Photo by Stan Bindell/Observer)

The Hopi High boys cross country team took second place in the boys race during the Hopi Invite Aug. 28 (Photo by Stan Bindell/Observer)

POLACCA-Flagstaff-Coconino High School won the girls race and Tuba City High School won the boys race as the Hopi Invite kicked off the cross country season for northern Arizona Aug. 28.

Host Hopi High grabbed second place in both the girls and boys races.

In the girls race, Coconino won with 73 points and the Lady Bruins placed second two points back with 75 points, Winslow finished third with 80 points and Tuba City High School placed fourth with 98 points.

The rest of the pack showed Alchesay, fifth, 120; Window Rock, sixth, 139; Holbrook, seventh, 150; Ganado, eighth, 174; Payson, ninth, 257; San Carlos, tenth, 265 and Show Low, 11th, 277.

Coconino's Hannah Moen took first place in the 89 runner race with a time of 20:23 and teammate Rochelle Kanuho took second just a step back.

Moen, a 17 year old senior, said it was cool winning the race because she stayed together with Kanuho.

"Last year, I was always behind her," she said.

The duo prepared during the summer by running six of every seven days with 40-70 minutes of running on each of those days.

Moen was also ecstatic because this is the first individual championship for her.

Coconino finished third at state last year, but lost only two to graduation and has its sights on the state championship this year.

"We have a good chance," Moen said.

Moen, who also runs track, is an honor roll student.

She hopes to earn a cross country scholarship to college in either Colorado or Oregon. She wants to study the sciences.

She is the daughter of Layne and Michelle Moen.

The other runners for Coconino were Kelli Triphahn, tenth; Shauna Isabel, 24th; and Tiffany Nebitsi, 47th. Hopi's Deann Honanie grabbed third place. The other Lady Bruins were Kelly Smiley, 14th; Povi Lomayaoma, 19th; Desiree Torivio, 21st; and Erica Namoki, 30th.

Page's Latrisha Blackstar and Charity Curley finished fourth and fifth.

Winslow's Mary Ricks took sixth. The Lady Bulldogs included Keisha Whitehair, 13th; Janelle Fuson, 17th; Felicia Chischillie, 25th; and Cherise Tom, 32nd.

The other runners finishing in the top 25 were Valerie Segay, Window Rock, seventh; April Tracy and Tatiyanah, both Tuba City, eighth and ninth; Cortney Ivins, Alchesay, 11th; ReAnna Chee, Holbrook, 12th; Danielle Begay, Window Rock, 15th; Alandria Reid, Ganado, 16th; Marie Lupe, Alchesay, 20th; Lana Cluff, Payson, 22nd; and Jennifer Williams, Tuba City, 23rd.

***

Tuba City High School won the boys race with 62 points, Hopi High grabbed second with 87, Window Rock took third with 105, Ganado finished fourth with 134 and Winslow placed fifth with 168.

The other teams were Alchesay, sixth, 193; Many Farms, seventh, 196; Page, eighth, 212; Show Low, ninth, 237; Coconino, tenth, 238; St. Michaels, 11th, 239; Monument Valley, 12th, 255; Holbrook, 13th, 299; Snowflake, 14th, 319; Greyhills, 15th, 390; Whitecone, 16th, 419; and Payson, 17th, 454.

Tuba City's Lance Williams was the individual winner with a time of 16:58 in the 104 runner race.

Williams, a 17 year old senior, said the race was close with two Hopi runners and the Snowflake runner right on his tail.

"It was tough man, but it felt good to win it," he said.

Williams said the Warriors performed great, but that they will take it one meet at a time as he wouldn't make any predictions about regionals or state.

"We'll just see what happens. It's too early to tell," he said.

Williams, who wrestles and runs track, maintains a B average. He hopes to earn a cross country scholarship to college and major in pre-medicine.

He is the son of Eleanor and Don Williams.

The rest of the first place Tuba City High team included Ryan Yazzie, seventh; Kellen Bennett, tenth; Billy Orman, 17th; and Lance Nez, 28th.

Hopi's Chad Baker grabbed second place. His teammates included Ronald Laban, fourth; Brannon Sidney, 23rd; Keith Pahovama, 26th; and Josh Satala, 34th.

Matthew Begay led third place Window Rock in 14th and teammate Leo Antonio took 15th. The Scouts team included Alerin Yazzie, 21st; Virgil Burnside, 24th; and Ty Denny, 33rd.

The other runners finishing in the top 25 were Cody Wells, Snowflake, third; Matthew Grant, Alchesay, fifth; Wilburt Barton, Winslow, sixth; Kyle John, Ganado, eighth; Ethan Fowler, Page, ninth; Lane Cowboy, Monument Valley, 11th; Kevin Holgate, St. Michaels, 12th; Wes Dike, Show Low, 13th; Andre Sample, Ganado, 16th; Robert Lohr, Coconino, 18th; O'Leary Yazzie, Winslow, 19th; Arno Bia, Many Farms, 20th; Jon Jones, Many Farms, 22nd; and Jaron Redhair, Page, 25th.

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