Jumbo, Chinle girls run with the best

A lot is at stake for competitors in the annual Doug Conley Cross Country Invitational, held in Tempe, Ariz., last Saturday.

First, the race is invitational only, meaning the runners are considered to be at the elite level in the state.

Second, the meet determines where you stand regardless of division.

And third, it can either boost or crack your confidence.

For Page and Chinle, the meet determined at least two of the three.

Girls

"We ran well," said Chinle head coach Shaun Martin. "The finish shows us where our fitness level is at and where we need to go individually and as a team. All girls ran right where I wanted them to."

Two-time defending state champion Rolonda Jumbo, a junior, led her team to a fifth-place finish and set a new course record with a time of 18:34, two seconds ahead of the second-place finisher from Rio Rico.

"Rolonda's plan was to win it," Martin said, "and she executed her plan. And to set a new course record, it's a pretty big plus for us."

Chinle finished with 159 points. In 23rd place was Anjellica Bedonie (20:32), followed by Deriann Yazzie (39th, 21:12), Stephanie Yazzie (40th, 21:14), and Annette Brown (56th, 21:37).

"We want to improve and everyone has improved big time," Martin said. "All season, that's been the goal and that's why we've been so successful - we don't worry about the state meet or title. We want to continually improve throughout the season up to the state meet."

Martin said that recent and drastic changes made by the Arizona Interscholastic Association is a concern to many coaches who fear teams may be eliminated from running in state competition, much less a state title.

"It's the heart of the competitive teams statewide," Martin said of the 3A North. "It was already a battlefield that was insanely competitive. But now that you throw in the 4A schools, AIA overdid Division III."

Martin is referring to a May decision by the AIA executive board to replace classes 5A to 1A with newly created divisions I, II, III and IV in order to reduce the number of state championship titles. The schools with larger enrollments from 5A are in Division I, while the lower schools are in Division IV, such as 1A and 2A schools.

The Division III category is seeing the most change with 3A North schools in Division III, along with some 4A schools such as Page, Flagstaff, and Rio Rico.

"It's a good thing," Martin said. "It only increases the level of competition, making us faster, making those racing against us faster, and will only benefit long distance running in state of Arizona."

At the Doug Conley event, Martin said the girls rose to the occasion.

"They're willing to do the extra work," he said, adding that Page is the only school Chinle has not been able to beat consistently. "I think they know now that they can beat any 4A school and we're even better than what 3A was giving us."

The Page girls finished fourth overall with a total of 126 points. Scoring for the Sand Devils were ninth-place finisher Mikayla Hudgins (19:55), followed by Nicolette Coleman (15th, 20:18), Jayde Secody (30th, 20:49), Celeste Claw (34th, 21:02) and Schaivon Bitter (38th, 21:10).

Boys

"They went out strong and finished hard, but they can run better," said Martin about his boys' team.

Chinle claimed the sixth place position, only two points behind Page, placing two runners in the top six - Searle Tracy in fifth (16:21) and Johnathan Yazzie in sixth (16:28).
"Its one of those things where you have to ask 'What if every kid ran to their potential?'" Martin said. "But they know they are capable of a top finish."

Other Wildcats included Derrick Joey (50th, 17:26), Charles Manymules (69th, 17:42) and Michael Shirley (78th, 17:46).

Page finished fifth overall with a total of 206 points. Ronald Hicks placed 22nd (16:51), followed by Mike Russell (24th, 16:52), Chavis Curley (27th, 16:58), Kyron Brown (61st, 17:35) and Shawn Secody (72nd, 17:43).

Repeated phone calls to the Sand Devils for comment were not returned as of press time Wednesday.

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