Curtis Williams Invite: Gallup’s Sage Livingston, Miyamura’s Shelby Haskie emerge as winners

CHURCH ROCK, N.M.

The wait is finally over for Gallup’s Sage Livingston and Miyamura’s Shelby Haskie.

After competing in several races this past season, the two runners emerged as first-time winners as they gladly accepted the championship medal of the Curtis Williams Invitational on Saturday at Red Rock Park.

“I started this race in the back and I made my way up,” said Haskie, who won the girls varsity race in 21:35.44. “I just wanted to do my best and try to get first.”

It didn’t take long for the Miyamura runner to gain that lead as she held onto that top spot for most of the 5K race.

For Livingston, his ascension didn’t happen until the final 1.5 miles as he was sitting third behind St. Michael junior Evans Tracy and Los Lunas junior Isaac Gonzales when they ran past the Red Rock Park Auditorium.

But in the back stretch, the Gallup senior overtook those two runners and won the race in 17:18.03 with Gonzales taking second at 17:37.84 while Tracy dropped to eighth at 18:21.67.

“I kind of felt like they were dying out, so I saw my opportunity to get passed them and get ahead of the pack,” Livingston said. “I felt comfortable coming in but that last hill kind of got me.”

When asked if he expected to win, Livingston said he was surprised that he did.

“I really didn’t know where I was going to finish, but I just wanted to stay with the front pack,” Livingston said while adding that with it being his senior year, he was motivated to win his home meet.

“I’ve been pushing myself at every practice and my teammates have been pushing me, too,” he said. “My coach and my teammates were telling me that I can do this, so I want to thank them.”

And although Livingston’s has had some top finishes this year, Gallup coach Kyle Benally knew that his moment would come.

“He came into this race, ready to let it loose with this being his senior year,” Benally said. “He’s right on track and he’s probably about 20, 25 seconds faster than he’s ever been.

“For sure, he’s going to be putting up a fight at the district meet to get the individual title,” he added.

The boys team crown went to the Los Lunas Tigers as the 5A school placed all its scoring members in the top 16 headed by the 2-3 finish from Gonzales and Brady Garcia.

The Tigers finished with a low score of 37 points while Kirtland Central took second with 69 points as the Broncos were paced by the fifth-place finish from junior Damien Henry. KC also had senior Raymond Hunt come in 11th while junior Tyler Harrison finished 13th.

Zuni garnered third with 91 points in the team standing with senior Deron Lastyano leading the way with a fourth-place finish. The T-Birds also had junior Allen Dosedo in the top 10 as he placed seventh overall.

Behind a 14th place effort by junior Brant Dauphanias, Tohatchi placed fourth with 95 points ahead of Miyamura (104) and Gallup (145). The Patriots received a 9-10 finish from sophomore Dustin Chatto and senior Izaiah Freeland.

Girls

Led by Haskie, the Patriots placed five runners in the top 19 as they edged Window Rock for the team title by a mere two points.

Miyamura won the crown with 45 points while Window Rock scored 47.

“We have a good group of girls and they’ve been running close together,” Miyamura coach Manuelito McReeves said. “They’ve been bringing their times down since the start of the season. We’re just trying to maintain and we’re trying to move forward.

“They have the potential to do some big things this season, especially for state,” he added. “Right now, they’re doing well with their pack times and they’re moving the season right now.”

On Saturday, the Patriots finished with a pack time of 1:57 as Miyamura’s other top finishers were senior Shelby McCray in eighth, junior Payton Haskie in 12th, junior Aubrey Martin in 14th and freshman Aubrey Billie in 19th.

Window Rock, meanwhile, placed three freshmen in the top 5 with Morgan Upshaw taking second at 22:14.74 while Tiana Edison (22:20.92) and Naomi James (22:27.25) finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

“I feel like I did pretty good,” Upshaw said of her runner-up finish. “I came out as fast as I could, and I found my pace. Throughout the first two miles, I stayed with it and the last mile I knew that I had to go because the Miyamura runner (Haskie) was opening that gap and I couldn’t lose her, so I pushed myself through the sand and the hill.

“I just gave everything I got,” she added.

When asked about the team’s strength, Upshaw attributed their success to their mutual respect and team bonding.

“We’re pretty strong,” the Window Rock harrier said. “We push each other, and we support each other. I think our team bond has brought us close together.

“It’s in the middle of the season and we still have the other half to go, so I just want us to improve,” she added.

Other top finishers on Saturday include Rehoboth Christian’s Marvah Toddy in third, Tohatchi’s Catherine Denetclaw in sixth, Gallup’s Harlow Manuelito in seventh, Kirtland Central’s Haylee Nocki in ninth and Gallup’s Mykeia Vicenti in 10th.

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