‘I’m really honored: Ramone, Bia tabbed as Runners of the Year

WINDOW ROCK

Kirtland senior Aisha Ramone capped her senior season with another podium appearance at the New Mexico state cross-country meet.

Ramone took fourth in a competitive Class 4A field, finishing the 5K-race in 19 minutes, 20.45 seconds on the state course at Albuquerque Academy.

With that Ramone was selected as the Times’ Runner of the Year and she shares that honor with Chinle’s Temyra Bia.

During the regular season, Ramone captured six individual titles, including her fourth straight district title in late October.

“This is a big accomplishment for me,” Ramone said. “It’s showing and telling me that all the hard work I’ve put in is paying off.

“I’m really honored to be named runner of the year,” she said.

Ramone was recently named to the Wings of America national team and they are scheduled to compete in the upcoming USA Cross-Country Championships in San Diego. The event will be held on Jan. 8, 2022.

“I hope to break 19 (minutes) and finish in the top 50,” Ramone said, who added that she’s keeping her recruitment options open until the conclusion of the USA championships.

As for Bia, the Chinle runner took fourth at the Arizona Division III state meet, finishing her race in 19:53 on the Cave Creek Golf Course.

The Chinle junior finished the season with five top 5 finishes, including a pair of first-place wins at the Fighting Chieftain Invite in Shiprock and the AIA Sectional meet in Holbrook 11 days before the state meet.

“It’s exciting to be in that position,” Bia said of being selected. “I’m just very happy that I got the news of being the co-runner of the year.”

After a one-year hiatus due to the ongoing pandemic, Bia was uncertain how she would perform this year. Nevertheless, she was glad that she earned a state medal.

“It was happy to be up there against some of the top runners in the state,” she said. “It was tough to come back after we had a year off but it was exciting to see all that competition.”

With it being her junior season, Bia is looking to help her team earn a team trophy next season as this year’s squad missed the podium with a third-place finish.

As for individual goals, she wants to try and win a state title.

“That is what I’m going to work for,” she said.

With a team title at the Division IV state meet, Coconino’s Shannon Taylor was chosen as the coach of the year.

“It’s something that I didn’t expect,” said Taylor, a Diné with roots from Indian Wells, Arizona. “As a coach I’m not there to win any glory or recognition. I’m just there for the kids and my main focus is to improve the kids’ lives both on the course and in school.”

The Lady Panthers finished with a team score of 72 points and edged Salpointe Catholic by two points while Chinle took third with 97 points.

Coconino exacted some revenge against Salpointe Catholic as the Panthers lost the state title by three points last year to the Tucson private school.

“We had a girl fracture her foot with a half-mile to go last year,” Taylor said of junior Zofia Sawasky. “She recovered and she came this year. We were so close last year, so we were so hungry for it this year.”

En route to the state title, the Taylor-coached team placed two runners in the top 5 with junior Wheaten Smith placing third and freshman Mary McGinlay taking fifth.

“It’s something that we’ve always trained for,” Taylor said of winning the state title. “We start training in June and so our ultimate goal is to make it to state not only for the girls team but the boys too.”

All-Stars

Autumn Villanueva, Aztec

Wheaton Smith, Coconino

Akasha Ashley, Coconino

Sara McCabe, Coconino

Ryanna Begay, Coconino

Temyra Bia, Chinle

Tumayah Bia, Chinle

Janessa Segay, Chinle

Nevaeh Scott, Chinle

Tyra Tsosie, Crownpoint

Jalynn Lucario, Crownpoint

Alaina Vigil, Dulce

Madison Germaine, Farmington

Kristin Harris, Flagstaff

Breana Biggambler, Flagstaff

Yanibah Begay, Gallup

Merisha Long, Gallup

Whitney James, Ganado

AnnaMarie Yazzie, Ganado

Laila Martinez, Grants

Abigayle Nez, Holbrook

Edith Silas, Hopi

Rylee Koopee, Hopi

Aisha Ramone, Kirtland Central

Erica Martin, Laguna-Acoma

Cierra Begay, Many Farms

Lorianna Piestewa, Miyamura

TaSheena Thompson, Miyamura

Nicole Tsosie, Navajo Prep

Laila Charley, Navajo Prep

Harmony Boone, Navajo Prep

Jade Reid, Page

Makenzie Yazzie, Piedra Vista

Kairi Etsitty, Pine Hill

Jozannah Coochyumptewa, Pinon

Keena Turney, Ramah

Lydia Lambson, Ramah

Emily Garcia, Rehoboth Christian

Nina Bitsilly, Rehoboth Christian

Violet Francisco, Rio Rancho

Destiny Marquez, Santa Fe Indian

Destiny Chino, Santa Fe Indian

Kendra Emery, Santa Fe Indian

Kaydence Platero, Shiprock

Amber Woody, St. Michael

Mikayla Numkena, Tuba City

Erin Mitchell, Valley

Heidi Thomas, Whitehorse

Jiiniibah Redhouse, Window Rock

Kaia Talashie, Winslow

Telicia Tom, Wingate

Alexandria Bewanika, Zuni

Kristyn Eriacho, Zuni

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