Ganado, Navajo Prep harriers tabbed ROY

(Editor’s note: The Navajo Times All-Stars for football will be released in next week’s issue.)

WINDOW ROCK

Of all the races he’s won, Ganado harrier Micah Slivers showed how strong his kick is by winning the Arizona Division III state meet.

Slivers chased down Tucson Salpointe Catholic runner Michael Urbanski, the Division III favorite, in the home stretch of the D3 state race at the Cave Creek Golf Course last month.

Slivers captured the state crown in 15 minutes, 55.1 seconds, while Urbanski was clocked in at 15:58.2.

With that scintillating finish, the Ganado senior was named the Times’ Runner of the Year, and he shares that honor with Navajo Prep’s Devin Lansing.

“I didn’t expect this,” Slivers said. “It’s an honor to be runner of the year, and I couldn’t have done this without my supporters, my family, my coaches, and my teammates. They pushed me throughout the season, and they helped me out along the way.”

Slivers, who has yet to sign, captured six individual crowns this season, which includes the Rio Rancho Jamboree and the Bud Davis Invitational.

“I want to make sure I make the right decision,” Slivers said of his college choice.

At the New Mexico state cross-country meet, Lansing was the area’s top placer as he took second in the Class 3A race, which came down to the wire between three runners.

Cottonwood Classical Prep senior Maximo Brito held off an intense challenge from Devin Lansing and Zuni senior Alec Lastyano.

Only .16 of a second separated all three at the tape.

Brito crossed in 16:43.17 over the 5K course, just nipping Lansing with a 16:43.22 and Lastyano with a 16:43.33.

“I was sick at the Extravaganza, and I was sick at state last year,” said Lansing, who placed fourth at state a year ago despite being sick. “I was pretty good today, bring my A game, so I brought it.”

Lansing said he had a solid start.

“I was trying to conserve,” he said while pointing out he didn’t want to start too fast and then die out later.

“My pace carried me,” he said.

The recipients for coach of the year went to longtime Zuni coach Chris Carroll and Page’s Tim Martin.

Page won the school’s 18th state crown behind an eighth- and tenth-place finish from freshman Symond Martin and senior Quentin Davis.

“I’m just proud of the boys,” Martin said. “They were picked to win, and they came in and showed that they are the best in D3, so I’m proud of them.”

To complete the team score, the Sand Devils had senior Tanner Dugi in at 22nd, junior Elijah Reed at 33rd, and senior Gavyn Begay at 49th.

“They knew where they had to be,” Martin said of his team’s focus. “We practiced the last couple of weeks running on rolling hills, so I think they were prepared for this.

“They executed perfectly,” he added.

At the 3A state meet, Zuni secured another blue trophy under Carroll.

The T-Birds packed their first four runners in the top 10 to easily capture their latest blue trophy with 35 points. It was more than double state runner-up Cottonwood Classical Prep with 73 points.

The title last month was the school’s 21st.

“It’s an honor being coach of the year, but I also think that it’s not my coach of the year,” Carroll said. “I always like to share my coach to the year with all my coaches. You know, we’re all a team, and there’s years that I have given my award to my assistant coaches because they’re just as important as I am on the field.”

As for their state title, Carroll said the focus this year was learning how to win.

“When we ran in 2021, we were coming off Covid, and we missed a year,” Carroll said. “I noticed the kids were running differently. I felt like last year’s team ran not to lose, and this year we focused on running to win.

“That’s the attitude we had the entire season,” he added. “It was evident at the state championships because we won by a healthy margin.”

All-Stars

Noah Higgins, Aztec

Tylon Tsosie, Crownpoint

Jordan Harrison, Crownpoint

Tristan Xicohtencatl, Chinle

Stephan Antone, Chinle
Clayton Chavez, Cuba

Isaiah Reval, Dulce

Bob Harrison, Dulce

Shaydon Begay, Flagstaff

Elijah Talkali, Flagstaff

Theodore Roundface, Gallup

Dwight Spencer, Gallup

Micah Slivers, Ganado

Cauy Curley, Ganado

Jayden Smith, Ganado

Garrett Fowler, Greyhills Academy

Shereef McKinney, Hopi

Duwron Tawvaya, Hopi

Arlin Numkena, Hopi

Leyton Tom, Holbrook

Kenneth Nez, Holbrook

Milan Waquie, Jemez Valley

Savion Toya, Jemez Valley

Dathan Esson, Kirtland Central

Raymond Hunt, Kirtland Central

Tagoya Pedro, Laguna-Acoma

Sheldon Cheromiah, Lagurna-Acoma

Aidan Kazhe-Chino, Laguna-Acoma

Justin Yazzie, Many Farms

Luke James, Miyamura

Matthew Curley, Monument Valley

Josiah Gipe, Monument Valley, Utah

Gentry Arthur, Navajo Pine

Devin Lansing, Navajo Prep

Aaron Mike, Navajo Prep

Mac Cousens, Navajo Prep

Deonquentin Begay, Newcomb

Jermaine Belone, Newcomb

Deaken Begay, Newcomb

Symond Martin, Page

Quentin Davis, Page

Tanner Dugi, Page

Elijah Reed, Page

Gavyn Begay, Page

Seth Leslie, Piedra Vista

Anthony Murillo, Piedra Vista

Shoshane Nez, Pine Hill

Marcus Klah, Piñon

Adrian Begay, Piñon

Charles Lynch, Rehoboth Christian

Evan Toddy, Rehoboth Christian

Alias Begay, Rock Point

To’aheedliinii Bahozhoni, Rock Point

Zyon Tsosie, Rock Point

Kyran Benavidez, Rock Point

Matthew Valencia, Santa Fe Indian

Logan Pioche, Shiprock

Nevaughn Begay, Shiprock

Kyler Williams, St. Michael

LaDainian Morris, St. Michael

Briley Dauphinais, Tohatchi

Jared Peterson, Tohatchi

Ian Silversmith, Thoreau

Joshua Begay, Valley

Ethan Begay, Whitehorse

Ryan Kee, Window Rock

Bearren Kee, Window Rock

Tommy Bernal, Wingate

Jace Coochwikvia, Winslow

Alec Lastyano, Zuni

Andrew Romancito, Zuni
Deron Lastyano, Zuni

Aaron Lehi, Zuni

Kiohn Duran, Zuni

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