Many Farms passes test with flying colors

WINSLOW

After last weekend’s performance, the Many Farms cross-country teams felt like they earned a week off.

A day after competing in the Lake Powell Invitational in Page, Arizona, the Lobos captured both the boys’ (see separate story) and girls’ team titles at the Dave Conaster Invitational last Saturday morning heading into their bye week.

“Most schools won’t do this but I challenged them to take on back-to-back races,” Many Farms coach Elroy Chee said. “It’s more about endurance and I thought our kids stepped it up a notch.”

At the Winslow-hosted meet last Saturday, the Lady Lobos finished the 10-team meet in first place with 33 points headed by the first-place finish from junior Liyah Begay.

“She did excellent today and her strides were perfect today,” Chee said of his pupil.

Begay toured the 5K-course and crossed the finish line 20:34. She finished 50 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Naomi Rustin of Alchesay.

“I really didn’t think about the race that much,” Begay said when asked about her mental state of running back-to-back races. “Our coach had us run both meets as part of our training.”

Begay said this was her first time winning a meet this season. And with her third place finish at the Lake Powell Invite she said she is feeling confident heading into the Arizona Division IV, Section III meet on Oct. 27 at the Hidden Cove Golf Course in Holbrook, Arizona.

“I feel good about the sectional meet,” she said. “As a team we’ve been pushing ourselves.”

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