Tohatchi looking forward to ‘our meet’
File photo
Runners at last year’s Nashdoitsoh Invitational jockey for position at the start of the boys' 5K race north of Tohatchi, N.M.. Roughly 20 schools will be participating, ranging from mid school to high school.
MCGAFFEY, N.M.
The 2019 prep cross-country season kicks off today with the Nashdoitsoh Invitational, which is hosted by Tohatchi.
Tohatchi coach Fern Spencer said roughly 20 schools will be participating, ranging from mid school to high school.
“We’re looking forward to hosting our meet,” said Spencer, who advised the general public to start arriving by at least 2 p.m. to help ease the congestion on the way up to Hamburger Hill.
There are six races scheduled with the first race starting at 3 p.m. with the mid school boys followed by the mid school girls.
At 4 p.m. the varsity boys will start their race and then the varsity girls. The JV boys are scheduled for 5 p.m. followed by the JV girls.
“We’re pretty anxious about our meet,” said Spencer, who added that New Mexico Activities Association assistant sports directors Chris Kedge and Jackie Martinez will be in attendance.
Martinez is the NMAA director for cross-country while Kedge heads the track and field program.
“They’re going to be our honored guests and we’re excited about them coming to our meet,” Spencer said. “They work out of the NMAA office and they both do a great job in promoting our sport.”
Spencer said the cross-country course will remain the same but just recently they had to patch up some spots due to the rain the area has received.
“We had some little ruts here and there but our chapter and our people took care of it,” she said. “We’re thankful for our school board member who got the backhoe tractor out there.”
As the district meet host, Spencer is anticipating that most of the District 1-3A members are going to be there, which consists of Crownpoint, Navajo Prep, Tohatchi, Thoreau, Wingate and Zuni.
“It’ll be somewhat of a dress rehearsal for those teams,” Spencer said.
In addition to their district brethren, other schools taking part include Gallup, Miyamura, Navajo Pine, Ramah, Rehoboth and Shiprock.
“We’re one of the first meets on the NMAA schedule,” Spencer said. “It’s going to be a fun meet.”
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow