Tohatchi, Rehoboth Christian harriers capture gold at Extravaganza meet

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Oct 17, 2022 | Track & Field |

ALBUQUERQUE

Of the eight races held on Saturday, two local athletes emerged as individual winners during the Albuquerque Academy Extravaganza cross-country meet.

Rehoboth Christian junior Emily Garcia and Tohatchi junior Briley Dauphinais captured gold in their respective races at the pre-state meet.

State qualifying teams and individuals will gather at Academy on Nov. 6 as Saturday’s meet serves as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming state meet.

“I didn’t expect this, so this feels great,” said Dauphinais, who captured his second individual crown for the year. “I just need to keep pushing harder in these next few weeks because I know they’re coming after me.”

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
The Shiprock Lady Chieftains took second in the 4A girls team standings on Saturday at the Albuquerque Academy Extravaganza cross-country meet. Shiprock finished with 84 points behind the host team as Academy tallied 24 points.

The Tohatchi harrier took the boys 3A race in 17 minutes, 13.08 seconds, winning the 5K race by eight seconds over Santa Fe St. Michael’s Landen Sandoval and 18 seconds over Navajo Prep’s Devin Lansing.

Garcia won girls 1A-2A race by a more significant margin, covering the flat course in 20:12.87.

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Tohatchi junior Briley Dauphinais keeps a steady pace during the Albuquerque Academy Extravaganza cross-country race on Saturday. Dauphinais won the state preview race in 17:13.08 in the 3A boys division.

Albuquerque Chesterton Academy runner Cecelia Campos clocked in at 20:50.41, while Laguna-Acoma’s Erica Martin took third at 20:56.86.

“It’s a mental game, and I had to believe in myself that I could do it,” Garcia said. “I had to keep my cadence since I had no one else with me.

“I’m used to having a four-wheeler in front of me, so it was all just a mental game for me,” she added.

In the team standings, defending state champs Santa Fe Indian School, took first in the girls 3A race with 55 points.

Meanwhile, the Navajo Prep boys and Shiprock girls placed second in the 3A boys and 4A girls races.

For a more in-depth story, pick up Thursday’s Navajo Times.