By Raymundo Frasquillo
WILLCOX – Ten schools are scheduled to be represented in the Willcox Cross Country Invitational 5K on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Listed entrants include Douglas and Thatcher from the Division III Southern along with Benson, Bisbee, Fort Thomas, Morenci, Pima, Saint David, Tombstone, and host Willcox from the Division IV South. Starting times are 4 p.m. for the open run, 4:45 p.m. for varsity boys, 5:15 p.m. for varsity girls, and 6 p.m. for the presentation of awards.
Most of the teams competed in the 5K run at Rio Rico (Aug. 29) except for Thatcher which attended a Gilbert-held meet on Sept. 5.
Running for Benson’s boys were junior Jace Myatt in 18:30.0, freshman Brody Upshaw (18:50.9), freshman Jacob Rubio (20:20.1), sophomore Hunter Pratt (20:20.4), sophomore Orion Allred (21:45.6), and sophomore Prisco Capangpangan (23:21.7).
Bisbee junior Pete Noperi had 20:30.2, senior Edgardo Flores (21:36.9), senior Ramon Gonzalez-Vasquez (22:25.8), sophomore Spencer Linde (22:27.4), senior Luis Ramirez (22:29.4), senior Luis Saavedra (25:42.6), and freshman Chris Chavez (26:16.7).
Douglas junior Elayan Gonzalez clocked in with 20:28.3, sophomore Antonio Rascon (20:48.8), junior Ramon Chavez (22:39.5), sophomore Sebastian Avechuco (23:30.9), sophomore Ezequiel Ceballos (23:48.3), junior Francisco Santana (25:03.9), senior Dion Marquez (27:04.5), and sophomore Alejandro Cuellar (27:46.40).
Morenci sophomore Ryder Nelson posted 20:41.2, sophomore Joaquin Ma (21:45.1), senior Lyndale Waterhouse (21:45.7), senior Samuel Kitcheyan (24:35.4), and sophomore Ezra Gros (25:12. 0).
Saint David junior Braydon Posey had 21:21.4, junior Stratford Reynolds (21:34.2) , junior Nathan Merrell (23:24.2), freshman Mark Bryant (23:31.2), junior Zak Barten (24:27.8), junior Ezra Fry (25:01.5), senior Jaxen Brogan (26:42.3), and junior Jaryn Brogan (34:17.4).
Thatcher freshman Easton Baker finished in 23:42.0.
Tombstone sophomore Aiden Werkheier turned in 18:43.0, junior Jason Whipple (19:05.6), freshman Robert Smith (20:20.2), senior Joshua Givens (20:34.5), junior Colten Thursby (21:15.0), freshman Mark Bercume (21:54.6), sophomore Jacob Rodriguez (22:36.5), freshman Ky’Ren Northcutt (24:53.1), and freshman Jonathan Morales (34:35.4).
Last season, Thatcher placed first with 54 points, followed by Benson (65), Sells Baboquivari (73), Morenci (81), Tombstone (103), Saint David (159), Fort Thomas (180), and Douglas (191). Safford junior Grady Lackner set the pace with a 20:06.89 clocking.
Girls meet
The 2024 girls meet had Thatcher taking first with 39 points, Morenci second (51), Pima third (60), and Fort Thomas fourth (75).
To date, Benson senior Rayleigh Olsen has posted 22:06.9, sophomore Sasha Canales (24:17.1), sophomore Savanna Meza 24:19.1), freshman Arden Tucker (24:41.4), senior Araya Stanley (25:25.7), sophomore Hayden Ray (31:34.9), and sophomore Margarita Rodriguez (32:20.7); Saint David junior Addison Fry (32:41.7);
Douglas sophomore Alexa Monreal (33:53.4), senior Yackza Lobato (34:42.2), senior Danika Frisby (36:26.7), senior Marlene Palacios (36:42.6), and senior Mya Trujillo (37:33.2);
Morenci junior Hazel Salinas (24:11.70) and sophomore Peyton Corbell (24:52.30);
and Tombstone junior Ayrianna Canez (23:54.9), junior Kihanna Yocupicio (24:38.7), freshman Samantha Meza (26:28.3), freshman Hailey Yocupicio (27:17.9), junior Anastacia Lopez-Gonzales (27:57.6), and freshman Isabel Aguilas (28:34.3).
