Keiarra Martin is 1A state runner-up as Whitehorse topples records

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
It’s going to be hard for Keiarra Martin to top her first cross country season for Whitehorse High School. Not only did she win six of the eight races she competed in this year, she finished second overall in the 1A Utah State Cross Country Championship in Salt Lake City this past Tuesday, October 24.
Martin ran a blistering pace, completing the flat, grassy 5K course at the Salt Lake City Regional Sports Complex in 19:30, just 27 seconds behind the 1A girls state champion, Panguitch senior Tabi Henrie.
It’s a new career best for the amazing freshman and also the fastest girls 5K time in Whitehorse Raiders history. Martin set a new record for that distance earlier in the year and bested it in the state race this past Tuesday. It crushes Thomasina Yellowman’s 21:40 in 2014 by over two minutes.
Martin now owns all three of the fastest times in Whitehorse girls cross country history. In addition to the new 5K record her 20:02 at the Loyds Lake Classic September 1 is the fastest three-mile time and her 19:32 at the Region 19 Championship October 18 in Green River is the fastest 3.2-mile time.
Martin’s stunning performance at Rose Park on Tuesday paced the Lady Raiders to an impressive third-place finish, the best performance for the girls since the 1980s and ’90s when the teams won multiple championships.
The team scored 54 points to finish just four points behind second-place Rich. Heavy favorite Panguitch won the girls 1A title with 26 points.
The Lady Raiders’ best-ever finish at state wasn’t entirely a solo effort of course. Junior Heidi Clark came across the line in 11th overall with a time of 22:09. That’s the third-fastest 5K time in school history and a new personal record by almost two minutes.
Senior Shunbaah Begay completed her Whitehorse cross country career with a 19th-place finish in 22:43 for what is now the fourth-fastest 5K in school history.
Sophomore Hannah Clark was 24th overall with a 23:24, junior Lamyia Benally was 26th in 23:52, senior Meagan Morgan was 39th in 25:18, and sophomore Harmony Thomas was 42nd. Those are new personal records for all four of those runners.
All seven of the Raider boys competing in the state meet also set new personal records in the 5K on the way to a seventh-place team finish in the 1A classification.
As he has all season, sophomore Ethan Begay paced the team with a solid sixth-place finish in 17:54. It was the fastest time among athletes from San Juan County and is the third-fastest 5K in Whitehorse school history.
Sophomore Elam Etsitty crossed the line 15th with a time of 18:36, senior Tyrone Farley was 43rd overall in 20:02, and sophomore Riley Benally was 48th in 20:16.
Sophomore Lance Tsinigine came home 65th for the Raiders with a time of 21:40, senior Robryan Tapaha was 76th with a 22:26, and freshman Dillion Leo crossed the line 79th in 22:51.
Congratulations to all the Whitehorse runners and coaches on an absolutely outstanding 2023 cross country season.