Raider harriers get solid performances in Newcomb, Moab, and Mancos in busy week

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
Whitehorse High School cross country runner Keiarra Martin continued her astounding freshman season with an individual championship at the Skyhawk Invitational in Newcomb, NM on Saturday, September 23.
Martin crossed the finish line in 19 minutes 53 seconds, 41 seconds ahead of Durango, CO’s top finisher in second place. Durango swept the second through fifth places and comprised five of the top ten finishers in the girls division.
The next Whitehorse runner to finish was Shunbaah Begay, in 12th with a time of 22:41. Hannah Clark was 39th in 25:29 and Lemyia Benally was just six seconds behind in 41st.
Harmony Thomas came home 47th with a time of 26:19 to round out the varsity athletes for the Lady Raiders.
On the boys side Ethan Begay was the top Whitehorse runner, coming in 15th with a time of 18:55. Elam Etsitty was next in 21st with a 19:45.
Tyrone Farley crossed the line in 46th with a time of 21:50 and Lance Tsinigine was 21 second behind in 48th. Robryan Tapaha got 56th place in 23:23, Dillion Leo was 58th in 24:44, and Luezekiel Smallcanyon was 64th in 27:12.
Whitehorse continued a busy week-long period with a trip to Moab on Wednesday, September 27 for the Red Rock Invitational hosted by the Grand County Red Devils.
It was the first race this season that Keiarra Martin competed in that she did not win. The amazing Lady Raider freshman finished in fourth this time behind a Carbon runner and two Grand County runners, posting a time of 20:01 on the flat, grassy Moab Golf Course.
Shunbaah Begay was tenth for Whitehorse with a time of 22:19, Heidi Clark came home 22nd in 24:38, and Lamyia Benally grabbed 27th with a 25:19.
Hannah Clark finished 36th for the Lady Raiders with a time of 26:23 and Harmony Thomas was the next runner across the line in 37th with a 27:03.
Shantel Begay was 47th with a 29:39 and Meagan Morgan finished 51st in 30:49 to round out the Whitehorse girls’ performance, which was good enough for third place behind only Grand and Carbon.
For the boys, Ethan Begay was the top finisher in 24th overall with a time of 19:34. Elam Etsitty secured 49th place with his time of 20:48.
Tiley Benallie was 69th in 22:14, Tyrone Farley was 75th in 22:26, Robryan Tapaha was 92nd in 24:53, and Dillion Leo was 97th in 25:22.
Lance Tsinigine was 101st in 26:11 and Luezekiel Smallcanyon came in 110th with a 31:02 as the Raider boys finished eighth as a team.
Following their strong performances in Newcomb and Moab, the Raider cross country team traveled to Mancos, CO for the annual Chicken Creek Challenge on Saturday, September 30.
With the times she’s posted this season, Keiarra Martin likely would have won the girls division again. But her absence opened the door for local rival Monticello to sweep the top three places on the hilly, forested course, pacing the field with a 22:49 winning time.
This time Heidi Clark was the top Lady Raider, finishing sixth with a time of 24:05. Hannah Clark came across the line in 13th with a 26:14.
Harmony Thomas was 20th with her time of 27:11 and Shunbaah Begay was the final Whitehorse girl to finish, in 34th with a time of 31:33.
Ethan Begay paced the Raider boys once again with a solid sixth-place finish in 19:37. Elam Etsitty was 19th in 20:34.
Lance Tsinigine came across the line in 44th place with a time of 22:35, Tyrone Farley was 47th in 23:06, and Riley Benallie got 55th in 24:04.
Robryan Tapaha was 59th with a time of 24:41, Luezekiel Smallcanyon got 74th in 28:13, and Phoenix Chee was 79th in 29:53.
The Whitehorse girls did not register a team score in Mancos, but the boys finished sixth as a team ahead of Montezuma-Cortez and Shiprock Northwest.
The team has one meet remaining before the 1A Region 19 Championship in Green River on October 18. They travel to Page, AZ this Saturday, October 7 to compete in the Lake Powell Invitational.
It’s another busy week for the Whitehorse team this week. They’ll head to Blanding on Wednesday, October 4 for the annual John Thornton Invitational. Then they travel to Page, AZ on Saturday, October 7 to compete in the Lake Powell Invitational.