Whitehorse girls earn region cross-country title, boys runner-up

The Whitehorse girls cross country team won the Region 19 cross-country championship while boasting a handful of top 10 finishes in both the boys and girls region meet in Monticello at Loyds Lake on October 16.
It was a team effort for the lady Raiders as they finished five points better than second place Monticello. Whitehorse also earned the title despite the adversity of losing junior Kerri Martin to injury.
Martin finished second and fourth individually at the state meet in her first two seasons and is looking forward to a senior season next year.
At the region meet the Raiders were led by Sophomore Maria Yellowman who finished third overall in the 5k race in a time of 22:58, senior Hannah Clark was fourth in a time of 23:38, with Laylah Benally fifth in a time of 23:59 and Mikey Cheyenne Little finishing in eighth place.
The region win was the first one for Whitehorse since 2018
“It's been a really really long time, I think, since Whitehorse won at region. I think it's been years and years since Whitehorse has ever gotten something like this. I'm really proud of my team coming in first. I always encourage them either on the run as I'm running or at practice that we can take this. When we got here, I knew we could take this.”
Yellowman said she and her senior teammate Hannah Clark have been encouraging the team all year
“to push ourselves, even if it's on easy days to push yourselves and especially coming in together as a group when we're finishing and you know, even out of practice at school, you see them down the hallways, hey, let's do good at practice today. Let's run hard. And even if it's hot, we always say it's okay. We need some of the heat.”
Yellowman gave credit to her support group for their contribution
“Shout out to all my family and the whole community in Montezuma Creek, Utah. Yay, we took the win!”
In the boys race the Whitehorse team finished as runner-up to Monticello. The Raiders were led by senior Ethan Begay who finished in second place with a time of 17:32 just five seconds behind winner Kooper Nielson of Monticello.
Begay said the result made him more determined.
“I feel more tough and more determined there's (still) state, but this is just a pre-race before state and I can do better than today and do way better at state than right now.”
Begay finished in the top 10 last year at state. He says to reach his goals he plans more workouts as well as preparations including hydration and sleep in the weeks leading up to the state cross country race on October 28 at Sugar House park in Salt Lake City.
Behind Begay was teammate and fellow senior Elam Etsitty who finished in a time of 18:07 to earn fourth overall.
“Running with Elam he’s been like a good friend, we're side by side when we practice running. We just motivate each other and just say like you got this.”
Despite that competition the two have continued to push each other.
Reflecting on the team Begay says it feels “awesome” to earn the runner-up title.
“I think in the future Whitehorse can be one of the greatest, most awesome 1A schools.”
Sophomore Hyatt Thomas finished in ninth place to round out top 10 finishes for the Raiders.
Both the boys and girls team will run next at the state meet on October 28 at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City.