Whitehorse sweeps individual championships, Monticello takes team titles at Region 19 meet

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
Whitehorse High School cross county runners stood atop the podium in both the boys and girls races this past Wednesday, October 23 in the Region 19 Championship at Huntington State Park.
Elam Etsitty paced the boys with a blistering 17:15, beating his previous personal record in the 5K by over a minute.
Keiarra Martin won the girls race, crossing the line almost two minutes ahead of her closest competitor in 18:58. Her performance is also a new personal record, topping her 19:30 effort in the 2023 1A State Championship.
Aaron Gillette finished second in the boys race just six seconds behind Elam Etsitty, pacing the Monticello Buckaroos to their fifth straight region championship. His time of 17:21 is also a new personal best.
Three Buckaroo runners finished fourth, fifth, and sixth, helping to secure their team win: Eli Carling in 17:37 (a new personal record), Kooper Nielson in 17:44 (a new personal record), and Kaden Pehrson in 18:00.
Charlie Welch was eighth overall in the boys race with his time of 18:56, a new personal record for the sophomore by almost three full minutes.
McKay Nielson also set a new personal record, finishing 18th in 22:08. And Alejandro Austin was the final Monticello boy across the line in 19th, amazingly setting yet another personal record with his time of 22:51.
The Monticello girls won their fourth straight region title, led by Marah Long’s second-place overall finish in 20:52.5. She had lots of help though, as the Lady Buckaroos placed five runners in the top ten.
Ayla Carling crossed the line right next to Long, just two-tenths of a second behind officially, in 20:52.7, setting a new personal record in the process.
Lilli Burton was third in the trio of Monticello runners who finished within one second of each other, just three-tenths of a second behind Carling in fourth overall. Burton’s time of 20:53.0 was just two seconds slower than the personal record she set in her freshman season way back in November 2021.
Alexis Bailey came home seventh overall for the Lady Buckaroos with her time of 22:32, crushing her previous personal record by almost two minutes.
Mikaylah Gillette and Xymenah Alvarado finished in close succession in 12th and 13th overall with times of 25:36 and 25:49 respectively, new personal records for both runners. Olivia Plemons rounded out the Monticello girls team finishes in 16th overall with a 30:08.
In addition to their individual region championships the Whitehorse teams produced several other very strong performances, earning region runners-up results.
The Lady Raiders placed five runners in the top ten of their race and six in the top 11. Lamyia Benally took sixth overall in 22:32, a new personal record for the senior.
Maria Yellowman was just 20 seconds behind in eighth place with her time of 22:52, also a new personal record. Laylah Benally was 27 seconds behind Yellowman, claiming ninth place in 23:27, also a new personal record.
Heidi Clark crossed the line 35 seconds later in tenth place with a 23:51. Hannah Clark finished 11th overall with a solid time of 24:52. Brandilyn John came home 14th, setting a new personal record with her time of 28:20.
Katie Whitehair was 15th overall for the Lady Raiders with a new personal-best 29:34. Rayauna Lee crossed the line in 33:06, taking 18th overall. And Haileigh Roberts was 20th with her time of 36:34, a new personal record.
Ethan Begay was third overall for Whitehorse in the boys race with a time of 17:22, beating his previous personal record set in the 2023 1A State Championship by 32 seconds.
Hyatt Thomas crossed the line in 19:24, good enough for ninth overall and a new personal record by almost three minutes.
Jayden John and Riley Benallie finished 13th and 14th just two seconds apart in 20:55 and 20:57. It’s a new personal record for John by 1:24.
Lance Tsinigine was 16th for the Raiders, crossing the line in 21:32 for a new personal record. Brayden John was 20th overall in 22:57, also a new personal record by over two minutes.
Phoenix Chee and Brayden Kinsel rounded out the Whitehorse performances in the boys race in 27th and 28th overall with times of 27:06 and 27:21, new personal records for both runners.
Six Monument Valley boys competed in the Region 19 Championship, earning third place for their team. Josiah Gipe led the way with a seventh-place performance in 18:10, beating his previous personal best by almost a minute.
Talon Brooks and Riley Stanley finished together in 11th and 12th overall with times of 19:54 and 19:56 respectively. Both performances were easily new personal records.
Akecheta Shortman took 15th overall for the Cougars with his time of 21:01, Jake Deswood was 17th with a 21:50, and Alexander Hicks crossed the line 24th in 23:56. All three times are new personal records for those runners.
With the region championship in the books, all the cross country teams representing southeastern Utah were set for the 2024 Utah State Championships on Tuesday, October 29 at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City.
The meet occurred too late for the San Juan Record press deadline. Check the November 6 issue of the paper for full results.