The Mesa Mountain View boys (below) will be the team to beat!
The Doug Conley Invitational is one of the top meets in Arizona and this year is no exception. With a change in venue to the Rolling Hills Golf Course, the Doug Conley Invite will be a new challenge and a chance for runners to be the first to set the course records.
With a second place finish at the Queen Creek Twilight Meet the Highland girls, led by two freshman, Ashley Hatch and Kristy Rush, will be the top team at the Doug Conley Invite. They will be challenged by Desert Vista, led by freshman Jenna Maack and junior Megan Kupres, and Chinle High School led by Sophomore Rolonda Jumbo. Don't count out the Mesa Mountain View girls who graduated three top runners last year but can count on sophomores Brianna Decker and Sarah Schmidt to make an impact on the race. Ironwood Ridge are the defending champions and could pull it off again with senior Sarah Milville leading the group. Sandra Day O'Connor ran in the Adobe Invitational last weekend (winning the event) instead of the Queen Creek Twilight and should figure into the mix with the help of their two top seniors Kailey Rumbo and Gloria Tello.
Brianna Decker (photo left) has been running strong all season and could win the race but she will have some major competition from teammater Sarah Schmidt and Casa Grande junior Kylee Kieser, (photo below right) who placed second in the meet last year. Christen Collens (Sr., Pinnacle) will most likely make a run for the title as well as Rolonda Jumbo.
On the boys side, Mesa Mountain View (team photo above) will be the team to beat with strong runners like senior Tyler Bingham, Blake Cowan and Ben Williams leading the way.
Catalina Foothills has three top runners and could really challenge the Mountain View teams. Junior Rex Woodbury has been running strong all season and should be a top five runner. He will have help from Dylan Souza and Ross Tharp.
Ironwood Ridge senior Steve Magnuson (photo right) is the hands down favorite for the boys individual title. The Foot Locker National finalist has been running strong all season, even with a late start to his training. His 2nd place, 14:31.2 three mile, finish at the Queen Creek Twilight Meet was solid.Bingham will try to challenge Magnuson for the title as will Tuba City's Ryan Yazzie (Sr.)and defending Doug Conley Champion Jorge Martinez (Jr).
The racing begins at 7:45 AM with the Varsity Women!
7:15 AM COACHES MEETING
7:40 AM VARSITY WOMEN LINE UP
7:45 AM VARSITY WOMEN'S RACE BEGINS
8:10 AM VARSITY MEN LINE-UP
8:15 AM VARSITY MEN'S RACE BEGINS
8:40 AM NON-VARSITY WOMEN'S RUNNERS LINE UP
8:45 AM NON-VARSITY WOMEN'S RACE BEGINS
9:10 AM NON-VARSITY MEN'S RUNNERS LINE UP
9:15 AM NON-VARSITY MEN'S RACE BEGINS
10:00 AM AWARDS