Arizona State Meet - Boys Preview

 

1A/2A  (we do not have results form the South Regional Meet)

 

 

Senior Ronald Laban (pictured left) from Hopi is the favorite heading to the 1A/2A State race.  Last year Cody Rosengarten (Sr., Tombstone) snatched victory away from Laban but after an extremely impressive win at Mt. Sac Invitational three weeks ago, Laban could be in the best position for the win.  Laban will have competition from Hopi teammate Kyle Silas (So) who finished 10th at the state meet last year and 3rd at the Mt. Sac Invite last month.  Silas won the 1A North regionals last weekend finishing in 17:27 with Robert Lowe taking second in 17:32 and Laban in 3rd in 17:34, but anything can happen at the state meet and all three will be fighting for the 1st place title along with Brian Keesie (Sr., Many Farms) and Justin Secakuku (Jr., Hopi).  

 

Arizona Lutheran sophomore DJ Hoskinson will also be in the mix for the title after winning the Metro-West regionals and the Tempe Prep Invitational.  

 

Don't count reigning state champ Rosengarten who will be going for another state title.  We do not have the regional results to see how he did last weekend.

 

Hopi (SW #19) is the strong leader heading into the State Meet and will be going for a 20th straight Team Title!  Many Farms and Valley Christian will try to break Hopi's winning streak!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the 3A Division the battle will be between Tuba City teammates Ryan Yazzie (pictured right) and Billy Orman (pictured left).  Yazzie has multiple state titles to his credit including the 3A cross country title in 2008 but Orman has really been putting the pressure on his teammate after winning the 3A North Cross Country Regionals.  Either runner has a chance at the title and will be pressed by Sedona Red Rock senior Jesus Rivera.  Rivera has had a string of wins this season including last weekends 3A West Regionals, the Shane C. Morris Invite, the Mingus Invitational and the Jack Boehle Invitational.

 

Other top contenders will be Garrett Debs (Sr., Sedona Red Rock), Juan Martinez (Sr., Chino Valley), Johnathan Yazzie (So., Chinle) , Brandon Wilson (Sr., Ganado) and Cruz Rodriguez (So., Empire) the 3A South Regional winner.

 

 

With the one-two punch of Ryan Yazzie and Billy Orman, Tuba City will be the team to beat.  Chinle's depth could push them to the top and Sedona Red Rock could also be in the mix.

 

 

 

 

 

With a shift in the divisions and Queen Creek moving into the 4A I division, the top boys in the State will not be racing each other.  

 

Sherod Hardt (pictured left) will be the favorite in the 4A Division 1 race.  Hardt won the Desert Sky Regionals last weekend and also won the Scottsdale Running Company Festival earlier in the season.  He also had a top ten finish at the Mt. Sac Invitational meet three weeks ago.  Hardt will be challenged by Catalina Foothills junior Rex Woodbury who could lead his Catalina team to a first place win.  Woodbury won the 4A I Sonoran Regionals beating 2nd place Daniel Wong (Canyon Del Oro) by 3 points.  Also looking for individual honors will be 4A I West Valley Regional Champion, Jesus Escalera (Sr., Bradshaw Mountain).  

 

Catalina Foothills (SW #5), led by three juniors; Woodbury, Dylan Souza and Michael Whetzel, is the favorite for the team title in the 4A I race.  The team took 3rd place at the Doug Conley Invitational behind Mesa Mountain View and Alhambra and ahead of Brophy College Prep.  Bradshaw Mountain and Sunrise Mountain will both try challenge Catalina Foothills.

 

 

Shadow Mountain senior Juan de Deios Estrada, Catalina Foothills junior Dylan Souza, Brandon Kocmound (Jr., Sunrise), Carlos Roa (Sr., McClintock), Zach Wynn (Jr., Saguaro) and Eduardo Roa (So., McClintock) will also be top runners in the race.

 

 

 

 

2008 Foot Locker National finalist and nationally ranked runner Brian Shrader (Sr., Sinagua US # 6, pictured right) will be the runner to beat in the 4A II Division.  Shrader won the Grand Canyon Regionals last weekend and won the Queen Creek Twilight Sweepstakes race against top competitors Steve Magnuson, Alejandro Montano (Catalina Magnet) and Sherod Hardt.  Shrader will be going for his 3rd Cross Country State Championship.

 

Wilson Cutbirth (Sr., Mingus Union) took second in the Grand Canyon Regionals and will be a top contender in the race.  Cutbirth has had a great season placing in the top three at the Bud Davis Invitational, the Mingus Invitational and the Four Corners Invitational.  He also won the Yavapai county Championships. 

 

Other contenders will be Rio Rico senior Jose Luis Munoz, winner of the 4A II Gila Regionals and the O'Connor/Denson Invitational; senior and Sinagua teammate Dillan Hatch; Flagstaff junior Garner Grennier and Page senior Ethan Fowler.

 

Mingus Union looks strong going into the State Meet, however, Rio Rico could really challenge them.  Flagstaff took second to Mingus in the Regional Meet but anything things can shift at the state meet on a different course.  

 

 

 

 

 

Alhambra's Jorge Martinez (pictured left) will be going for his second 5A I cross country state title.  The junior won the 5A Metro Regionals and the George Young Invitational this season.  He also took second behind Steve Magnuson at the Doug Conley Invitational.  Hoping to beat Martinez to the finish line will be first year runner Garrett Baker-Slama (Sr., Corona del Sol), Mesa Mountain View senior Tyler Bingham and Highland junior Cory Breinholt. 

 

Other contenders for top spots will be Will Firth (Jr., Brophy Prep), Edgar Duarte (Sr., Cesar Chavez), Andrew Hagler (Sr., Chandler) and Jeffrey Sergovia (Sr., Trevor G. Browne).

 

 

Mesa Mountain View (SW #3) is the top team in the state and will be tough to beat.  Alhambra (SW #7) and Brophy Prep (SW #15) will be up for the challenge.  Both teams have had solid seasons and will do what they can to take the trophy.  Never count Desert Vista out of the running as they always seem to peak at the right time.  Even with the loss of their top runner they will never back down from a challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Magnuson (Sr, Ironwood Ridge, pictured right) will be the runner to beat in the 5A II division.  Magnuson ran in several invitationals this season and only had one loss; to Brian Shrader at the Queen Creek Invitational.  He also took 9th place at the Mt. Sac Invitational three weeks ago.

 

Trying to take the top spot from Magnuson will be Eric Zuza (Jr., Camelback) and Derek Stanek (Jr., Horizon).  Zuza is only in his second year of running and has had a very strong season.  Stanek won the Desert Valley Region Meet last weekend.  Pinnacle runners Jonathan Spoehr (Sr) and Ryan Williams (Jr) will also be contenders for some top spots along with Northwest Regional winner Joshua Espinoza (Jr).

 

 

Ironwood Ridge will be the team to beat for the 5A II title but both Pinnacle and Camelback could challenge them.