FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — “If you’re not puking, you’re moving!” a Flagstaff High School staff member shouted at racers to keep the line moving at the finish line of the 2023 Four Corners Invitational at Buffalo Park Sept. 16.
Flagstaff’s 6,909 feet altitude was a challenge for some flatlanders, and it’s no surprise that Flagstaff locals took the lead in almost every race.
The exception was the Girls Open, where Pinon swept the lead of 101 runners, with junior Clintiyiah Tsosie landing first with a time of 21:09, freshman Kyleigh Hosteen taking third with 22:53, and freshman Sonora Begay taking fifth with 23:08.
Even the event spokesperson took notice, excitedly shouting “Wow, there are three Pinon girls in the top five!” into the mic as the top finishers flew by.
Considering Pinon is at an elevation of 6,350 feet on the edge of mountains northeast of the Hopi reservation, the girls had an advantage when facing the altitude.
Head Coach Autumn Cayaditto was proud of her girls, laughing with them after the race when people kept congratulating her on the wins, but asking where Pinon was.
“We’re just fully moving on up,” Cayaditto said about her team’s performance during their fourth race of the season. “They’ve been doing their best so far and each race they’ve been going to they’ve been doing their personal records, so they’re getting better, so that’s telling me that they’re doing good.”
Rounding out the team was senior Ashley Noble, 17th place, freshman Heidi Dejoelie, 40th, and sophomore Kirah Thomas, 54th.
In team scores, Pinon technically tied with Flagstaff High for first, with a score of 51 points added from the finishing place of the top five runners competing in team place. To break the tie, the sixth person from each team is compared. In this case, Flagstaff’s Faylee Howe was higher at 19th place than Thomas’s 34th, placing Flagstaff on top overall for Girls Open.
In the varsity division, Pinon took fourth place as a team, with freshman Antwan Clement 14th out of 170 runners with a score of 17:05, sophomore Trent Begay 22nd with 17:22, and junior Marcus Klah, 42nd. Freshman Yohanes Van Meerten of Northland Prep Academy took the overall title with a time of 15:38.
Flagstaff is the farthest Pinon has traveled this season, but they plan on meeting Flagstaff High again at the Desert Twilight meet in Phoenix Sept. 29.
Flagstaff High
Flagstaff High School won every team race in Girls Varsity, Boys Varsity, Girls Open and Boys Open.
“I was super proud of my team at the Four Corners Meet,” said Trina Painter, Flagstaff High cross country coach and the event organizer. “They ran strong and raced well and earned four team titles and one individual title.”
Sophomore Taylor Biggambler took first place for Girls Varsity with a time of 18:36, nearly a minute ahead of the second place winner, Emily Mullaney from BASIS. Trailed closely behind Mullaney was another Flagstaff runner, Olivia Baker.
“Taylor Biggambler is so fun to watch run,” Painter said. “I had spectators commenting on how graceful and strong she looked on the course Saturday. She has done a great job with her training and is in great shape again this year so we are excited to see what she can do at Twilight and State later in the season.”
In Boys Open, Sophomore Kalell Tsinnijinnie got second place with 18:23, followed by Flagstaff boys Donny Dent and Jack Graham. Graham tied with Holbrook’s Travis Bia for fourth place down to the milasecond, with a time of 18:47.1. The winner of Boys Open was Northland Prep’s Miles Underwood, with 17:54.
In the Girls Open, junior Karissa Burns got fourth with a score of 22:57. Freshman Naomi Ketter got 7th with 23:33, followed closely by sophomore Ambreal Selestewa, 8th, at 23:48.
“There was some great competition and they each had to fight hard for the places, especially in the boys varsity race and the girls open race that ended in tie [break],” Painter said.
Winslow
Winslow Bulldogs ran hard too, finishing third overall in Boys Open, eighth in Girls Open and 11th place overall in Boys Varsity. Sophomore Jocelyn Farland took 20th place out of 109 girls in Girls Varsity and received a medal.
This was the first varsity race of the season for some of the boys, and at least half got personal records, including seniors Leon Barton, 15th place with a time of 17:05 and Terrell Masawytewa with 19:48.
“Overall, team did pretty good, proud of the Winslow boys and what we did today,” said Junior Jace Coochqikvia, who was 27th place with a PR of 17:47.
Coochqikvia attributed all the PRs at the Buffalo Park race to it being early on in the season and Coach Wilburt Barton putting them through lots of hard training.
“He talks to all of us improving mentally and pushing ourselves every day in the mornings,” Masawytewa said, explaining that Barton tells them to “think of positive things to keep you moving through your day and pushing yourself to keep going and not give up while you’re getting tired…saying things like, ‘you’ve already got one mile down, you’ve only got two more to go, finish strong.’”
Junior Leandro Todacheenie, who timed at 19:17, used that advice during the race.
“I had a hard time at the beginning but as I ran through, it got easier and I just paced myself,” Todacheenie said. “I just ran with the breeze, felt real nice.”
Holbrook
Coming up on the scene is Holbrook High School, which placed fourth in teams for Boys open, with sophomore Travis Bia tied for fourth place overall. Freshman Hannah Nez placed 29th out of 109 runners in Girls Varsity.
“We have a young group of runners and each week they are learning new racing strategies that they can use to help them for the next race,” said Head Coach Jerald Nez. “They are still learning how to get off with the right pace and recognize their effort levels at critical points in the course.”
Nez said the big hill in the Buffalo Park course was a challenge.
“[The hill] really gave some of my runners a burst of energy but they were not able to sustain it through the end of the race,” Nez said. “We are learning at every race and we are getting stronger every day. Which is all any coach can ask for in team competition. Our team is young, we are learning and starting to get it together. All the while the kids are having some fun and making lifelong memories with their teammates.”
At an elevation of 5,082 feet, Nez said he didn’t think the 2,000 feet elevation change wasn’t too much of a concern.
“I try not to mention it in a race because I want my athletes to focus on their abilities and training to execute the best race plan possible,” Nez said. “I know they enjoy the weather and perfect race conditions every time we race in Flagstaff. So our runners sometimes feel like it’s easier because it’s not as hot and the sun is not beating down on them like it does back home. We always look forward to running in Flagstaff.”
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — “If you’re not puking, you’re moving!” a Flagstaff High School staff member shouted at racers to keep the line moving at the finish line of the 2023 Four Corners Invitational at Buffalo Park Sept. 16.
Flagstaff’s 6,909 feet altitude was a challenge for some flatlanders, and it’s no surprise that Flagstaff locals took the lead in almost every race.
The exception was the Girls Open, where Pinon swept the lead of 101 runners, with junior Clintiyiah Tsosie landing first with a time of 21:09, freshman Kyleigh Hosteen taking third with 22:53, and freshman Sonora Begay taking fifth with 23:08.
Even the event spokesperson took notice, excitedly shouting “Wow, there are three Pinon girls in the top five!” into the mic as the top finishers flew by.
Considering Pinon is at an elevation of 6,350 feet on the edge of mountains northeast of the Hopi reservation, the girls had an advantage when facing the altitude.
Head Coach Autumn Cayaditto was proud of her girls, laughing with them after the race when people kept congratulating her on the wins, but asking where Pinon was.
“We’re just fully moving on up,” Cayaditto said about her team’s performance during their fourth race of the season. “They’ve been doing their best so far and each race they’ve been going to they’ve been doing their personal records, so they’re getting better, so that’s telling me that they’re doing good.”
Rounding out the team was senior Ashley Noble, 17th place, freshman Heidi Dejoelie, 40th, and sophomore Kirah Thomas, 54th.
In team scores, Pinon technically tied with Flagstaff High for first, with a score of 51 points added from the finishing place of the top five runners competing in team place. To break the tie, the sixth person from each team is compared. In this case, Flagstaff’s Faylee Howe was higher at 19th place than Thomas’s 34th, placing Flagstaff on top overall for Girls Open.
In the varsity division, Pinon took fourth place as a team, with freshman Antwan Clement 14th out of 170 runners with a score of 17:05, sophomore Trent Begay 22nd with 17:22, and junior Marcus Klah, 42nd. Freshman Yohanes Van Meerten of Northland Prep Academy took the overall title with a time of 15:38.
Flagstaff is the farthest Pinon has traveled this season, but they plan on meeting Flagstaff High again at the Desert Twilight meet in Phoenix Sept. 29.
Flagstaff High
Flagstaff High School won every team race in Girls Varsity, Boys Varsity, Girls Open and Boys Open.
“I was super proud of my team at the Four Corners Meet,” said Trina Painter, Flagstaff High cross country coach and the event organizer. “They ran strong and raced well and earned four team titles and one individual title.”
Sophomore Taylor Biggambler took first place for Girls Varsity with a time of 18:36, nearly a minute ahead of the second place winner, Emily Mullaney from BASIS. Trailed closely behind Mullaney was another Flagstaff runner, Olivia Baker.
“Taylor Biggambler is so fun to watch run,” Painter said. “I had spectators commenting on how graceful and strong she looked on the course Saturday. She has done a great job with her training and is in great shape again this year so we are excited to see what she can do at Twilight and State later in the season.”
In Boys Open, Sophomore Kalell Tsinnijinnie got second place with 18:23, followed by Flagstaff boys Donny Dent and Jack Graham. Graham tied with Holbrook’s Travis Bia for fourth place down to the milasecond, with a time of 18:47.1. The winner of Boys Open was Northland Prep’s Miles Underwood, with 17:54.
In the Girls Open, junior Karissa Burns got fourth with a score of 22:57. Freshman Naomi Ketter got 7th with 23:33, followed closely by sophomore Ambreal Selestewa, 8th, at 23:48.
“There was some great competition and they each had to fight hard for the places, especially in the boys varsity race and the girls open race that ended in tie [break],” Painter said.
Winslow
Winslow Bulldogs ran hard too, finishing third overall in Boys Open, eighth in Girls Open and 11th place overall in Boys Varsity. Sophomore Jocelyn Farland took 20th place out of 109 girls in Girls Varsity and received a medal.
This was the first varsity race of the season for some of the boys, and at least half got personal records, including seniors Leon Barton, 15th place with a time of 17:05 and Terrell Masawytewa with 19:48.
“Overall, team did pretty good, proud of the Winslow boys and what we did today,” said Junior Jace Coochqikvia, who was 27th place with a PR of 17:47.
Coochqikvia attributed all the PRs at the Buffalo Park race to it being early on in the season and Coach Wilburt Barton putting them through lots of hard training.
“He talks to all of us improving mentally and pushing ourselves every day in the mornings,” Masawytewa said, explaining that Barton tells them to “think of positive things to keep you moving through your day and pushing yourself to keep going and not give up while you’re getting tired…saying things like, ‘you’ve already got one mile down, you’ve only got two more to go, finish strong.’”
Junior Leandro Todacheenie, who timed at 19:17, used that advice during the race.
“I had a hard time at the beginning but as I ran through, it got easier and I just paced myself,” Todacheenie said. “I just ran with the breeze, felt real nice.”
Holbrook
Coming up on the scene is Holbrook High School, which placed fourth in teams for Boys open, with sophomore Travis Bia tied for fourth place overall. Freshman Hannah Nez placed 29th out of 109 runners in Girls Varsity.
“We have a young group of runners and each week they are learning new racing strategies that they can use to help them for the next race,” said Head Coach Jerald Nez. “They are still learning how to get off with the right pace and recognize their effort levels at critical points in the course.”
Nez said the big hill in the Buffalo Park course was a challenge.
“[The hill] really gave some of my runners a burst of energy but they were not able to sustain it through the end of the race,” Nez said. “We are learning at every race and we are getting stronger every day. Which is all any coach can ask for in team competition. Our team is young, we are learning and starting to get it together. All the while the kids are having some fun and making lifelong memories with their teammates.”
At an elevation of 5,082 feet, Nez said he didn’t think the 2,000 feet elevation change wasn’t too much of a concern.
“I try not to mention it in a race because I want my athletes to focus on their abilities and training to execute the best race plan possible,” Nez said. “I know they enjoy the weather and perfect race conditions every time we race in Flagstaff. So our runners sometimes feel like it’s easier because it’s not as hot and the sun is not beating down on them like it does back home. We always look forward to running in Flagstaff.”