Coaches: New division raises competition

Four new divisions have been created and approved by the Arizona Interscholastic Association that will determine the Arizona cross-county state championships.

The AIA approved divisions I, II, III and IV and, depending on enrollment, schools from class 5A to 1A are placed in one of the divisions. The larger enrollments from 5A are placed in Division I, while the lowest are placed in Division IV, such as 1A and 2A schools.

For 3A North schools, they are placed in Division III, which includes 4A-Division II Grand Canyon Region schools, with the exception of Flagstaff Sinagua.

By season's end, teams from 3A and 4A-II will vie for state titles but the state qualifying criteria has not been determined by AIA yet. Those details should be ready later this month.

Window Rock cross-country coach Stephen Fabina said the AIA executive meeting is Sept. 16 and Division III schools will be placed in one of three sections with possibly 16 teams each.

He also said that at the conclusion of the season, the top 8 schools from each section would qualify for the state meet.

"It's definitely a different look, especially against larger schools," Fabina said. "Everybody knows that 3A North schools always dominate and it could end up that in our section we'll have all the north schools battling each other, also with the Flagstaff schools and Page, but we'll definitely know by the 16th."

AIA executive officer Charles Schimdt did not return a phone call from the Times at press time Wednesday.

In the girls' division, defending 3A state champion Chinle and 4A-Division II state champion Page will be competing for the team title come November.

"I think it will bring all the teams in the state to a higher level," Chinle head coach Shaun Martin said. "It is, for sure, going to cause a major increase in competition. Overall it is good. The better teams will adapt and become successful."

In individual comparisons, Chinle's Rolanda Jumbo won the 3A state title as a sophomore with a time of 18:40, while last year's 4A-II state champion, senior Aeoleone Bristow of Rio Rico, finished at 19:22.

The state championships will be held at Cave Creek Golf Course on Nov. 6.

Page brings back a young and experienced team. Their top runners, Jayde Secody, Nicollette Coleman, Bronte Curley and Mikayla Hudgins, all return after placing at state. Sophomores Secody finished 9th overall and Coleman was 10th.

Also from the Grand Canyon Region, the Flagstaff girls will challenge Chinle and Page for the Division III state title. Last year Flagstaff was runner-up to Page. The Eagles return top place finisher Breanna O'Conner and Kimmi Allen. O'Conner finished 7th and Allen was 8th.

In the boys' division, the more experienced Chinle team will challenge Tuba City. Chinle brings back six of seven state placers who all finished in the top 25 with Jonathan Yazzie finishing fifth for the Wildcats.

"Well, it is going to be tough," Martin said, "but we are focusing on our own improvement, so in the end we are only racing ourselves. We want improvement and if we end up in the top three or as a state championship team, it will only add to our improvement and success."

Last year's 3A state champion, Tuba City's Billy Orman, a senior, returns as a favorite to win state. Last year he won with a time of 15:47, just a bit slower than the 4A-II champion, Brian Shrader of Sinagua (15:15). Shrader graduated.

The next best individual placer from last year's 4A-II championship was Alejandro Montano of Catalina Magnet, who finished third with a 16:14 time. Montano is a senior this year.

Last year's 4A-II team champions, Mingus Union from the Grand Canyon Region, is also in Division III. Mingus returns its top six runners, including sixth place finisher Juan Wells and Austin Covey, a 12th place finisher.

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