The season kicks off with several big meets on Sept 5.
While there have been some qualifying changes for the 5A state meets, one thing remains constant in the Arizona cross country scene.
The state produces some elite runners every year and the 2008-2009 season won’t be any different.
It doesn’t matter what class or area of the state that is discussed, the talent is prevalent.
“Arizona is really making a lot of strides,” Rio Rico coach Roger Bristow said. “The top individuals have always been there, but I think our overall depth is getting better in the team aspect. If you put us up against, say, New Mexico and took the top 100 teams we would have most of them. I don’t think that was the case in recent years.”
The teams are getting better and, of course, that is being fostered by the development of the individuals. And that is where Arizona is getting some national love.
"I think Arizona is really improving on the top end," said Phoenix Xavier girls coach Dave Van Sickle, whose program is ranked 24th in the nation by Harrier Magazine. "Girls and boys are really getting noticed."
Chinle sophomore Rolando Jumbo, Phoenix Xavier senior Jessica Tonn, Tucson Ironwood Ridge senior Steve Magnuson and Flagstaff Sinagua senior Brian Shrader were named all Harrier Pre-season All Americans with Tonn and Shrader listed among the top contenders for Footlocker Nationals.
“Throw in (Queen Creek’s) Sherod Hardt and the boys are going to have a great challenge if those three end up at the same race,” Glendale Mountain Ridge coach Don Tate said. “There are some top individuals that will make for some great finishes.”
Tonn, who is ranked eighth best runner in the nation by DyeStat, heads the girls list and will test herself in several national events.
"She is a soldier and she is taking the next step forward," Van Sickle said. "There won't be any problem keeping her motivated. She wants to run in college and become a four-time Footlocker National qualifier."
The changes in 5A, which has had to deal with every team qualifying in recent seasons, come after the 5A Executive Board shot down the idea of a super regional where the schools would be split evenly into two qualifying regionals. The top eight teams would move on to the state meet.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association has sponsored a time qualification process for this season. It works like this: Any team that has five individuals who run the standard time (19 minutes and 12 seconds for boys, and 24:49 for girls in 5A-I and 20:17 and 25:47 in 5A-II) at any point in the season at AIA sanctioned events will qualify for the state meet and can enter seven runners.
Individuals who meet the required time also qualify if their team is unable to reach that standard.
“It is going to be interesting to see if that changes what meets coaches decide to go to,” Tate said. “It destroys the whole flavor of the sport.
“If a team has three or four really good runners and there is a drop off it could, theoretically, take a top five team out of the event completely.”
Van Sickle is waiting to see how it plays out, but he doesn't have a good feeling.
"It doesn't really work because there are so many things that they haven't even considered," he said. "It's going to be tough to regulate. Cross country is not a perfect playing field. Each course has different lengths and level of difficulty.
The rest of the state has qualifying regional meets with top teams and individuals funneling into the state meet.
The season gets under way with the Hopi Harrier Invite on Sept. 1 followed up with a busy weekend on Sept. 5 with The Peaks Invite, Padre Cross Invite, the Sue Fletcher Invitational and the Scottsdale Running Company Festival.
Here are the CoachesAid Arizona preseason rankings:
Boys
5A I
1. Phoenix Alhambra
2. Phoenix Desert Vista
3. Gilbert Highland
4. Glendale Mountain Ridge
5. Tucson Salpointe Catholic
5A II
1. Tucson Sunnyside
2. Phoenix Camelback
3. Phoenix Pinnacle
4. Tucson Rincon
5. Tucson Ironwood Ridge
4A I
1. Tucson Catalina Foothills
2. Tucson Flowing Wells
3. Cave Creek Cactus Shadows
4. Nogales
5. Tempe McClintock
4A II
1. Rio Rico
2. Cottonwood Mingus
3. Page
4. Flagstaff
5. Tucson Catalina
3A
1. Tuba City
2. Sedona Red Rock
3. Chinle
4. Fort Defiance Window Rock
5. Lakeside Blue Ridge
1A/2A
1. Keams Canyon Hopi
2. Many Farms
3. Tombstone
4. Tucson Tanque Verde
5. Phoenix Horizon Honors
Girls
5A I
1. Phoenix Xavier
2. Tempe Corona del Sol
3. Gilbert Highland
4. Sierra Vista Buena
5. Mesa Mountain View
5A II
1. Tucson Ironwood Ridge
2. Phoenix Pinnacle
3. Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor
4. Tucson Sunnyside
5. Anthem Boulder Creek
4A I
1. Tucson Sabino
2. Nogales
3. Scottsdale Saguaro
4. Cave Creek Cactus Shadows
5. Tucson Sahuaro
4A II
1. Page
2. Rico Rico
3. Flagstaff
4. Phoenix Greenway
5. Queen Creek
3A
1. Chinle
2. Tuba City
3. Lakeside Blue Ridge
4. Wickenburg
5. Payson
1A/2A
1. Flagstaff Northland Prep
2. Keams Canyon Hopi
3. Sanders Valley
4. Chandler Valley Christian
5. San Manuel
Top individuals
Boys
Brian Shrader, Flagstaff Sinagua
Sherod Hardt, Queen Creek
Steve Magnuson, Tucson Ironwood Ridge
Jose Luis Munoz, Rio Rico
Jorge Martinez, Phoenix Alhambra
Andrew Kellogg, Phoenix Desert Vista
Alejandro Montano, Tucson Catalina
Alejandro Valencia, Rio Rico
Ryan Yazzie, Tuba City
Ryan Silva, Tucson Rincon
Girls
Jessica Tonn, Phoenix Xavier
Rolando Jumbo, Chinle
Aeoleone Bristow, Rio Rico
Christina Price, Tucson Sabino
Taylor Cole, Chandler Hamilton
Latrisha Blackstar, Page
Taylor Delaveaga, Gilbert Perry
Lacey Kalinen, Phoenix Pinnacle
Ashley Workman, Queen Creek
Shayla Freeman, Phoenix Greenway
Comments: