Fresh off their 3A-West region championship victories a week before, the boys and girls cross country teams at Sedona Red Rock High School traveled south Saturday, Nov. 7, looking to add another championship to the trophy case but came up short.

The 3A state cross country meet was held at Cave Creek Golf Course over the weekend with several hundred runners looking to realize their dreams.

Sedona gave a solid effort, but the girls came up just short, finishing second overall with 85 team points, giving way to eventual state champion, Chinle High School [34 points].

For the boys, the Scorpions finished fourth overall with 125 points.

“What a great effort by our kids — a fantastic job by all our runners; we just came up a bit short,” Sedona Head Coach Harry Schneider said.

Led by senior standout Jesus Rivera, who finished second overall individually with a 16:15.58 time, the Scorpions finished about where Schneider predicted just one week ago.

Rivera was beaten out by Tuba City High School junior Billy Orman who ran a 15:47.35 time, good enough to take home gold Saturday.

Ryan Yazzie finished third with a 16:54.50, helping clinch a state championship for his Tuba City squad that finished with 42 points.

Chinle finished second overall with 55 points while Ganado High school was fourth with 123 points and Blue Ridge High School was fifth with 136 points.

Behind Rivera came senior teammate Garrett Debs, who came on strong to end his final year in a Sedona uniform, finishing eighth overall with a 17:14.95 time.

Both Rivera and Debs received first team All-State honors with their finishes.

Sophomore Alan Meyers took 25th overall with a 18:09.60 time.

Other top performances for the Scorpions included junior Taylor Webber who finished 34th overall with an 18:28.66 time and sophomore Jorge Rivera who finished 68th overall with a 19:55.08 time.

Rivera struggled throughout the race, keeping pace in the top 20 for the first mile, then dropping back slowly until he wound up 68th. Rivera was fighting the flu and didn’t practice the entire week leading up to the state meet, Schneider reported.

Others finishing for Sedona included sophomore Brandon Snickers who was 76th overall with a 20:13.77 time and sophomore Zac Johnson who finished the course in 21:05.49, good enough for 97th overall.

“I think if Jorge [Rivera] was healthy we may have finished in the top three, but I feel bad for him — he worked hard this year and his illness this last week was too much. Either way, our boys did a super job,” Schneider said.

Schneider’s prediction about the girls finishing in the top three was correct as well, stating Chinle was the best team in the state well before the state meet ever took place.

On the girls side, Chinle wrapped up the championship with all five girls finishing in the top 12, including Jumbo Rolanda and Charnelle Curley who finished first and second overall, respectively.

Sedona had two girls in the top eight Saturday and were led by freshman standout Kala Seresun who finished fifth overall with a 20:44.72 time.

Senior teammate Sophia Zeno was eighth overall with a 20:51.74 time.

Both received first team All-State awards for their performances.

Other top performances for the girls were junior Hope Goimarac who finished 15th overall with a 21:24.11 time, senior Lydia Mosley who took 25th overall with a 21:50.29 time, and freshman Taylor Gage wrapped up the top five for Sedona with a 22:30.48 time, good enough for 33rd overall.

Others finishing for Sedona included senior Rita Clancy who took 45th overall with a 23:23.51 and freshman Eva Wilson who finished 52nd overall with a 23:47.08 time.

Brian Bergner Jr. can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 131, or e-mail bbergner@larsonnewspapers.com