The cross-country season is at its midpoint and the Scorpion runners are proving that they are one of the top contenders in their division in Arizona.

The Sedona Red Rock High School cross-country team has competed in seven meets so far and is looking to run stronger and faster in the seven races it has left before the state meet.

“We are running the same meets as we did last so that the kids can see they are getting better,” Head Coach Harry Schneider said. “They are running very well, especially when they run at our level. They are doing exceptionally well.”

The first meet the team participated was more of a warm-up to the season. The Scorpions raced against Payson and Camp Verde in a 3.25-mile course in Camp Verde to see how good they were before the start of the actual season. The boys won, individually taking first through fourth place. The girls did just as well, winning as a team and individually taking first and third.

The Payson Invitational was the first meet of the season for the Scorpions. The boys placed third out 10 teams in a close race while the girls could not place as a team due to a plague of injuries.

Mykala Seresun won the 108-girl race and set the course record with an 18.33 minute time while Taylor Gage took eighth in 22.12. Travis Okie took seventh in the 145-boy race with an 18.20 time.

For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 3, issue of the Red Rock News.