Cross-country getting ready for run to state1 min read

By
Jeff Bear
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The Sedona Red Rock cross-country team competed at the Yavapai County Championships in Prescott on Wednesday, Oct. 23, in preparation for the Division IV, Section I state-qualifying meet Saturday, Nov. 2, in Holbrook.

The Scorpions girls team finished third and the boys team fourth on the course at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University even though neither team was at full strength.

The good news for the boys team was the continuing emergence of freshman Luke Doerner as a top-flight competitor for the Scorpions.

Doerner, who finished eighth overall in 17 minutes, 52.14 seconds, began the season running 5K times in the 19s, but has lowered his personal record in nearly every meet, and is now one of the top freshman runners in the state.

Senior Travis Okie finished seventh overall in 17 minutes, 45.3 seconds, but said it was a tough race for him.

“It was just one of those days where my legs kind of buckled at the end,” Okie said. “I don’t know whether it was the elevation or the hills or a combination of the both of them, but I just didn’t really have it today.”

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Okie said he was, however, happy with the Scorpions boys team’s performance.

“I’m really proud of Luke, and Kevin [Alvarez] ran pretty well, too,” he said. “So it was a pretty good race for our team.”

For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 30, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Jeff Bear

Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.

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Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.