Halloween in Holbrook was the right time and place for sixth-ranked Sedona Red Rock High School to make twice the case for the Division IV state cross-country title Saturday, Nov. 8.

“We’re super excited,” head coach Taryn Kunkel said. “All the pain and tears were worth it. I am so proud of all of the kids.”

While the Scorpions girls team, as head coach Taryn Kunkel had hoped, posted three top 25 times at the Holbrook 5K to garner the fifth of six State berths Oct. 31, the boys — none of whom had placed higher than 75th on the same course Oct. 24 at the Holbrook Invitational — had three top 40 finishes at the Section I meet to take the eighth and final Division IV team slot.

“Our team quote this year is, ‘Your body won’t go where your mind won’t take you,’” Kunkel said. “The kids dominated and cross-country is all about challenging terrain, weather and pain that ‘hurts so good.’”

Sophomore Wyatt Stevenson was the only Scorpions boy runner to qualify individually with a top 25 time — in his case, a quarter-second over 18:16, his second-best 5K time overall but still more than a minute slower than his personal best Oct. 15 at the Crusaders Invitational.

For the full story, please see the Friday, Nov. 7, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.