Prep cross country season preview capsules
CIBOLA RAIDERS
Last year: 5A Gila Valley Region Champs, Boys and Girls.
Impact returners: Ryan Norton, junior; Josh Lopez, junior; Jose Ramirez, senior; Michelle Soto, junior; Zucy Gonzales, senior.
Key newcomers: Richard Clayton transfers from Highland in Gilbert, Ariz. where his 10:13 two-mile was the fastest in the region.
Cibola coach Kris Norton's comments: "On paper we can match up well with (last year's) top 5 teams, but we're trying to keep the reins on the kids and focus on strong performances and not getting over anxious yet."
The lowdown: On the boys side, Cibola returns all of its scorers from last year's state meet and is bolstered by transfers. This season coach Norton has his team eyeing a top 5 finish.
|—Matt Maxson
YUMA CATHOLIC SHAMROCKS
Last year: 2A West Region
Top returners: Jesus Valdivia, sophomore; Geordan Koeings, junior; Jaclyn Hill, sophomore; Samantha Barczynski, senior.
Key newcomers: Manny Gonzalez, sophomore; Jacob Harman, junior; Morgan Frank, freshman.
Yuma Catholic coach Ralph Farr's comments: "When you have a minimum of 10 runners and one goes down, you still have the possibility of having a full team. We don't have that luxury. It's a serious issue."
The lowdown: The Rocks field a team of only 18 people, five of which are seniors. Despite the team's decrease in size coach Farr expects to field enough for state.
|—Matt Maxson
SAN LUIS SIDEWINDERS
Last year: 5A Gila Valley Region
Top returners: Levin Atondo, sophomore; Eduardo Arellano, sophomore.
Key newcomers: German Altamirano, senior; Arturo Garcia, senior.
San Luis coach Justin Anderson's comments: "I'm just hoping I can field a team consistently who will want to compete year in and year out. Many of these kids haven't been out for competitive sports whatsoever."
The lowdown: San Luis will field a girls cross country team for the first time this season under first year coach Justin Anderson while trying to maintain a competitive boys team.
|—Matt Maxson
YUMA HIGH CRIMINALS
Last year: 5A Gila Valley Region
Top returners: Moises Orozco, Lauren Mohammed, Jasmin Ortiz, Nadia Salinas, Karina Salgado, Barbara Vargas
Key newcomers: Michael Orines
Yuma High coach Tim Schwehr's comments: "Besides having to cancel practice a couple of times because of the heat, we're doing alright. On the boys team we're hurting. We graduated a lot of seniors and and only have one returning runner."
The lowdown: The girls are the opposite of the boys, with five runners back from last year. Although they struggled, they are now a year older and a year more experienced, something most teams in the region can't say.
|—Edward Carifio
GILA RIDGE HAWKS
Last year: 5A Gila Valley Region
Top returners: Josh Segura, Daniel Conley, Loren Cradic, Heaven Shore, Alyssa Segura
Key newcomers: Shane Hengesh
Gila Ridge coach Duncan Sullivan's comments: "We have more boys than we've had out in the past and more talent that we've had in the past. It's new for us. It's good."
The lowdown: There were no seniors last year, but that didn't stop the girls side from losing players for a number of reasons ranging from personal reason, to one wanting a job to injury. Sullivan said he expects the top three to be very good and that the Hawks will be more focused on individual than team on the girls side.
|—Edward Carifio
