Cross Country Archives - CCC Athletics

Cross Country Gears Up for Season Opener at George Kyte Classic

Athletics, Women's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Coconino Community College (CCC) is eagerly anticipating the start of the 2024 cross country season, with their first meet set to take place at the prestigious George Kyte Classic. Scheduled for August 31 at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff, AZ, this event, hosted by Northern Arizona University, will serve as the perfect stage for CCC’s runners to showcase their hard work and preparation. The George Kyte Classic is a renowned meet that attracts top talent from colleges and universities across the region. As a home meet for CCC, it offers the athletes the advantage of competing on familiar terrain, supported by enthusiastic local fans. “Our team has been training intensely during the pre-season, and we are ready to demonstrate our progress,” said Head Coach Craig Hunt. “The George Kyte Classic is a challenging meet, and it will be a great opportunity to see how we stack up against strong competition.” The George Kyte Classic will be the first of several key meets for CCC’s cross country team. Following this event, the team will compete at the Embry-Riddle Arizona Invitational on September 7. “The opener is just the beginning,” Hunt stated. “We are looking to build momentum and continue developing our athletes’ skills and endurance as the season progresses.” The George Kyte Classic is not only a competitive event but also a celebration of community and school spirit. CCC encourages students, faculty, and local supporters to come out and cheer for the Comets. The presence of fans can provide a significant morale boost for the athletes, inspiring them to perform at their best. “The support from our community is invaluable,” said Coach Hunt. “Having a strong turnout of fans creates an electrifying atmosphere that motivates our runners.” As the CCC cross country team prepares for the season opener, the anticipation and excitement are palpable. The George Kyte Classic promises to be an exhilarating start to what is sure to be a dynamic and successful season for the Comets. Coconino Community College invites all fans and supporters to join them at Buffalo Park on August 31 to witness the beginning of an exciting journey for the cross country team. The men’s 4.5 mile race will begin at 1:30pm followed by the women’s 2.5 mile race at 2:30pm.

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Cross Country runners racing in their high school uniforms

Comet’s Welcome 14 New Cross Country Recruits for Fall 2024 Season

Flagstaff, Ariz. – Coconino Community College (CCC) is thrilled to announce the addition of 14 talented recruits to the cross country team for the upcoming fall 2024 season. These new athletes, hailing from diverse backgrounds and bringing a wealth of experience, are poised to strengthen CCC’s already formidable cross country program. “We are incredibly excited to welcome these outstanding runners to our team,” said Head Coach Craig Hunt. “Each of these athletes brings unique strengths and a dedication to excellence that will help us continue to build a competitive and cohesive team.” The new recruits for the 2024 season are as follows: Men: 2. Kenneth Nez (Holbrook High School, Holbrook, Ariz.) – Known for his fierce racing and endurance, Kenneth has consistently placed in the top 10 throughout his 2023 track season. He boasts personal records of 4:43 for 1600m and 2:01 for 800m. 3. Leon Barton (Winslow High School, Winslow, Ariz.) – Leon has shown tremendous potential by winning both the 800m and 1600m at the Red Rock Small Invite this past spring. He has been a key contributor to his high school team’s success by leading them to qualify for the Arizona State Championships. 4. Theodore Round Face (Gallup High School, Gallup, N.M.) – With a personal best of 16:18 in the 5K, Theodore’s strength lies in his ability to perform under pressure, making him a valuable asset for the team. He is the NMAA 4A – District 1 champion in the 1600m and runner-up in the 3200m. 5. Dwight Spencer (Gallup High School, Gallup, N.M.) – Dwight’s impressive 17:02 in the 5K and his competitive spirit will be instrumental in driving the team’s success this season. He placed 17th at the 2023 New Mexico NMAA State XC Championships, an improvement from 45th the year prior. 5. Troy Baker (Flagstaff High School, Flagstaff, Ariz.) – Troy is a 2023 graduate from Flagstaff High School where helped his cross country team to two AIA State Championship finishes in 2021 and 2019. His personal bests of 10:16 in the 3200m and 16:39 for 5k should have him contesting for one of the Comets top spots. 6. Zach Biah (Flagstaff High School, Flagstaff, Ariz) – Bringing a personal best of 17:53 in the 5K, Zach’s ceiling for improvement is high as he has only competed in two seasons of cross country throughout his career. 7. Wakiya Puente (Window Rock High School, Fort Defiance, Ariz.) – Throughout the spring track season Wakiay has shown great dedication to improving and determination to run at the next level. He closed out his senior season having run personal best in the 1600m and 3200m distances. Women: 9. Isabella Robles (Carl Hayden Community High School, Phoenix, Ariz.) – With a 5K personal best of 21:45, Isabella is poised to make an impact as a Comet. Training at altitude and in more modest temperatures may be the key to help her reach the next level. 10. Diana Paniagua (Carl Hayden Community High School, Phoenix, AZ) – Diana’s 23:34 in the 5K is over 3 minutes faster than her personal record from the previous season. She is the prime example of how dedication and hardwork can translate to huge improvements. Let’s see if Diana can cut another 3 minutes this season. 11. Leah Redondo (Camelback High School, Phoenix, Ariz.) – Leah set personal bests in not 1, not 2, but 4 distance events during her senior year. From the 800m all the way to 5k, Leah has a great ranch and an even greater ceiling for improvement. 12. Bryanne Morgan (Kirtland Central High School, Kirtland, N.M.) – Bryanne’s 21:41 in the 5K and her strategic race planning will contribute significantly to the team’s dynamics. She shows great potential for growth with more mileage and dedicated training partners. 13. Peyton Yazzie (Coconino High School, Flagstaff, Ariz.) – A fearless competitor, Peyton has a passion for racing dirt bikes and strength training. She is a 2018 graduate from Coconino High School where she competed in Cross Country. She’ll be bringing a lot of maturity and life experience to the team. 14. Cian Davies (Alchesay High School, Whiteriver, Ariz) – Cian’s strong work ethic and personal best of 21:54 in the 5K make her a valuable addition to the roster. Cian was a 2023 AIA Division IV Championship qualifier in both the 1600m and 3200m. She holds personal bests of 5:38 for 1600m and 12:30 for 3200m. CCC’s cross country program has a strong tradition of excellence, in 2022 CCC’s Hayley Burns won the NJCAA National Championships leading our women to a 4th place team finish. Last season the men’s team placed 10th at the NJCAA National Championships, with freshman Ryan Hatch earning All-American by placing 5th overall. The addition of these 14 new recruits underscores the college’s commitment to fostering athletic talent and academic achievement. The coaching staff and current team members are eager to integrate the new athletes and work towards another successful season. “I’m proud of the recruiting our coaching staff has accomplished this year, but the job isn’t done yet. We hope to add a few more athletes to our roster throughout the summer and are always looking for new prospects,” stated Hunt. The Comets will open up their 2024 campaign at the George Kyte Classic hosted by Northern Arizona University at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff, Arizona on August 31, 2024. About Coconino Community College: Coconino Community College, located in Flagstaff, AZ, is dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality education to students from all walks of life. The college offers a wide range of academic programs and is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive community for all students.

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Cross Country athletes racing to the finish line.

Women Finish 17th at NJCAA National Championships

Women's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Huntsville, Ala. – The Coconino Comet Women’s Cross Country team finished 17th place at the 2023 DII NJCAA Cross Country National Championships, with 5 women running season best times. Led by Breana Biggambler with a 71st place finish, the Comets scored 540 points, the same score awarded to Calhoun Community College, but thankfully the Coconino women won the head-to-head tiebreaker to finish 17th as a team. This was the second time in the program’s 3 seasons that the women have placed in the top 20 at the national championship. Coming into the Championships the CCC Women were ranked 19th, but with a strong showing was able to better that ranking by 2 places. Freshman Amber Woody ran a season best of 20:59 over the 5k distance to finish 89th overall and be the second comet across the finish line. Sierra Manygoats wasn’t far behind finishing in 93rd with a season best time of 21:04. Taking over 1 minute and 50 seconds off her next fastest time of the season was Talya Yazzie, placing 178th in 23:05. Rounding at the scoring was Ryanna Begay in 212th place in a time of 24:01. Janelle Stone was Coconino Community College’s final finisher in 223rd place in a time of 24:26, a time that is over 3 minutes faster than her next fastest time this season. “We ran the best we have all season today. The women truly showed up wanting to compete and perform at the highest level. Five of our women ran their season bests, and Breana ran up in the top ten for the majority of the race. I couldn’t be prouder of this group of young women”, said Head Coach Craig Hunt. With the conclusion of the 2023 DII NJCAA Cross Country National Championships, the comets have officially wrapped up their 2023 season. Cowley College won the National Championships with 66 points. Heartland Community College placed 2nd with 71 points, and Paradise Valley rounded out the top 3 with 115 points. In total, 38 teams and 279 individuals participated in the Women’s DII Cross Country National Championships.

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Runners crossing the finish line of the 2023 NJCAA Cross Country National Championships.

Hatch 5th, Team 10th at NJCAA National Championships

Men's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Huntsville, Ala. – The Coconino Community College Men’s Cross Country team finished 10th place at the 2023 DII NJCAA Cross Country National Championships hosted at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama. Their 10th place finish is the best team placement in program history. Additionally, CCC’s Ryan Hatch crossed the finish line 5th overall becoming CCC’s highest individual finisher ever. In the biggest race of the season, Freshman Ryan Hatch, rose to the occasion to finish as the top Freshman and 5th place overall at the National Championships. With his 5th place finish Hatch becomes CCC’s first male to earn All-American honors, becomes the highest individual finisher ever in school history, and lowers the 8k school record to 25:11. “Ryan (Hatch) ran out of his mind today. He put himself in a position to do something big and that’s exactly what happened. I’m excited to see what Ryan can do moving forward as I know this is just the beginning for him. He’s come a long way the last 10 months and this was the performance he needed to prove to himself he can compete with the best”, said Head Coach Craig Hunt. As a team, the CCC men placed 10th overall with a score of 273, their highest team finish in school history and 13 spots better than last year. In this one race, 4 men ran faster than last year’s 8k school record. The Comets entered the Championships ranked 15th nationally and were able to better that by 5 spots. Kevin Pawesiema Jr. finished as CCC’s second runner in 45th place, one spot off of All-American honors, in a time of 26:37. Freshman Tanner Dugi wasn’t far behind in 47th place in a time of 26:42. In 71st place was CCC’s Kyler Williams in a finishing time of 27:17 over the 8k distance. Rounding out the comet’s scoring runners was Taylor Taliman with a 134th place finish in 28:28. Jehovan Flores finished in 30:11 for 198th place, and Hayden Williams placed 246th in 32:28. “Overall, both the men’s and women’s teams had very impressive days. Of the 13 runners we had compete, 11 of them ran either a season best or lifetime best performance. It truly is a testament to the training we implement and the belief our athletes have knowing that when it matters most, they will be prepared to run their best. We’ll definitely celebrate our accomplishments today, but ultimately we’ll continue to look ahead at what’s to come as our program continues to grow,” stated Head Coach Craig Hunt. Lansing Community College won the National Championships with a score of 73 points. Heartland Community College placed 2nd with 78 points, and Daytona State College rounded out the podium with 102 points. In the men’s race, 38 teams and 291 individuals competed at the National Championships.

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CCC's women's cross country team posing in their warm ups a team.

Women Finish Third at Region I Championships

Women's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Glendale, Ariz. – The Coconino Community College women’s cross country team placed 3rd at the 2023 Region 1 championships with 65 points and 3 individuals earning All-Region honors. CCC’s Amber Woody, Breana Biggambler, and Sierra Manygoats all earned third team All-Region honors as they led the comets to a 3rd place team finish overall. Woody was the Comets top women in 13th place, followed closely by Biggambler in 14th, and Manygoats in 15th. Woody crossed the finish line in a 5k time of 21:50, Biggambler and Manygoats followed in 22:07 and 22:13 respectively. Talya Yazzie and Ryanna Begay rounded out the scoring runners for CCC in 19th and 21st place. Janelle Stone finished in 22nd place. “I’m happy our women were able to come away from today with a podium finish and 3 individuals earning All-Region”, said Head Coach Craig Hunt when asked about the team’s performance. Coach Hunt went on to emphasize that the teams focus hasn’t been on the Regional Championships, but rather the National Championships on November 11th. “As a whole we showed up and performed today, but I know many of our athletes were running on tired legs after a hard week of training. All season we’ve had our focus be on the National Championships so whether we won or lost today we weren’t going to lose sight of our main goal. I’m confident that both our men’s and women’s team will perform their best once we taper down their training and have a little more rest in their legs”, stated Coach Hunt. The comets will compete next at the 2023 NJCAA Cross Country National Championships on November 11th at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

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Four CCC athletes posing together while holding their All-Region awards.

Hatch, Pawesiema Jr., Earn All Region Honors

Men's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Glendale, Ariz. – Coconino Community College’s Ryan Hatch and Kevin Pawesiema Jr. earned All-Region honors at the NJCAA Region 1 Championships while leading their team to a 3rd place team finish. The CCC men’s cross country team competed at the NJCAA Region 1 Championships where they scored 82 points and finished 3rd overall. Hatch was the top comet finisher with an 11th place finish in a time of 26:45. Pawesiema Jr. crossed the finish line in 27:29 for 8k placing 15th and securing the final All-Region honor. Kyler Williams, Tanner Dugi, and Taylor Taliman closed out the scoring for the comets. “The weather today was hot and didn’t necessarily allow for fast times, but in championship racing we are less focused on the times and more on where we are placing within the race. We had two runners earn All-Region in a tough field that contained the #1 and #2 Nationally ranked teams in the country”, Head Coach Craig Hunt said after the race. In an upset, #2 nationally ranked Paradise Valley Community College took home the victory with 25 points, beating out nationally ranked #1 Mesa Community College who scored 35 points. CCC is currently ranked #12 nationally according to the USTFCCCA coaches poll. The Comet’s will toe the start line next at the NJCAA DII National Cross Country Championships on November 11th at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

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A large pack of female athletes racing cross country.

Biggambler Sets 6k School Record

Women's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Riverside, Calif. – Coconino Community College’s Breana Biggambler established a fierce 6k school record of 23:20 at the Highlander Invitational hosted by University of California Riverside, as the team took on their biggest competition yet this season. The comets hit the road and competed at the Highlander Invitational in Riverside, California, where they met a competitive field with over 20 teams consisting of NCAA division I , division II, division III, NAIA, and NJCAA teams. Not only did they take on steep competition but they raced the 6k distance, a distance typically run at the NCAA level, compared to usual 5k distance run at the NJCAA level. Biggambler finished in 136th place with a strong time of 23:20 (6:15 per mile pace). She was followed by teammate Amber Woody in 25:25, and Sierra Manygoats in 25:48. Ryanna Begay and Janelle Stone were CCC’s 4th and 5th runners in times of 29:54 and 30:26 respectively. Here’s what Head Coach Craig Hunt had to say about the race, “We came out to Riverside to get out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves. A race this size, with over 20 teams and 200 individuals, is just what we needed to help simulate our national championships and gain more experience in tough races, and I believe we did exactly that. Performance wise we had 2 school records set, one on the men’s side and another on the women’s side, so hopefully the athletes are leaving with some extra confidence.” Both the Men’s and Women’s cross country teams will compete next at the NJCAA Region 1 Championships at Heroes Regional Park in Glendale, Arizona on October 28th, hosted by Glendale Community College.

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Hatch Breaks Men’s 8k School Record

Men's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Riverside, Calif. – Coconino Community College’s Ryan Hatch broke his own 8k school record at the Highlander Invitational hosted by the University of California Riverside. The comets hit the road and competed at the Highlander Invitational in Riverside, California, where they met a competitive field with over 20 teams consisting of NCAA division I , division II, division III, NAIA, and NJCAA teams. Hatch took no mercy on his own school record as he ran 25:29 over the 8k distance to smash his previous time of 26:27. Tanner Dugi ran a time of 27:03, Kevin Pawesiema Jr. 27:29, Kyler Williams 27:41, Taylor Taliman 28:44, Jehovan Flores 30:56, and Hayden Williams 31:43, all of which were lifetime personal bests. Ladainian Morris, 29:48, also competed and ran his second fastest 8k time ever. Here’s what Head Coach Craig Hunt had to say about the race, “We came out to Riverside to get out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves. A race this size, with over 20 teams and 200 individuals, is just what we needed to help simulate our national championships and gain more experience in tough races, and I believe we did exactly that. Performance wise we had 2 school records set, one on the men’s side and another on the women’s side, so hopefully the athletes are leaving with some extra confidence.” Both the Men’s and Women’s cross country teams will compete next at the NJCAA Region 1 Championships at Heroes Regional Park in Glendale, Arizona on October 28th, hosted by Glendale Community College.

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Biggambler Earns All ACCAC Honors

Women's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Coolidge, Ariz – Breana Biggambler finished 7th at the 2023 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships, and helped the Comets to a 5th place team finish. Bettering her 11th place finish from last year, Biggambler finished 7th overall in a 5k time of 20:21. Her 7th place finish earned her All-ACCAC honors, recognition she earned last year as well. Sierra Manygoats was Coconino Community College’s second runner finishing in 21st place with a time of 21:38. Amber Woody placed 24th in a time of 21:42, followed by teammate Talya Yazzie in 36th place with a time of 25:27. Ryanna Begay was the fifth scorer for the Comets in 40th place in 27:51. Paradise Valley Community College won as a team with 35 total points. The CCC women’s cross country team will next race at the Highlander Invitational in Riverside, California on October 14th.

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4 Men Run Under School Record at ACCAC Championships

Men's Cross Country / Craig Hunt

Full Results Coolidge, Ariz – An unprecedented four individual comet’s dipped under the previous 8k school record at the 2023 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Championships. Ryan Hatch rewrote the record book as he ran a time of 26:27 over 8k to surpass former teammate Damien Clarks school record of 28:17 by over 1 minute. Three other comets dipped under Clarks previous school record. Tanner Dugi finished in 27:15, Kevin Pawesiema Jr. ran 27:28, and Kyler Williams narrowly bettered Clark by running 28:16. Nationally ranked #3 Mesa Community College took the victory with 35 points over Central Arizona College, and #1 Paradise Valley Community College. Coconino Community College is currently ranks #18 nationally and placed 5th at the ACCAC Championships. Men’s cross country will compete next at the Highlander Invitational in Riverside, California on October 14th, hosted by University of California Riverside.

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