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MHS Cross Country triumphs at State!
Alice Shoaf
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Maricopa High School’s (MHS) Cross Country team returned home as champions from the 2011 AIA (Arizona Interscholastic Association) State Championship Tournament on Saturday, November 5, 2011. Seven athletes qualified and competed.
Senior Chris Lessard ran a phenomenal 5000-meter race, earning a 2nd place medal with his time of 16:17.25. The time was good enough to designate him as a National Elite athlete, one of only nine Division athletes to earn that title this year. His success is especially sweet as a foot injury forced him to miss both Regional and State competition last year.
In addition, he led the boys Varsity team to earn a 5th place team medal. The race included 24 teams of 190 athletes – the fastest and finest of AIA Division II. Athletes compete individually, and then scores of team members are combined to figure team placement. Team member Matt Taylor finished 27th, Gibran Aguilar 39th, John Newman 94th, Jonathan Dean 118th, and sophomore Eli Reynolds 187th.
“These boys have worked hard for this,” stated Coach Duane Anderson. The team ran all summer, logging an average of 60 miles per week to prepare for the season, but injuries have taken their toll. Jonathan Dean came off the injury list just in time for the Marana qualifier in October. John Newman is nursing a tendon injury that may eventually require surgery to correct. Another team member, Juan Acero, dropped out just a couple weeks ago.
For the girls, sophomore Jessica Beach ran the race of her life against a field of 156 that included no less than six National Elite athletes. Her 40th place finish is no mean feat against such a competitive field, placing her in the top third of Arizona’s finest. In addition, she broke her own personal record by four seconds with a time of 20:51.09.
Coach Ronnie Buchanan couldn’t be happier with his girls. “I’m so proud of them, all of them,” he said. Jessica’s performance has consistently improved with every race. Her previous Personal Best time, which she broke in the State meet, was set at the Marana Qualifier in October. At the Marana meet, five of the seven Varsity team members set Personal Records. They just missed qualifying for State, but worked out with Jessica to keep her in top condition.
While some of Maricopa High School’s fall sports programs struggled under this year’s revised AIA system, Cross Country loped through the season as consistently as they have for the last seven years. From an inauspicious beginning with a handful of kids, Duane Anderson has developed a solid program of more than 40 students and a dedicated coaching staff, who have coached athletes through state level competition for the last four years.
This season is over and flushed with success, but most of the athletes aren’t finished. Some will take a well-earned break. Soon, though, you’ll see them back out on the roads, training in anticipation of spring Track and Field. Cheer them on when you see them; they are champions, and Maricopa should be proud.
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Alice Shoaf / CopaNews.com
Senior Chris Lessard medaled individually and with the varsity team at the 2011 State Championships.
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