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DyeStat New Mexico
11/4/00 at Red Rocks SP, Gallup NM - rainy, 40 deg, 6500 ft
Cross Country State Meet
Detailed Results:
5A
Boys: Cameron Clarke 16:43.4 and Sandia 32 (Gallup 56)
Girls: Felicia Guliford 19:49.7 and Gallup 29
4A
Boys: Albuquerque Academy 33; Vernon Harrison Kirtland Central 16:40.7
Girls: Los Alamos 44; Timmie Murphey Farmington 20:17
3A
Boys: Stephen Martinez 17:13 and Pojoaque 43
Girls: Jackie Gallegos 19:33 and Pojoaque 35
2A
Boys: Zuni 51; Reed Bienvenu Santa Fe Prep 16:55.7
Girls: Janice Tosa 20:39.3 and Jemez Valley 98
Highlights
by Adam Kedge
All-American junior Felicia Guliford defended her state crown in New Mexico, but she is not in the shape she was at this time a year ago. Guliford's conditioning must improve if she intends to return as a top 5 finisher at the Foot Locker Nationals in December. A season long hip injury has hampered her training and limited her to competing in October and November only. Felicia won the 5A division but was bettered by two individuals from a smaller school division. 3A champion Jackie Gallegos of Pojoaque and 3A runner up Erin Lewis of Grants posted the fastest times of the day. The course weaves it was through scenic Red Rocks State Park outside of Gallup, New Mexico.
Long on scenery but short on oxygen, the course sits at 6500 feet in elevation and serves as the home course for the Gallup Bengals. The Guliford-led Gallup team had little difficulty with the elevation or the weather which was a windy and chilly day of 40 degrees and intermittent rain. Guliford led the whole way but got help from her teammates of Roxann James and Paula-Etta Houston who finished 2nd and 3rd, allowing Curtis William's girls an easy victory over runner up Eldorado.
In the smaller classes 4A Los Alamos wins their 6th championship in the past 9 years and Pojoaque post their first ever team title on the girls side to match the winning performance earlier in the day on by their boys.
The boys races were highlighted by a great team competition and a close individual title that ended in a course record. 5A Gallup came in with a national ranking and history on their side, winning 14 titles in the past 19 years. Upstart Sandia brought in a young and hungry team. The two teams battled to a neck and neck draw through a mile and a half with each man within 20 yards of their counterpart. After the halfway point the home course advantage and longstanding tradition of winning was not enough to hold back the late charging Sandia team. Lead by overall winner Cameron Clarke, Eric Dean in second, and Cameron's younger brother Michael Clarke in third Sandia pulled away to make their first state title no contest.
The fastest times of the day came from the 4A division where Vernon Harrison of Kirtland Central out kicked Brad Skidmore of Los Alamos to set a course record. The two runners ran together for all but the last 25 meters of the 3 mile course. Both individual performances could not off set the Albuquerque Academy team that placed five in the top ten to win their third consecutive title. Academy's win marks a streak of victories in 21 of their last 22 meets dating back to October of 1998. Academy's only loss came at the hands of Gallup when Gallup held a #8 national ranking.
