There was no lack of drama at this year's Doug Conley Invitational cross country event over the weekend.
Tucson Ironwood Ridge HS edged out defending champion Xavier Prep HS, 107-109, on the girls' side, while the Shadow Mountain HS boys team also held off last years' defending champion, Rio Rico HS, for a 129-133 win.
The annual event, held at Tempe's Kiwanis Park, invites the top 20 cross country teams from around the state, regardless of class or division. Selections are based on a coaches' poll. There were 174 runners in the field this year, the 36th annual Conley, competing on the newly-designed 3.1-mile Kiwanis Park course.
Shadow Mountain had four runners finish in the top 26, including senior Cody Smith, who finished in fifth place. Four of the Ironwood Ridge runners posted top-15 finishes, as Sarah Miville came in sixth with a 19:17.30 time and Kat Howard finished in 19:26:29 for an eighth-place finish.
Boys Varsity Team: 1st) Shadow Mountain (Cody Smith, Brooks Swigart, Micah Sanchez, Juan Estrada, Andrew Rudd, Josh O'Connor, Kenny Lefevre) 2nd) Rio Rico (Jose Luis Munz, Omar Hernandez, Alejandro Valencia, Matt Diaz, Luis Sanchez, Mario Munoz) 3rd) Mesa Mountain View (D.J. Johnson, Tyler Bingham, Clint Brady, Sky Lofgren, Tyler Fletcher, Colton Jacobson, Spencer Frame) 4th) Catalina Magnet (Mario Portillo, Alejandro Montano, Wais Khairandesh, Stephen Pierson, Arturo Pimienta, Gabe Varela) 5th) Cesar Chavez (Humberto Gonzales, Jamie Gonzales, Edger Duarte, Abdikani Ismail, Joshua Corona, Renato Romo, Juan Betancourt)
Boys Varsity Individual: Jorge Martinez (Alhambra) 15:38.90, Humberto Gonzales (Cesar Chavez) 15:41.14, Ryan Yazzie (Tuba City) 15:44.28, Billy Orman (Tuba City) 15:44.04, Cody Smith (Shadow Mtn) 15:49.04, Sharod Hardt (Queen Creek) 15:54.78, Jose Luis Munoz (Rio Rico) 15:55.73, Omar Hernandez (Rio Rico) 16:00.23, Andrew Kellogg (Desert Vista) 16:04.08, Kyle Glass (Higley) 16:05.53.
Girls Varsity Team: 1st) Ironwood Ridge (Sarah Miville, Kat Howard, Allison Crawford, Lauren Cooper, Sam Strange, Ashley Wright, Tam Nguyen) 2nd) Xavier Prep (Jessica Tonn, Sarah Penney, Megan Cawnon, Katie Penney, Christian Andrew, Catherine Fakler) 3rd) Sandra Day O'Connor (Kailey Rumbo, Gloria Tello, Renee Peck, McKenzie Brist, Jade Riley, Shannon Walsh, Hailey Ruebsamen) 4th) Mesa Mtn View (Jennifer Larson, Melissa Peters, Jayleen Robinson, Julia Rhieu, Brittany Hoffman, Sarah Shill, Brette Lemieux 5th) Corona del Sol (Danica Gayle, Sydney Buce, Christina Freeman, Dani Lemieux, Ellen Dunn, Tori Pupp, Frankie Desceaser)
Girls Varsity Individual: Jessica Tonn (Xavier) 18:36.89, Kylee Kieser (Casa Grande) 18:45.91, Jessica Rydberg (Blue Ridge) 19:07.56, Ann Bawden (Highland) 19:08.73, Rolanda Jumbo (Chinle) 19:13.70, Sarah Miville (Ironwood Ridge) 19:17.30, Aeoleone Bristow (Rio Rico) 19:22.68, Kat Howard (Ironwood Ridge) 19:26.29, Stephanie Ledgerwood (Kofa) 19:27.49, Sarah Penney (Xavier) 19:33.43