Monument Valley second year boy's cross-country head coach Herbert Beyale III returns six of its top seven harriers from last year's 3A North Regional cross-country champions and 11th place finish at the Division III state championships.

Beyale said individually the Mustangs ran their personal best times throughout last season.

"Out of the top eight boys (seven varsity, one alternate) who made the state team last year, six boys have returned (for this year), Beyale said.

The six who return this year are sophomore Cayden Smith, senior Autry Laughter, junior Colwyn Nelson, senior Isaiah Whitehorse, senior William Wayne and junior Troy Joe.

Returning Mustang runners include senior Kyle Isaac, sophomore Tyven Dugi, senior Travis Walters, junior Cody Cly, senior Dmitri Young and sophomore Sonny Oliver.

New to the cross-country program are freshmen Anderson Gray, Mario Tenequer, Dallyan Sells, Sharidan Sells, Salelea Shepperd, Keiyan Mann, Dominick Todacheene, Eaman Begay and Leyonder James. First year sophomore runners include Dewayne Bailey, Cash Blackrock and Leithan Stanley. Juniors competing for the first time are Cody Young, Trenton Henry, Bryan Gower and Baptise Guedion. First year seniors include Ian Salt and Keyaun Clark.

"Team building," Beyale said. "Learning how to be more of a team, both at practice and at the meets. We want our runners to trust one another, so they can feed off each other' energy during the workouts and most importantly, during the races."

Beyale said the team's summer workouts and camp was outstanding.

"For our first year, it (summer workouts and camp) went great," Beyale said. "It was the team's first summer having meet-ups and a camp. The turnout was awesome. We met up in Kayenta throughout the summer and had our camp at the Native American Baha'i Institute near Pine Springs, Arizona. We averaged about 10 runners for the meet-ups and had 16 runners at our camp."

Beyale said he has set team goals, as they prepare for its season opener.

"My goal is to ensure the boys all remain healthy and they improve week-after-week," Beyale said. "If they practice healthy habits, remain patient and trust one another, then the team can accomplish whatever they set their mind to. I am excited to see what goals they have for themselves as individuals and as a collective group."

Monument Valley opens its regular cross-country season on August 31, hosting the Pizza Edge Invitational at the old Primary School on campus in Kayenta at 9:30 a.m.

Beyale said the team is focusing on conditioning. He said the team is getting in shape and building a foundation for the entire season.

After capturing the 3A North Regional championship, Monument Valley finished seventh place at the Division III Sectional Meet, qualifying the Mustangs for the state meet.

"This was an accomplishment that none of our boys had never experienced," Beyale said. "So it was great deal. We went out to state and finished 11th place, just 20 points out of top 10."

3A North Region schools have dominated at the state meet. The 3A North Region schools have captured eight of the last nine Division III state championships. Page Sand Devils has won five straight state championships, dating back to 2014. Tuba City Warriors won the 2013 state title. Chinle Wildcats took home the 2010 and 2011 state championships. Rio Rico won the 2012 state crown.

"All teams in the 3A North will always be a tough competition," Beyale said. "Dine' runners undoubtedly have gifted talent when it comes to long distance running. Put any Dine' runner in a healthy running environment and they will show you how tough they are. So they toughest competition will be the barriers we put in front of ourselves. If we can beat ourselves, we can compete with anyone in the state."

Beyale was an accomplished distance runner in high school, graduating from Shiprock, New Mexico in 2012.

Beyale was two-time New Mexico District 1-AAA Cross-Country champion in 2010-11. He nailed down the Class AAA individual cross-country state championship in 2011.

During the 2011-12 track season, Beyale garnered the 1600-meters and 3200-meters District 1-AAA titles. He topped an outstanding field of distance runnersd, enroute to earning the Class AAA individual 3200-meter state championship in 2012.