Ganado's girl's and boy's teams turned in an impressive performance, enroute to dominating the Window Rock Fighting Scouts Cross Country Invitational.

The Lady Hornets placed its five scoring runners in the top 11 positions, chalking up 22 points. Ganado captured its second straight meet, garnering championship honors at the Hopi Cross Country Invite earlier in the week.

Ganado freshman Marissa Shorty was the girl's individual champion. Shorty toured the 5K course in 20:54. Shorty has won a pair of championship in the early season. Shorty garnered first place at the Hopi Cross Country Invite earlier in the week.

Shorty said the course was challenging.

"The weather was hot," Shorty said. "My teammates (Jayla McIntosh and Whitney James) pushed me. The race was challenging. I pulled away from my teammates and another girl (Nizhoni James of Valley Sanders) with about one and one-half mile in the race. I picked up my pace. When I reached the finish line, I was tired."

Ganado senior Jayla McIntosh crossed the finish line in second place, negotiating the course in 21:04.

McIntosh said although she is nursing soreness in her hip, she felt she ran a good race.

"The temperature was hot and it was sunny," McIntosh said. "My hip is a little sore in the first two races of the year, at Hopi and here today in the Window Rock meet. My teammates ran well today. My teammates and I are working hard in practice. Coach (Leandra) Thomas is working with us at practice. I enjoy her coaching. My teammates and coach Thomas encourages all the runners. We're going to get better as the season continues. It's early in the season."

Lady Hornets' Whitney James completed the race in 21:38 for third place. LaSundrai Baldwin settled for fifth place, posting a 22:24. Ganado's fifth scoring runner was 11th place finisher Kayla Beck, who was clocked in 24:10.

Alchesay was a distant second, netting 54 points. Host Window Rock finished with 66 points. Valley Sanders scored 93 points to complete the four-team varsity field.

Valley Sanders Nizhoni James claimed fourth place, turning in a 22:07. Alachesay's Tristan Reidhead copped sixth place, posting a 22:45, and Lady Falcons Naomi Rustin finished ninth place with a 23:37 showing. Alchesay's Denisha Massey rounded out the top 10, clocking a 23:47.

Window Rock's Keyah Jaques settled for seventh place with a 23:27. Lady Scouts teammate Quannah Benallie completed the race in 23:43.

Ganado's boy's team nearly scored a perfect score. The Hornets tallied 17 points, as its runners finished first, second, third, fifth and sixth.

Ganado freshman Micah Slivers was the individual champion. Earlier in the seek, Slivers finished fourth place at the Hopi Cross Country Invite. Slivers negotiated the 5K terrain in 17:13.

Slivers said he felt comfortable throughout the race, despite the hot weather.

"I ran a good race," Slivers said. "The course had some little slopes. I ran a good pace. I led the entire race. A good course .... what I had to battle was the hot weather. My teammates turned in a good performance. We almost had a perfect score. A runner from Alchesay finished fourth place. We finished first, second, third, fifth and sixth. Our coach (Leandra) Thomas is a good coach. Coach Thomas has been working us in practice. As the season progresses, we're going to get better."

Hornets Chance Yazzie claimed second place, posting a 17:48. Ganado completed a sweep of the invite's top three individual finishers, as Marquez Smth was clocked in 18:01. Hornets ReShaun Curley turned in an 18:22 for fifth place. Completing Ganado's scoring was Alfred Reid III, with an 18:24 for sixth place.

Alchesay finished second place in the boy's team scoring with 51 points. Window Rock claimed third place, tallying 73 points. Valley Sanders scored 131 points for fourth place. Dolores, Colorado netted 141 points for fifth place. Rock Point Community School rounded out the team scoring in sixth place with 150 points.

Alchesay's Cedrick Tessay finished fourth place in the boy's race, posting an 18:03, and his teammate Triston Billy was clocked in 18:53 for seventh place.

Ganado's Cauy Curley settled for eighth place with an 18:56.

Window Rock's Caleb Holiday completed the race in 19:11 for ninth place. Rounding out the top 10 was Window Rock's Leander Charley with a 19:20 time.