FLAGSTAFF — Always competitive at any level of high school cross-country the state has to offer, northern Arizona runners are lacing up their shoes for another run at greatness this fall.

DEFENDING CHAMPS

In Flagstaff, the defending Division III state cross-country champion Panthers from Coconino High School return five of the top six runners from last year’s event that saw all of them finish in the Top 30.

Leading the way is senior Wheaten Smith, who finished third overall as a junior with a 19:39.4 time at the state meet hosted by Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix.

Smith said her team is excited for the new challenge of moving up to Division II this fall.

“I, however, won’t act like we aren’t a little bit intimidated. I believe that our team has the potential to bring some serious competition to the D-II community, but we aren’t exactly sure what to expect,” Smith said via text Friday, Aug. 19.

She continued … “We, as a team, have been increasing our mileage and have been putting our hearts and souls into the workouts our amazing coaches encourage us to complete each practice.”

Coconino head coach Shannon Taylor said the girls are excited to defend their state title from a season ago.

“Since they were able to win the first girls cross-country state title in school history, it has given them the desire to reach the podium again,” Taylor said via email Aug. 19. “They have been committed to summer practices, team camp and being leaders every day at practice.”

MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF

About 120 miles north of Flagstaff just shy of the Arizona-Utah border, Jade Reid of Page High School works every day to improve on her ninth overall finish at state a season ago.

Reid, now a junior, finished with a 20:35.5 time in 2021 and has high expectations for herself.

“I was running over the summer, so I eased myself into this season,” Reid said in a phone interview Aug. 16. “This year, I want to run somewhere in the 18s. Maybe Top 5 or Top 3 at state this year, that’s my goal.”

Reid said to accomplish that, she must focus.

“It’s more the mindset, because your body can physically do it. It’s your mind, if you psych yourself out, you may not do as well,” Reid said. “If you don’t think about it, you go into it, that’s when I do my best.”

Page High School junior Jade Reid works on her stride during a cross-country event in 2021. Reid had a Top 10 finish at the Division III state championships as a sophomore a season ago and is a runner to watch in 2022. (Reid family/Courtesy)

LOOKING TO REPEAT

The Verde Valley has seen its fair share of great runners in the past. Next up could be a young man already drawing comparisons to former Mingus Union High School distance runner great Tim Freriks.

That young runner is Marauders senior Cesar Diaz, who aims to repeat as Division III state individual champion this fall.

Freriks, who once ran a 15:18 5K race, attended Northern Arizona University and helped the Lumberjacks become a nationally recognized cross-country program.

For now, Diaz is focused on his senior season and not what he may or may not do in college, despite having a few offers already to compete at the next level.

“I’m in the moment. It’s just, do my best, when I get on the field and running. Just do my best,” Diaz said.

Diaz, who won gold at the D-III state championships in Phoenix with a 16:20 time a season ago, said there’s a certain pressure that goes with repeating.

“It’s definitely a lot of pressure coming back and doing it again,” Diaz said about repeating as champion. “It definitely makes me want to do it even more than last year.”

CONFIDENCE TO WIN IT ALL

Finishing seventh overall as a sophomore with a 16:47.5 time at the D-III state championships last fall, Lee Williams senior Wyatt Pickering said earlier this week that he plans to not only win, but win by a big margin this season.

“Last year, I came off an injury. I have a lot of endurance and mileage on me. I want to go to state and dominate,” Pickering said in a phone interview Aug. 16.

Pickering’s boasting sense of confidence was certainly backed up by his performance in the 2021 Nike Southwest Regional event Nov. 16 at the Shalimar Country Club in Tempe where he finished ninth overall in the small school’s division with a 16:20.3 time in the 5K open.

“I don’t want to win just a little bit, I want to win by a big margin. I’m trying to run down those kids with high mileage,” Pickering said of his competition.

RUNNER WATCH

Other runners to watch out for in northern Arizona this season include Chinle High School sisters Temyra and Tumayah Bia, Ganado High School standout Cauy Curley, Hopi High School great Shereef Mckinney and BASIS Flagstaff runner Emily Mullaney.

For more on cross-country this season, watch AzPreps365.com.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.