Chaparral's Abi Archer finishes her triumph in Elite Girls Race at the 45th Doug Conley Invite (AzPreps365.com)

 

The elite races at Saturday's 45th Doug Conley Cross Country Meet had a little of everything. A girls champion who has been there before and a would-be boys champ who won, but didn't.

Chaparral's Abi Archer, the 2016 Division II girls cross country champ, added a Conley championship to her career triumphs while Perry senior Anthony Haren felt the thrill of victory and agony of defeat in a matter of minutes.

Haren crossed the finish line in the final race of the day probably four or five seconds ahead of Page's Bowen Martin and Desert Mountain's Caden Hercules. The rub was no record of Haren's time. Haren, a senior who finished sixth in the elite race last year, forgot to attach his race bib that registers a runner's finish. Not wearing it, according to the rules, meant disqualification. As much as race officials wanted to crown him champ, an exception could not be made.

That bit of information led to second-place finisher -- Martin -being awarded the title. Martin earned it as he overtook Hercules with a late sprint and lean at the finish to outdistaince his Desert Mountain opponent by a second -- 15 minutes, 21 seconds to 15:22. Martin, a junior, finished 17th at state last year in D-III and 19th last year at Conley.

Archer's victory lacked the drama of the boys outcome. Archer's time over the 5K course was 17:46. The junior was second at Conley last year to D-I champ Morgan Foster of Chandler. Chandler High did not compete at this year's Conley.  Archer is also the defending mile and two-mile champ in track.

The elite girls team competition went to Xavier Prep, which packed its five scoring runners in the top 20. They were Jaime Stelmock (10th),Caroline Lundy (10th), Karina Hawkins (13), Karina Smith (18th) and Cami Merikle (20th).

Highland's boys used two top-10 finishers and three closely bunched in the 20s and 30s to edge Mesa Moutain View (100-102). Will and Leo Daschbach turned in fifth-and seventh-place finishes while Dallin Archibald (26th), Caden Resendez (31st) and Riley Cullinan (33rd).