Kiwanis park, where the Nike Southwest Regionals will be held tomorrow, is near completion.  Here is a photo tour through parts of the course.

 Athlete Cross Country Journal:

Queen Creek's Sherod Hardt talks about his regional and state meet in his 3rd journal entry. 

 Nike elite runner Alan Webb will be making an appearance at the Nike SW Regionals tomorrow evening and Saturday morning at Kiwanis Park.  

 Athlete Cross Country Journal:

Pinnacle senior Christen Collins talks about the Arizona State Meet and upcoming post season meets.

Brian Shrader (Sr., Sinagua) will become a duck next fall after verbally committing to the University of Oregon this weekend.

 State Champions Billy Orman (3A, pictured far left), Steve Magnuson (5A II, pictured center) and Brian Shrader (4A II, pictured far right).

 Hopi wins 20 consecutive Arizona State Cross Country titles last Saturday at the Cave Creek Golf Course.

 The Catalina Foothills 4A I State Champs had the fastest combined times of the day!

Photo by Derrik Woodbury

Laura Tremblay and Jessica Tonn battle through the final meters of the 2008 NXN-SW girls championship race. Colorado Track XC file photo.

Athlete Cross Country Journal:

In his 3rd and final journal Garrett Baker-Slama of Corona del Sol talks about his final races of his only high school cross country season. 

Eventual state champion Walter Schaferof Cherry Creek battles Roblet Muhudin in the Colorado 5A boys race. Photo by Mark Oveson.

The  Xavier College Prep team got together for a photo after winning the 5A I State Title with the fastest total and average times of the day.

 Athlete cross country journal:

Kailey Rumbo (pictured at the O'Connor/Ken Denson Invitational) with entry #4.

 In her final journal entry Kailey Rumbo talks about her final two races as a high school senior.  

 The top runners in the state will not face each other tomorrow.  Brian Sharder (Sr., Sinagua, far left) will run in the 4A II race.  Sherod Hardt (Sr., Queen Creek, center) will run in the 4A I race and Steve Magnuson (Sr., Ironwood Ridge, far right) will run in the 5A II race.

 Three time Foot Locker National Finalist Jessica Tonn (Sr., Xavier College Prep pictured in middle) is the favorite for the 5A I individual title.  

Rolonda Jumbo (So, Chinle pictured right) is the favorite in the 3A division)

Sarah Fakler (Fr., Xavier College Prep pictured left) is the fastest freshman in the state and should help the Xavier Team.

 Athlete cross country journal:

Xavier Prep senior, Jessica Tonn  approaching  the finish line at the Mt. Sac Invitational.

Photo by Ben Hovis

Photo by Jesspassingby

Sherod Hardt of Queen Creek, AZ, takes on the big hill at the Kiwanis Park course in last year's NXN-SW Championship race. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Athlete Cross Country Journal:

Ironwood Ridge Senior Steve Magnuson (pictured at the finish line at Doug Conleyl) talks about his recent race at Mt. Sac  in his 3rd journal entry.

Athlete cross country journal:

Brian Shrader (Sr., Sinagua): Approaching the finish line at the Queen Creek Twilight Meet.

Action at one mile from the 2008 NXN-SW girls race. Colorado Track XC file photo.

The title of fastest girl in Utah belongs, this year,  to Gilian Gorelik of Park City. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Ron Laban (Sr., Hopi) led the his team to a first place victory at the Mt. Sac Invitational.

The nation's premier individual national rankings releases the third edition of the Milesplit Sweet 16 National Rankings.

Scott Fauble (Wheat Ridge), David Perry (Niwot), Connor Winter (Arapahoe), and Dusty Solis (Coronado) each rank among Colorado's top male runners. Photo by Cliff Jurgens.

Jose Luis Munoz (Sr) and Aeoleone Bristow (Jr), both from Rio Rico, took the top spots at the O'Connor/Ken Denson Invitational Saturday.

 The Alhambra cross country team will forfeit the rest of their season over the firing of their long time coach Carlos Borja.

Arizona Republic Article by Jose E. Garcia

Boulder Creek Boys won the Team Title at the Adobe Invitational held last Saturday Oct. 3rd at the Victory Lane Sports Complex.

Mesa Mountain View boys (pictured above)  take home the team trophy at the Doug Conley Invitational, Saturday, October 10th.

From the NXN SW Ambassadors and Race Director, we have NXN SW Regional Rankings.

Photo by Don Rich

The Scourge of Utah - the American Fork boys. Contributed Photo.

The Doug Conley Invitational kicks off at 7:45 AM Saturday morning at the Rolling Hills Golf Course.

The second edition of the Milesplit Sweet 16 Individual National Rankings features new faces and familiar names

Trophy Hunters - The Xavier Prep girls have been filling the case this fall. Photo by Margot Kelly.

Jessica Tonn (Sr., Xavier Prep) and Brian Shrader (Sr., Sinagua) won at the Queen Creek Twilight Meet in record times.

Results

The Queen Creek Twilight Invitational kicks off Friday Evening at 4:30 PM.

What questions can you ask to learn about the coach you will be working under when you enter a collegiate program?

 Weekend coverage across the state!!

Sierra Lutheran's Wade Meddles, shown here at last year's NXN SW meet, had the NXN SW performance of the week, posting a 15:03 at the Stanford Invitational. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Allison Rydberg (Jr., Blue Ridge) and Jesus Rivera (Sr., Sedona Red Rock) take home the win at the Shane C. Morris Invitational (formally Blue Ridge Invitational) Saturday.

Kyle Pittman of Los Alamos ranks as one of the top male runners from the Land of Enchantment. Photo contributed by Kathy Hipwood.

Jessica Tonn (Sr, Xavier College Prep, pictured right) wins her 4th consecutive George Young title.  "I felt really good during the race and I am happy with my finish," said Tonn after her win.

Steve Magnuson (pictured right)  from Ironwood Ridge won the Senior Division at the Chandler Invitational at Tumbleweed park.  

Photos  

Brian Shrader and Aeoleone Bristow win at Ray Wherley Invite;  Alejandro Montano and Kristina Vanderhout take first at the Catalina Cross Country Classic.

The final count down with Brian Shrader (Sr., Sinagua) and Jessica Tonn (Sr., Xavier College Prep) leading the way.  Both runners have had a great start to the 2009 XC season.  Tonn won her first race at the Scottsdale Running Co. Invite and Shrader won both the Peaks Invite and the Wherley Invite breaking the course record at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff.

Coming on Sunday:  Athlete Journals;