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The Republic's 2022 All-Arizona boys cross country team, coach of year

alex suarez, arizona republic
·4 min read
The AIA division 3 boys cross country championships begins at Creek Golf Course on Nov. 12, 2022 in Phoenix, AZ.
The AIA division 3 boys cross country championships begins at Creek Golf Course on Nov. 12, 2022 in Phoenix, AZ.

Here is The Arizona Republic's All-Arizona boys cross country team for fall 2022. The athlete of the year will be announced at end of the school year.

Martin Breinholt, Sr., Campo Verde

Martin Breinholt was top runner for Campo Verde at the Division 2 State Championship and was the boys runner up.
Martin Breinholt was top runner for Campo Verde at the Division 2 State Championship and was the boys runner up.

Breinholt won three of the seven races he was entered in this season and finished second in the Division II State Championship race in November, with a time of 15:41.8. He ran a personal best 15:33.6 when he finished first at the Gilbert City Championships in October. Breinholt helped lead Campo Verde to a fourth-place team finish at the State Championships.

Ryan Kee, Jr., Window Rock (photo unavailable)

Kee won seven of the 11 races he was entered in for the 2022 season and finished fourth in the Division III State Championship in November, improving from his 26th place finish the year before. Kee set a personal best with his fourth-place finish at the State Championship with his time of 16:08.8.

Francis Kibia, Sr., Chandler

Chandler's Francis Kibia finished the 2022 season with five top four finishes and a personal best 15:28.4 at the Ojo Rojo Invitational.
Chandler's Francis Kibia finished the 2022 season with five top four finishes and a personal best 15:28.4 at the Ojo Rojo Invitational.

Francis began his running career late as a junior at Chandler, despite that he was able to finish third at the State Championship in November at 16:10.5. He put in the work after finishing 29th at the state meet last season and was rewarded with a top three finish this season. He finished the 2022 season with five top four finishes and a personal best 15:28.4 at the Ojo Rojo Invitational.

Gibson Kibia, Sr., Chandler

Gibson Kibia of Chandler High won the Division I State Championship in November.
Gibson Kibia of Chandler High won the Division I State Championship in November.

Gibson was the Division I State Champion and first individual winner for Chandler High School. He won with a time of 15:50.2 and finished 18.6 seconds faster than the next finisher. Gibson finished in the top three in all but one race this season. He set a personal best 15:12.9 at the City of Chandler XC Championships in October.

Brandon Martz, Sr., Catalina Foothills

Martz returned for his senior year and finished first at the Division II State Championships with a time of 15:39.4, after placing seventh at the state meet last year. He won four of the five races he participated in for the 2022 season, a second-place finish in the Men's Sweepstakes at the Desert Twilight XC Festival, set a personal best with his time of 15:10.1.

Peyton Schneider, Sr., Mountain Ridge

After a 10th place finish at the State Championships back in 2021, Schneider returned and finished sixth improving his time by 22 seconds. He finished first at the DVUSD District meet in October. Schneider's personal best came at the Desert Twilight XC Festival when he ran a 15:48.9.

Micah Silvers, Sr., Ganado (photo unavailable)

Silvers was the Division III individual State Championship after taking the lead with the final 100 meters to go in the race. Silvers won six of 11 races in 2022 and ran a personal best 15:55.1 at the AIA State Cross Country Championships in November.

Glenn Thomas, Jr., Northwest Christian (photo unavailable)

Thomas won four races during the 2022 season, including winning the Division IV State Championship in November becoming the first individual champion for Northwest Christian. Thomas finished second at the Varsity Gold A race at the prestigious Woodbridge Invitational back in September.

Jorge Trujillo, Sr., Rio Rico

Trujillo was the top runner for Rio Rico at the State Championships, coming in third with his time of 16:02.8. Trujillo improved on his time from the 2021 championship race, when he ran the same course in 16:25.2 and finished second. he ran a personal best 15:21.6 when he finished first at the Eye of the Tiger in October.

Michael Urbanski, Sr., Salpointe Catholic

Michael Urbanski of Tucson Salpointe Catholic finished second at the Division 3 State Championship
Michael Urbanski of Tucson Salpointe Catholic finished second at the Division 3 State Championship

Urbanski had six top-two finishes in the 2022 season and finished second at the Division II State Championship in November. At the Southwest Regionals, Urbanski ran a personal best of 15:38.5 finishing 28th. He set a personal best of 15:51.8 after finishing first at the John Gleeson Lancer Invitational.

Timothy Willford, Jr., Highland

Highland's Tim Willford finished second at the Division 1 State Championships in November
Highland's Tim Willford finished second at the Division 1 State Championships in November

Willford had four top-two finishes this season and has been the No. 1 runner for Highland this season as a junior, helping lead Highland to the state title. Willford won at the Casteel Invitational on Oct. 14 and ran a personal best 15:45.7.

Lucas Witcher, Jr., Highland

Lucas Witcher of Highland, finished fourth at the Division I State Championship with a time of 16:11.9.
Lucas Witcher of Highland, finished fourth at the Division I State Championship with a time of 16:11.9.

Witcher finished fourth at the Division I State Championship with a time of 16:11.9. He finished with the 10th fastest time in the boys merge and helped lead Highland to the state title. His best finish came at the Gilbert City Championships when he finished first.

Honorable Mentions

Andrew Gibby, Hamilton; Matthew Hamilton, Red Mountain; Myles Floyd, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy; Jamison Ping, Valley Chrisitan; JD Ouellette, Chandler Prep; Aron Kiflu, Camelback; Max Irey, Catalina Foothills; Dash McQuivey, Flagstaff; Steven Halls, Blue Ridge.

Coach of the Year: Jenny Brecht, Valley Christian

Brecht, who has coached cross-country for five years at Valley Christian in Chandler, led the boy's cross country team to a first-place finish at the State Sectionals as well as the D-IV State Championship.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Republic's 2022 All-Arizona boys cross country team, coach of year