The Maȟpíya Lúta cross country program hit the ground running on Friday, August 28th, at the Douglas Early Bird Cross Country Meet, with both the middle school girls and the high school boys junior varsity team turning in impressive performances to open the 2026 season.
High School Boys JV, Team Champions
The high school boys junior varsity squad wasted no time announcing themselves, claiming 1st place as a team in the Mixed 5000m Junior Varsity race. It was a complete team effort from top to bottom, with four runners finishing in the top 14.
Antoine Garnier led the way with a 2nd place finish and a time of 20:07.5, setting the tone for the rest of the squad. Hoksila Sharpfish followed closely in 3rd place with a time of 20:59.7, while Bryghton Franks came in right behind in 4th at 21:17.5. Riley Two Eagles rounded out the scoring with a 5th place finish and a time of 22:03.2. Blake Pourier also competed, crossing the line in 28:05.8 to round out the Maȟpíya Lúta JV effort.
Middle School Girls, 2nd Place
The middle school girls put together a strong team performance, finishing 2nd with a score of 33 in the Women’s 3000 Meters Middle School race. The group was led by 8th grader Gracie Banks, who finished 8th overall with a time of 14:18.1. Sixth grader Ske Luta Giago was right behind in 10th place with a time of 14:41.6, turning in one of the more impressive performances of the day given her grade level.
Kimimela Rama finished 13th with a time of 15:38.5, and Bernice Brewer crossed just seconds later in 14th at 15:39.1. Harper McGhee rounded out the top five scorers for Maȟpíya Lúta with a 15th place finish and a time of 15:56.1. Gianni Weston, Mia Waters, Wicahpi Giago, and Corrina Zuniga also competed, finishing 24th, 25th, 36th, and 37th respectively, adding valuable experience to a young and growing roster.
Middle School Boys
Seventh grader Gage Garrett represented the middle school boys in the Men’s 3000 Meters Middle School race, finishing 31st with a time of 15:30.2.
High School Varsity
On the varsity side, senior Tahca Zephier picked up right where she left off, finishing 3rd in the Women’s 5000 Meters Varsity race with a time of 21:23.5, a strong early season marker for a runner with state aspirations. Athena White Elk also competed, finishing 23rd with a time of 25:25.7. On the boys’ side, junior Rylan Cuny turned in an 18th place finish in the Men’s 5000 Meters Varsity race with a time of 18:48.3.
A Season Full of Promise
From the middle school trails to the varsity course, the Maȟpíya Lúta cross country program showed up ready to compete on opening day. With a junior varsity team title, a 2nd place middle school girls finish, and strong individual performances across every division, the Khiíŋyaŋkapi are building something worth watching as the 2026 season gets underway.