Related articles:

Mtn. View girls finish second in 5A-II play Solid first round has Mtn. View on verge of 5A-II state crown

Other articles by Alex Sanderson:

Tanque Verde claims title in third year of program King reigns as Tanque Verde reaches first state title game Foothills freshman Sufi unbeaten going into state tourney Younger Fowler leads CDO in rout I-Ridge outlasts Rincon in 5A-II championship Freshman-heavy Nighthawks play like veterans in upset Past, future of Salpointe's McGeorge rooted in tennis Cabs start slow, pour it on big Warriors score in every inning in victory Romero's three-run homer carries Devils to Badger Invitational title

Finance and Accounting
Charles E. Gillman Company
Accounting Specialist Health Care
CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE
DIRECTOR OF HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT Mechanical
Komatsu Equipment Co
Resident Field Mechanic Trades/Construction
RANCHO RESORT
MAINTANANCE POSITION Sales and Marketing
Everready Glass
Sales Reps Administrative & Professional
Jorgensen Brooks Group
Counselor Health Care
Dependable Health Services
Physical Therapists

CASA GRANDE — Salpointe Catholic High School and Ironwood Ridge each had a first- and second-place finish Saturday by their girls and boys cross country teams.

Although all schools that attended make state, a strong performance at regionals gives teams momentum, coaches said.

Sierra Vista Buena and Sunnyside took the other two first-place trophies at the 5A cross country regionals at Villago Park. Each winning team had a first-place runner.

The Ironwood Ridge girls (21) are the defending state champions. They had a strong 2008 regional performance, finishing 37 points ahead of Mountain View (58).

"We are looking really good heading into state," Ironwood girls coach Rob Clouse said. "As long as everyone does their job, we should meet our goal of repeating our championship."

Four of their runners finished in the top 5 of 24 runners in the Division II race. First- and second-place finishers Sarah Miville (19 minutes 37 seconds) and Kat Howard (19:42) finished well ahead of the pack.

In the girls Division I race, Sierra Vista Buena (33) finished just ahead of Salpointe (43). Buena was led by the first-place finish of Jodine Steemers (19:28), 17 seconds ahead of the next finisher, Kylee Kieser of Casa Grande (19:45).

Steemers had been working hard all year to try to improve on a second-place finish at regionals last year, but she did not do it alone.

"The encouragement of my teammates was really a major part of my victory today," Steemers said.

Sunnyside (33) beat the Ironwood Ridge boys (43) in the Division I race. Ironwood had more top-10 finishers in the field of 27, but Sunnyside pulled it out behind the efforts of Rene Suarez (16:55) and Angel Camargo (17:08), who finished first and second, respectively.

Suarez said he really loved the course and was relieved to come out on top so that he would not let his team down.

Junior David Sheppard led Salpointe (31) to a first-place finish in the Division II race with the best overall time of the tournament (16:35). He said his hard work paid off after being injured in midseason.

"I was really just looking for the win today," Sheppard said. "I haven't won regionals before, so this performance means a lot to me."

Host Casa Grande (49) came in second. The Cougars were led by fifth-place finisher Zack Walton (17:23).