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CCC’s Burns takes first in Mesa

by Community Contributor • October 7, 2022 • Comments Off

CCC Cross Country runner Hayley Burns beats the homefield favorite during the Mesa College XC Jamboree on Oct. 1.

FLAGSTAFF — Hayley Burns, runner for the Coconino Community College Cross Country Comets, nabbed first place during the Women 5K Run at the Mesa College XC Jamboree on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Respectable showings among the women’s and men’s teams positioned CCC with a third-place berth for the women’s team and a fifth-place finish for the men’s team, who bested Phoenix College, ranked 20th in the nation. Currently, CCC’s women’s team is ranked seventh in the nation among community colleges.

“The men’s and women’s teams have shown great growth over the season, and we plan on continuing that trend heading into the championship portion of our season,” said CCC Comets Head Coach Craig Hunt. “We have had some tremendous performances already this season, but I believe our best is still ahead of us.”

Burns beat out MCC’s top runner Kate Brockman by nearly 20 seconds on Brockman’s home track. Burns’s time of 17 minutes, 53.4 seconds is a school record time. She was also selected as a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association “National Athlete of the Week” for the Division II National Junior College Athletic Association, of which CCC is a member.

“It was really important to just go out and see if I could win,” Burns said. “The first two miles was to stay with the pack, and I was supposed to take the last mile really hard.”

At the finish line, she had been worried that Brockman was close, but she wasn’t.

“I was definitely really excited,” Burns said. “I had no idea until I saw the results.”

Burns said that the next focus for the Comets will be on Regionals on Oct. 29 in Coolidge, Ariz. After that will be the National Championships in Tallahassee, Fla. on Nov. 12.

As for the regular season, Burns said that she and the teams met their goals of filling out scoring rosters and improving throughout the season. The teams will be prepared to do their best to compete in Regionals and the National Championship. For herself, her goals are higher.

“Individually, I definitely want to go out and try to win,” she said.

Also for the women, CCC runners Navaeh Scott and Whitney James came in at 13th and 14th, with times of 20:05.7 and 20:10.4 respectively. Runner Shaelyn Honahni grabbed 31st with a time of 22:53.7. Runner Terrin Bia grabbed 42nd and took more than 3 minutes off her previous time with a 24:55.4, and Madison McCabe rounded out the field with 49th and a time of 28:54.0.

On the men’s side, runner Kevin Pawesiema Jr. logged 31st with a time of 28:28.1 for the 8K Run, while runners Damien Clark, Damon Attakai, Tristyn Hatch and Alisseo Honanhi took 38th, 46th, 47th and 57th, with times ranging from 29:19.7 to 32:37.1.

“Both the men’s and women’s teams produced our fastest team average times this season, demonstrating an increase in everyone’s fitness and racing experience,” Hunt said.

As for the women’s No. 7 ranking in the nation, Hunt said that it is a true indicator of the potential of CCC’s program now and into the future.

“On the men’s side, we have yet to receive a national ranking, but after beating No. 20 Phoenix College this weekend, we hope to make it onto the Top 25 list,” Hunt said.

The team’s next race will be the Regional Championships on Oct. 29, in Coolidge, Ariz., followed by the National Championships in Tallahassee, Fla., on Nov. 12.

To view the full results of the race, visit https://www.tfrrs.org/results/xc/20236/Mesa_College_XC_Jamboree#event135008

Women 5K Run team results