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Ray High Bearcats
The Ray cross-country team, led by Phillip Romero and Dallin Coleman, will finish its regular season this Friday at Globe before preparing for next week’s Sectional Championship in Gilbert.
A team of typically six runners, sometimes eight – four freshman, two sophomores and two seniors – depending on the football team’s schedule, has a chance to follow a great regular season by making history.
“I am excited this year as it is our third season since beginning the program,” Ray head coach Brian Colerman wrote in an email to Copper Basin News. “I am optimistic if everyone runs their race we stand a chance to qualify (for state) as a team for the first time in Bearcats’ history.”
It won’t be easy, but nothing worth achieving ever is.
The Cats’ competition includes several other small schools around the state, including “an extremely tough section,” according to Coleman.
Romero, a sophomore, is in his second year of competition and has a chance to qualify for state as an individual. Dallin Coleman, a freshman, has an equal chance to qualify individually.
The Cats find strength in numbers, as senior teammates Chandler Coleman and Dyllin Lopez as well as sophomore Luke Warren and freshmen Matt Rutter, Saul Torres and Eric Kelley have each also enjoyed turns at leading the team.
“(It) keeps me guessing as to who will beat who each week,” the Cats’ head coach said. “The plus to this is a great pack time for these boys. That is always a strong point when it comes to placing as a team.”
The sectional meet is scheduled for Oct. 27 at Crossroads Park in Gilbert.
“I am really excited to work with this group and look forward to these young athletes having great careers throughout their high school years,” Coleman said.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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