PHOENIX - Horizon Honors seniors Brad Fullman and Mike Homan wanted to make a mark in their final race.
Together, they finished sixth and 32nd respectively, leading Horizon Honors to a seventh-place team finish in the Division IV boys cross country state meet.
“I really wanted to help the team get a higher place than we’ve ever gotten before,” Homan said.
Although the boys team did not finish their highest of all time by matching last season's finish of fifth, Fullman finished a personal best sixth at state. Fullman ran the 3.1-mile course in 16 minutes and 53 seconds Saturday morning at Cave Creek Golf Course, while his teammate Homan ran an 18:06.
“I was very happy that I was able to beat some people that I have never beaten before,” Fullman said. “The difference is, I was able to break mental barriers at this race.”
Horizon Honors also had two others finish in the top 50, with Galen Geislinger finishing in 45th by clocking a time of 18:33, and Matthew Richardson finishing in 49th with a time of 18:36.
“We did an awesome job. This is my dream team as far as coaching,” said Horizon Honors coach Lura Beets.
Beets was especially proud of her seniors, who she says will be tough to let go.
“They are captains so they’ve been really good leaders, so it’s hard to see them go,” Beets said. “The team as unit meshed really well together.”
Beets’ girls team did not qualify for state—they did however have three individuals qualify.
Monika Kawski, Mikaela Martin, and Shaila Homan were the planned participants but a nagging knee injury that has progressively gotten worse held Homan out of the meet. Martin, a freshman, made her mark in state finishing in the top 20 as she finished in 19th with a time of 21:42, a personal record.
The senior Kawski finished in 23rd with a time of 21:54.
“I knew it was my last race ever and my goal was to get under 22 minutes and I did,” Kawski said.
