The high school boys and girls cross country season begins Aug. 30 at schools across the state.

West Valley Preps and the Surprise Independent asked local high school coaches about their teams. Here are their responses.

Dysart Demons

Boys coach: Ivory Carson (19th year at Dysart, 11 as boys head coach)
Girls coach: Connor Gibson
Section: Division II Northwest
Who are your top returning runners? Boys: The top returning runners are senior Arturo Mendivil, No. 1 runner last season and sophomore Diego Castillo, the No. 2 runner from last year and the freshman record holder in the 5k.
Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Boys: Newcomers who could make a serious impact on our season are senior Preston Fisher who was part of the 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams during track season. He decided to not play football and run cross country and improve his 800 meter times. Sophomores Micah Gutierrez and Ricardo Cano are looking very good in training and should be part of our top seven runners.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Boys: The bulk of our team are sophomores and juniors with only two seniors. Our team is young and very talented.
What are the primary team and individual goals for this year’s team? Boys: Primary goals for the team is to qualify to compete in the Division II state championship meet with individuals running under 17 minutes in the 5k races.

Paradise Honors Panthers

Boys and girls coach: Ron Steinhilber (fifth year at Paradise Honors, 11th as coach)
Section: Division III Metro (Boys finished 18th in Division III, girls finished 20th)
Who are your top returning runners? On the boys’ side, we have a three-headed monster of excellent runners with Junior Elijah Hartsock and sophomores Robert Leonardis and Jeremi Richard. I’m looking for junior Jayden Tillman and senior Miles Ford to step up and compete for a top five position on the team. Sophomore Joshua Ostrander and senior Caiden Fair could be nice surprises for us as well.
For the girls, senior Kayla “Squishy” Bedoya and sophomore Kyla Motts both finished in the Top 16 in sectionals in 2024. I’m expecting that both will be in the top 10 this year. Junior Taylor Blaich fought through a lot of injuries last year but has gotten stronger and I think she is ready to take the next step. Sophomore Lilian Bedoya focuses more on sprinting and soccer than cross country, but she is such a good athlete that she makes the team better with her on it. Junior Larkin Spelgatti has been working hard this summer and will be one of our varsity runners. Last year’s surprise, Sophomore Madelyn Krull, should also push for a varsity spot.
Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? While the number of newcomers we have this year is down, the ones we have should be spectacular. Freshman Sawyer Bedoya was the CAA Division IV state champion in 2024. His times were good enough in eighth grade to run on the high school varsity team. I’m hoping he will be no worse than our number four runner this season. Eduardo Baltazar is another freshman who could make an impact. He finished fourth in the Division II state meet in 2023 but did not compete last year. He could be a diamond in the rough for us.
On the girl’s side, we have a senior who proved during the track season that she is the best distance runner to ever wear a Panther uniform. Ilianna Prudeaux came out of nowhere to break the school records in the 800, 1600, and 3200. She has a combination of natural talent, work ethic, and a desire to succeed that I have rarely seen in my decade plus of coaching. She’ll compete for a sectional championship and a top 10 finish in the state Championships. I’m sure of it.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? The team’s best attribute this season is our youth. The majority of varsity runners are underclassmen. They all have big meet experience, which will help them as the season moves on. We also have a team that gets along well with each other. We minimize the drama and keep the focus on getting better. Hopefully, at the end of the season it all comes together for us.
What are the primary team and individual goals for this year’s team? For the team, we want to compete for sectionals championships. I don’t know if we’ll win, but I want everyone to know that we will be right there fighting for first place. I would also like to do well at state this year. Every year it seems like something happens. Someone is sick, must drop out or is intimidated by the hilly course. We are working hard to overcome those things. If we can overcome those issues, we will have a lot of team and individual success this year. The talent is there. It’s my job to put them in the right position to succeed at the right time.

Shadow Ridge Stallions

Boys coach: Arrick Nietert (ninth year at Shadow Ridge)
Girls coach: Iz Davis (first year as Shadow Ridge head coach)
Section: Division I Southwest (Girls finished 12th in Division I)
Who are your top returning runners? Girls: Lauren Sherman (senior), Patrisha Bethancourt (junior), Genevieve Nevarez (junior) and Karah Gallagher (junior). Boys: Ethan Hernandez, Kaleo DeLeon and Aydden Carillo.
Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Girls: Jocelyn Jordan and Lauren Schroeder, both freshmen. Boys: Jaxson Gulledge and Victor Magallanes.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Girls: This year, we have drive and depth. We are excited for the group of runners that are returning and the ones that are new. Our team chemistry is high and we are excited to see the teamwork play out this season. Boys: We are a young team this year. There is a lot of excitement. Our coaching staff of Chris York, Justin Royer, Iz Davis, and Haley Ruebsamen is energized and ready to prepare them in the classroom and on the course. It is going to be something special.
What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Girls: We are excited to grow in numbers, in depth, and to be a top west valley team heading into the championship season this year. Boys: Our primary goals are to put in the time and the miles and build these boys into machines on the road and trails while becoming a solidified team. From there we intend to win districts, place in the top six in sectionals and then finish within the top 18 in state. Each athlete has their own goals this year and we will set those during the first weeks of the season. However, I know that Ethan Hernandez has his sights set on placing at state so we will put forth the plan to get him there. 

Willow Canyon Wildcats

Boys coach: Steven Clemens (third year)
Girls coach: Heather Casey
Section: Division II Northwest
Who are your top returning runners? Boys: Our top returners this season are sophomores Brody Ball and Kyler Varming, both of whom bring experience and leadership to the team. Junior Adan Coss will also play a key role this year as we work to rebuild after graduating several seniors.
Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Boys: Sophomore Ethan Evans has been putting in the work as well as junior Joseph Holthus and both are showing great potential to contribute this season. Matias Pedraza-Ramirez and Elijah Masowdi have already gained some varsity experience and are strong contenders for one of the top seven spots. Tyler Randall is returning to the lineup and has the drive and ability to make a meaningful impact as well.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Boys: Our team’s best attribute is its depth of young, motivated runners who are hungry to prove themselves. Even after losing key seniors, the returning athletes and up-and-coming runners have embraced the challenge and are putting in the work.
What are the primary team and individual goals for this year’s team? Boys: Our primary team goal is to qualify for the state meet and continue building a competitive, cohesive program. Individually, we want each runner to set personal bests and develop mentally as well as physically. We’re focused on steady improvement, resilience, and racing with confidence.