Warriors Cross Country Opens 2026 Season at Rick Baker Invitational
The Music Mountain Jr./Sr. High School Boys Cross Country Team is off and running for the 2026 season!
The Warriors opened their season on Wednesday, August 26, at the Rick Baker Invitational at Hopi High School in Keams Canyon, Arizona, marking the first competition of what promises to be an exciting fall for MMHS Cross Country.
Representing Music Mountain in the season opener were Derrick Jones, William Suathojame, Riley Shongo, and Gilmore Powsey. The four Warriors took on their first competitive course of the year after weeks of training and preparation and proudly represented MMHS from the starting line through the finish.
Cross country is a sport built on determination, endurance, and perseverance. Race day may be when we see the results, but the real work happens during the many miles of practice leading up to each competition. Our student-athletes have been putting in that work, building endurance, developing confidence, and preparing themselves for the season ahead.
The 2026 MMHS Boys Cross Country Team includes Derrick Jones, William Suathojame, Riley Shongo, Gilmore Powsey, Gabriel Marshall, and Rondo Wescogame. We are excited to have a full Warriors squad this season and look forward to watching these six student-athletes grow individually and together as a team.
Leading the Warriors this season are Head Coach Martina Dawley and Assistant Coach Krishna Gullapalli. Our coaches are working alongside the team as the athletes build endurance, develop their skills, set goals, and prepare for a full season of competition.
And Wednesday’s season opener is only the beginning!
The Warriors have a busy competition schedule ahead of them, with meets scheduled throughout northern and western Arizona. They will be back in action quickly, traveling to Flagstaff for the Peaks Invitational on Saturday, August 29.
Additional competitions are scheduled throughout September and October in communities including Chinle, Kingman, Flagstaff, Lake Havasu, and Tuba City. The season schedule also includes the Colorado River Regional Meet in Kingman on October 21, followed by the AIA Sectional Meet in Page on November 5 and the AIA State Cross Country Meet in Phoenix on November 15.
Every race provides another opportunity for our Warriors to improve their times, strengthen their endurance, support one another, and proudly represent Music Mountain Jr./Sr. High School and our community.
Participation in athletics is about much more than the final time on the clock. The commitment required to compete teaches discipline, perseverance, teamwork, confidence, and the value of setting goals and working toward them. We are proud of our student-athletes for taking on that challenge and of our coaches for supporting and encouraging them throughout the season.
Congratulations to Derrick, William, Riley, and Gilmore on completing their first meet of the 2026 season, and best wishes to the entire MMHS Boys Cross Country Team as they continue their journey!
Way to go, Warriors! We are very proud of you! 💙🎽🏃🏾♂️🔥🙌🏽
GO WARRIORS!
