By Don Ketchum

A year ago, Bernie Montoya was playing football for Yuma Cibola High. But deep inside, he thought about trying something different.

So this year, he tried cross country and was glad he did.

In Saturday’s Division I state meet at Cave Creek Golf Course in north Phoenix, Montoya put on a big finishing kick to defeat Phoenix Brophy Prep star Will Firth and 2009 Class 5A Division I champ Jorge Martinez of Phoenix Alhambra.

Of his change to running, Montoya said, “I thought I would be good at the sport. I wasn’t in the best condition to start off, but got in shape pretty good and it paid off.’’

He kept pace with Firth and Montoya the entire race, even though he thought about backing off for a brief period.

“But I knew if I did that, I could not win so I had to stay with those guys,’’ he said. “You’ve just got to go with them and not let up.’’

Montoya finished 16 seconds ahead of Firth and 25 seconds ahead of Martinez.

Alhambra still managed to win a third straight team title by 10 points over Mesa Mountain View. Montoya’s Cibola team finished fifth and Firth’s Brophy team finished sixth.

In Division II, Peoria Sunrise Mountain’s Brandon Kocmoud towered over his competition, literally and figuratively. He stands about 6-foot-5 and scored a nine-second win over Rex Woodbury of Tucson Catalina Foothills. Woodbury’s team was first, Sunrise Mountain second.

Tuba City star Billy Orman, the Class 3A winner in 2009, won another crown, this in Division III, shattering the course record with a 15:03.32. The previous mark was 15:15 by Brian Schrader of Flagstaff Sinagua.

Orman, known for his big shock of hair reminiscent of the 1960s-1970s, has a strong following from is home area of northeast Arizona. Some fans wore “Go, Billy!’’ T-shirts. Another follower asked him to sign a photo that was recently in a newspaper and he did so, adding a peace sign for good measure.

He said “it is very cool to win again and have a chance to be like Brian Schrader.’’

It was a tough race on Saturday, he said.

“We (runners) kept testing each other,’’ he said.

In Division IV, Keams Canyon Hopi kept a long title streak alive.

Boys’ state championship meet

Saturday, Nov. 6

at Cave Creek Golf Course, Phoenix

Division I team standings

Phoenix Alhambra 102, Mesa Mountain View 112, Phoenix Desert Vista 117, Tempe Corona del Sol 148, Yuma Cibola 152, Phoenix Brophy Prep 154, Tucson Rincon 216, Mesa Skyline 223, Scottsdale Desert Mountain 253, Gilbert Highland 255, Laveen Cesar Chavez 281, Glendale Mountain Ridge 310, Scottsdale Chaparral 346, Anthem Boulder Creek 364, Chandler Basha 419, Phoenix Mountain Pointe 431, Casa Grande 431, Mesa Red Mountain 432, Phoenix Central 457, Mesa Dobson 482, Sierra Vista Buena 483, Phoenix Trevor Browne 567, Gilbert Mesquite 582, Surprise Willow Canyon 592.

Division I top 10 individuals

Bernie Montoya, Yuma Cibola, 15:38.20; Will Firth, Phoenix Brophy Prep 15:54.59; Jorge Martinez, Phoenix Alhambra, 16:03.97; Jared Hirschl, Tempe Corona del Sol, 16:10.30; Ignacio Villalba, Alhambra, 16:12.19; Orbelin Araujo, Phoenix Central, 16:13.51; Ryan Maack, Phoenix Desert Vista, 16:14.32; Fermin Villagran, Mesa Skyline, 16:50.15; Terrance Salazar, Tucson Sunnyside, 16:18.43; Ryan Dykstra, Desert Vista, 16:20.84.

Division II team standings

Tucson Catalina Foothills 63, Peoria Sunrise Mountain 118, Tucson Ironwood Ridge 152, Phoenix Camelback 174, Gilbert Perry 178, Tempe McClintock 186, Tucson Flowing Wells 212, Phoenix South Mountain 240, Prescott 261, Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain 295, Tempe Marcos de Niza 308, Phoenix Shadow Mountain 332, Nogales 335, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows 343, Queen Creek 350, Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep 388, Vail Cienega 417, Glendale 420, Marana Mountain View 446, Kingman 477, Avondale Agua Fria 534, Phoenix Paradise Valley 606, Glendale Independence 616, Goodyear Millennium 646.

Division II top 10 individuals

Brandon Kocmoud, Peoria Sunrise Mountain, 16:02.33; Rex Woodbury, Tucson Catalina Foothills, 16:11.18; Daniel Wong, Tucson Canyon del Oro, 16:14.00; Eric Zuza, Phoenix Camelback, 16:15.62; Eduardo Roa, Tempe McClintock 16:16.65; John Winfield, Tucson Ironwood Ridge, 16:35.46; Mike Whetzel, Catalina Foothills, 16:45.65; Hayden Palmer, Prescott, 16:47.73; Patrick Hardwick, Gilbert Perry, 16:52.22; Mark Bennett, Marana, 16:53.01.

Division III team standings

Chinle 77, Flagstaff 94, Cottonwood Mingus 119, Scottsdale Saguaro 134, Rio Rico 139, Page 145, Tuba City 146, Tucson Catalina 197, Flagstaff Coconino 288, Tucson Sabino 303, Holbrook 304, Phoenix Greenway 306, Lakeside Blue Ridge 361, Maricopa 374, Peoria Liberty 401, Tucson Empire 467, Florence 470, Window Rock 493, Wickenburg 502, Sahuarita 514, Buckeye Youngker 587, Tempe 611, Bullhead City Mohave 713.

Division III top 10 individuals

Billy Orman, Tuba City, 15:03.32; Alejandro Montano, Tucson Catalina, 15:47.72; Alejandro Valencia, Rio Rico, 15:49.38; Jonathan Yazzie, Chinle, 15:55.21; Garner Grennier, Flagstaff, 15:55.38; Zach Wynn, Scottsdale Saguaro, 16:03.82; Jake Wynn, Saguaro, 16:08.58; Adam Clawson, Flagstaff, 16:08.78; Searle Tracy, Chinle, 16:10.42; Juan Wells, Cottonwood Mingus, 16:11.94.

Division IV team standings

Keams Canyon Hopi 58, Many Farms 111, Pinon 136, Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian 142, Phoenix Arizona Lutheran 163, Tucson St. Augustine Catholic 182, Phoenix Horizon Honors 182, Flagstaff Northland Prep 186, Phoenix Veritas Prep 203, Chandler Valley Christian 260, Thatcher 278, Queen Creek Canyon State Academy 297, Benson 310, Gilbert Classical Academy 312, Tucson Tanque Verde 374, Phoenix Valley Lutheran 381.

Division IV top 10 individuals

Justin Secakuku, Keams Canyon Hopi, 16:12.54; Winston Tsosie, Pinon, 16:19.16; Caleb Herrera, Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian, 16:35.92; McCray Huma, Hopi, 16:38.75; Corey Quigley, Sanders Valley, 16:44.65; Brad Fullman, Phoenix Horizon Honors, 16:53.25; Tomas Hull, Phoenix Veritas Prep, 16:58.08; Arcenio Trujillo, Tucson San Miguel, 17:07.21; Kyle Kajero, Pusch Ridge Christian, 17:15.14; D.J. Hoskinson, Phoenix Arizona Lutheran, 17:23.67.