"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Sequoyah Boys Cross-Country Team

"Sequoyah cross-country
runner Travis Wickliffe races for the finish line in the
state cross-country meet.
Photo by student photographer Diana Onco. "

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - The Sequoyah School (SHS) boys’ cross-country team recently won the Class 2A Oklahoma state championship title, something that is becoming somewhat of a tradition at Sequoyah. This state title is the ninth one for this team and the twentieth year in a row that they have qualified for state.

“These boys ran almost perfect,” said Sam Horsechief, Sequoyah cross-country coach who has been with the team for all 20 years. “They all had their best times of the year.”

While the girls finished third in the state cross-country meet, they are not new to state competition. The Sequoyah girls’ cross-country team won state last year, earning them their second state title.

“Overall they had a good season,” Horsechief said. “We knew the first team (at state) was going to be hard to beat.”

Members of the Sequoyah boys’ state champion cross-country team are Bryan Vann, Lee Chouteau, Travis Wickliffe, Wes Nofire, Traven McCoy, Kolton Holmes, Robert Ketcher, Kenny Glass, Jerrad Dry, Elijah Nells, James Girdner, Ryan Walker, Shayne Boyd, Kialo Vann, Dylan Tiddark, Dustin Jones, and Matt Hooper. Team managers are Chris Chanate and Brandon Turner.

Sequoyah also had six runners qualify for All-State this year. They are Vann, Chouteau, Wickliffe, Rhiannon Tafoya, Sarah Holcomb and Kelly Nofire.

Sequoyah School, a boarding school for Native American students, originated in 1871 as an orphan asylum to take care of many orphans who came out of the Civil War. It has since served as the Sequoyah Orphan Training School and the Sequoyah Vocational School. Now, it is known as Sequoyah School, named for Sequoyah, a scholar who developed the Cherokee syllabary. In November 1985, the Cherokee Nation resumed the operation of SHS. It is regionally and state accredited for grades 7-12 and has become the school of choice for more than 400 students every year. From its humble beginning as a school with one building and 40 acres of land, SHS has grown into a modern institution covering more than 90 acres with a dozen major buildings nested on a beautiful campus five miles southwest of Tahlequah, Okla. For more information about Sequoyah call (918) 453-5400 or visit the Sequoyah School Web site at www.sequoyah.k12.ok.us/. For more information on the SHS cross-country program, call Horsechief, phone: 918-456-2822.