He finished runner-up at last year's 3A state meet, but an average track season relegated him to just part of the good group' in some circles.
Bekes roared to the top Saturday, winning the 3A cross country state championship in 15:51.60 to culminate a productive season.
Coach Phil Sategña was not available for comment. Bekes is the first Bloomfield male to win a cross country state championship.
Bekes held off Hope Christian's Eric Fenton and Pojoaque Valley's James Viarreal after the trio crossed the two-mile mark in 10:39, gapping them down the home stretch of a fast course at Rio Rancho High School.
The Bobcats finished ninth as a team in their return to the state meet after finishing third in District 1-3A last week.
The top teams in District 1-4A didn't fare as well as Shiprock's boys and Kirtland Central's girls lacked the one-two punch that won them district titles at Riverview Golf Course.
Amanda Kerr, one of KC's top runners along with Myka Benally, did not compete because of a sprained ankle.
Chad Tso, the boys' district champion from Shiprock, didn't feel well and finished 64th in 18:00. He did not score for the Chieftains, who finished eighth with 198 points.
"I was waiting out by the half-mile point. Herbet (Beyale) went by, Harry (Nakai) went by and all these other guys went by and no Chad," Shiprock boys coach Brian Paniagua said.
Much like he did while running to a second-place finish at district, Beyale surged in the final mile to finish 19th in 16:47.65.
Deion Benally (17:18) and Robert Lapahie (17:28) followed with PRs, leading Paniagua to speculate Shiprock would've taken third place if Tso ran his normal race.
Just 25 points separated Shiprock from third-place Del Norte as nationally-ranked Albuquerque Academy (27 points) and Los Alamos (40 points) ran away from the field.
"I think this is a lot of motivation for them to put in their offseason miles and come back next year roaring, and that's what we're looking to do," Paniagua said.
Benally, forging ahead on her own, ran to the best finish of any local 4A runner, taking fourth in 18:38.05.
All seven of KC's runners finished with their best time of the year.
"You can't ask for any more than that," KC coach Leland Adair said. "That's all I can ask for as a coach. Every one of them PR'd, some of them we're talking a minute, two minutes. We definitely peaked at the right time."
Adair, keen on passing out praise, thanked assistant coach Candy Karlin as well as his runners. His team finished sixth with 203 points.
"There's no time outs (in cross country)," Paniagua said of District 1-4A's top teams not placing as well as they'd hoped. "Once it goes, it goes. When it comes to state, it's not a tournament. It's a one-shot deal. You're either on or you're not and we just weren't on today."
Aztec's Austin Brookshire finished 29th in 17:06, District 1-4A's top male finisher after Beyale.
Jessica Kresl (14th) and Rachel Kresl (27th) paced the Lady Tigers to a seventh-place finish, one spot behind KC.
Kolette Dayish led Shiprock's girls with a 20:12, good enough for 28th on a flat course that featured one rise.
"The second part of the course was a track race," Shiprock girls coach Alice Kinlichee said.
Team Results
Girls
6. Kirtland Central 203 points
7. Aztec 213
11. Shiprock 252
4A Boys
1. Shiprock 198
11. Piedra Vista 269
3A Boys
9. Bloomfield 213
Individual Finishers
Girls
4. Myka Benally, Shiprock 18:38
13. Jessica Kresl, Aztec 19:40
27. Rachel Kresl, Aztec 20:10
28. Kolette Dayish, Shiprock 20:12
Raychelle Smiley, Kirtland Central 20:40
41. Autumrain Chee, Shiprock 20:41
42. Morgan Smith, Aztec 20:42
43. Laura Lane, Aztec 20:43
51. Natalie Adair, Kirtland Central 20:56
55. Kerstin Ortiz, Piedra Vista 21:01
62. Alisa Gould, Shiprock 21:16
64. Kashley Badoni, Kirtland Central 21:18
67. Shaquielle Hogue, Piedra Vista 21:25
68. Genea Baca, Kirtland Central 21:25
69. Tayla Harmon, Piedrda Vista 21:25
Sharlinda Gould, Shiprock 21:47
79. Taylor Billey, Kirtland Central 21:57
80. Nanette Beyale, Shiprock 22:00
89. Kaitlyn Begay, Shiprock 22:21
90. Shundiin Yessilth, Shiprock 22:24
108. Natisha Nakai, Kirtland Central 23:36
114. Jessica Burbridge, Aztec 24:44
115. Rachel Nelson-Schille, Aztec 24:51
Savannah Lanier, Aztec 27:53
4A Boys
19. Herbert Beyale, Shiprock 16:47
29. Austin Brookshire, Aztec 17:06
37. Whittaney Boyd, Kirtland Central 17:19
38. Deion Benally, Shiprock 17:19
42. Coby Bossley, Piedra Vista 17:26
45. Robert Lapahie, Shiprock 17:28
52. Wally Delwiche, Aztec 17:37
57. Jaron Shorty, Shiprock 17:42
59. Harry Nakai, Shiprock 17:43
61. Kevin Mike, Piedra Vista 17:44
71. Jordan Keely, Piedra Vista 17:59
73. Chad Tso, Shiprock 18:00
75. Alvin White, Kirtland Central 18:04
77. Erik Williams, Shiprock 18:06
81. Matt Detmer, Piedra Vista 18:12
88. Cole Dennis, Piedra Vista 18:25
90. Travis Dockter, Farmington 18:31
97. Timberlin Henderson, Kirtland Central 18:50
101. Glenn Hoerner, Piedra Vista 18:59
129. T.J. Sells, Kirtland Central 22:45
3A Boys
1. Evan Bekes, Bloomfield 15:51
25. Trevor Russell, Bloomfield 17:18
58. Eduardo Quezada, Bloomfield 18:24
61. Jeremiah Cruz, Bloomfield 18:28
68. Trevor Lillywhite, Bloomfield 18:51
69. Ben Howell, Bloomfield 18:52
73. Brian Armstrong, Bloomfield 19:22
Font Resize
