Gilbert Perry’s Taylor de LaVeaga knew only one thing when she stepped onto the Cave Creek Golf Course Saturday for the 4A-II girls state cross country championships: She was not going to leave anything on the course.

SLIDESHOW: 2008 Arizona High School Cross Country Championships

The freshman, in her first serious year of training and competition, made sure of that, finishing fourth in the race and establishing herself as one to watch for the next three years.

Her time of 19:24 would have placed second in 4A-I.

“I was not really sure about expectations, except I wanted to get top five,” de LaVeaga said. “Coming in here as a freshman is hard, because you don’t really know what you can do. All I did was put my heart and mind into it as best as I could. I could not have run harder (today) and I put my best out there.”

The Perry freshman, whose school is only in its second year of existence, said that she knows expectations are now out there, but she will handle it “day to day”.

“Paper does not mean anything,” de LaVeaga said. “Races do. It’s how you run, it’s how you compete. I know I will be working on all aspects of my running, and whatever happens, happens.”

Flagstaff defended its 4A-II state title, edging Page 74-82, with Rio Rico’s Aeoleone Bristow taking the individual title.

Queen Creek finished sixth with 181 points, behind Ashley Workman’s sixth-place finish, while Scottsdale Notre Dame was eighth (264 points) and Scottsdale Arcadia ninth (266 points).

Seton Catholic was 11th and Perry 15th.