Week 1 of track and field in Arizona weekend of 02/27-02/28; State leading marks from Thunder, Jaguar and Richard Thompson invites
The opening weekend of track and field kicked off this past weekend in Arizona, as athletes are taking advantage of the perfect late-February weather to run fast opening marks. Many of the state’s top marks came from Desert Vista’s Thunder Invitational, Boulder Creek’s Jaguar Invitational, and South Mountain’s Richard Thompson Classic.
Thunder Invite Highlights- Desert Vista High School
The super jumper Ryder Hall of Snowflake High School began his senior campaign after last year where he won the AIA Open State Championship in the long jump, runner-up in the high jump, and bronze in the triple jump. Hall came within an inch of his personal best in the long jump, opening with a 23’ 9.5”, which is an AZ #1 and US #10 mark currently. He also won the high jump in 6’ 2”, which is tied for 2nd on this year’s AIA rankings. Hall competed unattached at the “Rise and Shine Winter Holiday All Comers” meet back in December, jumping 6’ 6.75, coming within 2 inches off his lifetime best.
Freshman Roman Oliver of Hamilton took the win in the 100m with a state-leading time of 10.72 (2.7+ wind aid). The super frosh also anchored Hamilton’s 4x100m relay to a state lead of 41.82, while also finishing bronze in the 200m with a 22.14, which is good enough for an AZ #5.
The men’s 100m was followed by Casteel’s Collin Greene with 10.75 and Queen Creek’s Yanniv Djassa with 10.88. Six total athletes dipped under 11.00, and are all currently in the top ten of the state’s performance list. Amir Thomas of Desert Vista took the 200m with a 22.00 and earned him the state lead.
The top 4 times in the men’s 400m also came from the Thunder Invite, with Sunnyslope’s Ajani Leggett taking the win with a 48.71. 5 men at the meet dipped under 50 seconds.
The men’s 800m was arguably the highlight of the meet, with a great early-season battle between Casteel’s Maddox Bonilla and Valley Christian’s Micah Newkirk. Bonilla edged out the win with a 1:53.62 over Newkirk’s 1:53.88. Bonilla posted a 1:52.75 earlier last month at the “Distance in the Desert Winter Track Series #4” under the club Huron Athletics.
Other state leading marks came from Queen Creek’s Dash Wasson in the pole vault with a 15’ 6” and Arizona College Prep’s Christopher Dillman in the javelin with a 173’ 1”. Wasson’s mark is a US #10, while Dillman’s mark is a US #13.
On the women’s side, Shaniah Gray of Queen Creek took the 100m with a state-leading time of 12.10. Fellow Bulldog Kylee Blair finished just behind for 2nd in 12.12, and then would go on to win the 200m with a 24.89, good enough for an AZ #3.
The Queen Creek lady sprints continued their dominance with Utah State commit Nicole Ripperdan with a state-leading 55.18 over 400m. Shaniah Gray came in 2nd with a 57.07 after her win in the 100m. The Bulldogs also came together to post a state-leading 4x100m relay time of 47.14.
The Highland High School sophomore duo of Ella Bonnette and Katelyn Anderson posted AZ #1 and #2 marks with 5:11.32 and 5:13.09. Liberty’s Kaidance Koester took the state lead in the 3200m in 11:16.26.
Other state leading marks consisted of Hamilton’s Peyton Taylor in the pole vault in 12’ 0”, Desert Vista’s Tatum Lee in the discus with a 130’ 8”, and Snowflake’s Jayci Ballard in the 300mH with a 45.49.
Boulder Creek Jaguar Invitational- Boulder Creek High School
The Jaguar Invitational saw state-leading times in some of the men’s distance events, with Flagstaff’s Alex Bland taking the win with a 4:22.53 over Page’s Symond Martin in 4:23.09, which are the top 2 current AIA-sanctioned marks. Hamilton’s Zarian Rodriguez 4:13.15 from Distance in the Desert #4 remains at the top of the state’s all-performance, which is a non-AIA sanctioned mark.
Mountain Ridge senior Collin Foley earned a 10 second personal best and took the state lead in the 3200m with a 9:23.43. His teammate Alex Crotty took runner-up in 9:33.59.
Other state leading marks coming out of the Jaguar Invite was Mountain Ridge’s Sanel Eminovic in the 110mH in 14.45, Deer Valley’s Ryan Patterson in the 300mH in 38.32, Mesa Mountain View’s Jacob Shill in the high jump with 6’4”, and Page High School’s 4x800m relay in 8:16.17.
Richard Thompson South Mountain Classic - South Mountain High School
The women’s short hurdles started off hot, as North Canyon’s Rebekah-Jhade Garrett posted a US #1 in the 100mH in 13.78. The Baylor commit didn’t lose a single race in the 100mH last year, as her winning streak stretches all the way back to her sophomore year, where she only lost one race. She will look to defend both her DII and open state championship in May, while holding strong national marks. Imani Galera-Young of Chandler trailed right behind her for a US #2 in 13.92. Galera-Young was last year’s AIA D1 state champion in the event.
Campo Verde’s Bianca Hurtado posted an AZ #1 in the 800m with a 2:13.91. Hurtado is the defending DII 800m champion, and is the #2 returner for the AIA open championships.
Some other state leading marks consisted of Mesquite’s super frosh Aulani Gleason 200m with a 24.59 in her first high school meet as a Wildcat, and Williams Field’s Malachi Joyner in the shot put with a 54’ 9.5”.
What’s Next?
Week two of Arizona high school track kicks off with multiple invitationals around the valley. North Canyon’s Rattler Booster Invitational headlines the weekend with 34 teams to be expected in attendance. Other top invitationals consist of Queen Creek’s Saunders Montague Desert Classic, Ben Franklin’s Friday Night Lights, Pinnacle’s Banner Sports Medicine Invitational, the 70th Annual Buckeye Lion's Invitational, and much more.
Written by: Nate Pestka