Villarreal sets Arizona 1,600 record, Desert Vista US#1 4x800

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

State Meet Highlights

Desert Vista’s Dani Jones and Rio Rico’s Carlos Villarreal entered the three-day meet at Mesa Community College as the biggest stars and they but it was Tucson Magnet’s Lawrence Wallace who also soared into the spotlight with his performance in the long jump.

Top Performances

- Carlos Villarreal, a senior at Rio Rico signed with University of Arizona, ran the fastest 1,600-meter time in state history with a 4:03.97 in the Division III final, breaking the 2011 mark of 4:05.29 set by Tuba City’s Billy Orman. Bernie Montoya of Cibola still boasts the fastest mile time in state history at 4:01.32 from 2012. Villarreal, the Division II 800 champion in 1:54.23, also rallied Rio Rico’s 4 x 800 relay to a victory in 8:03.05 with a 1:50.1 anchor split.

- Dani Jones, a senior at Desert Vista headed to University of Colorado, won four gold medals for the first time in her career at the Division I state final. Jones swept the 800 (2:09.15), 1,600 (4:55.02) and 3,200 (10:19.62), in addition to helping Desert Vista run a US#1 9:01.51 in the 4 x 800 with a 2:08.23 anchor. Desert Vista’s relay, which also included Baylee Jones, Amanda Davis and Haley Wolf, ran the No. 2 time in state history.

- Lawrence Wallace, a senior at Tucson Magnet High bound for Alabama, improved on his personal best by nearly two feet with a US#2 25-1 ¾ long jump, the No. 5 mark in state history, to win the Division I state title. Wallace also anchored Tucson to victory in the 4 x 100 relay in 42.17 and placed sixth in the 100-meter dash in 10.96.

- Allie Schadler, a sophomore at Rio Rico, ran the No. 2 time in state history in the 1,600 with her 4:45.15 in the Division III final. Schadler, who also won the 800 in 2:15.21, trails only Dani Jones (4:44.46) in the 1,600. She also helped Rio Rico place second in the 4 x 800 (9:58.15) and third in the 4 x 400 (4:08.15).

- Isaiah Oliver, a senior at Brophy College Prep signed to play football and compete in track at Colorado, anchored the 4 x 400 relay to Division I victory in 3:18.55, along with sweeping the 110 hurdles (14.05) and 300 hurdles (36.55), just off his US#2 36.53.

- Jullian Coronado-Clark, a senior at Copper Canyon headed to Eastern New Mexico, doubled in the 100 (10.56) and 200 (21.68) in the Division II championships.

- Treyshon Malone, a senior at Yuma Catholic, won four Division IV gold medals to lead the Shamrocks to a second-place finish behind Scottsdale Prep. Malone won the 200 meters (22.31), 110 hurdles (14.92), 300 hurdles (39.09) and long jump (22-6 ¼).

- Autumn Smith, a junior at Mountain Pointe, secured victories in the 100 hurdles (14.23) and 300 hurdles (42.94), along with anchoring the 4 x 100 relay to a win in 47.34 and helping the 4 x 400 place second in 3:55.60 to help the Pride capture the Division I team championship.

- Alexis Center, a junior at South Mountain, was instrumental in the Jaguars winning the Division II team title by a 56-55 margin over Youngker with victories in the 100 (11.85), 200 (24.95) and 4 x 100 relay (48.63), along with a runner-up finish in the 4 x 400 (4:01.63).

- Nastasia Peevy, a senior at Chandler, swept Division I championships in the 100 (11.75) and 200 (24.80), extending the Wolves’ run to eight consecutive years of winning both sprint titles.

Top Teams

- Chandler’s reign of nine consecutive girls championships came to an end, as Mountain Pointe won the Division I title – the program’s first since 2001 – with a 108-101 victory. Chandler dropped the baton in the 4 x 100 prelims and didn’t advance to the final, despite boasting the state’s fastest time this season of 46.58.

- Desert Vista, led by victories in the shot put from Torrey Hickel (57-3) and discus throw from Elijah Mason (172-2), captured its first Division I boys title since a three-peat in 2007-09 with 109 ½ points, more than double runner-up Tucson Magnet, which had 52.

- Scottsdale Prep swept both Division IV titles, Snowflake won its first Division III boys title since 2007 and Tolleson captured its first Division II boys crown since 2001. Show Low won its first Division III girls championship.

Other Notable Efforts

- Prescott senior Simon Paige, who didn’t compete in the state cross country finals after his team failed to qualify, swept the Division II titles in the 800 (1:56.70), 1,600 (4:14.35) and 3,200 (9:23.59).

- Canyon del Oro senior Bridgette Doucet, headed to Lipscomb University, doubled in the Division II final by winning the 1,600 (4:59.06) and 3,200 (10:30.56).

- Sahuarita senior Taylor McCelland captured the Division III title in the 400 (56.43), along with helping the Mustangs win the 4 x 100 (49.32) and 4 x 400 (4:02.62).

- North Canyon senior Jasmine Stauffacher-Gray, a UCLA signee, won the Division I title in the 400 (54.36) and took second in the 300 hurdles (43.40).

- Monument Valley senior Kaitlin Wayne tripled by securing Division III championship in the 100 hurdles (15.57), 300 hurdles (46.78) and long jump (18-6 ¼).