Thrilling relay finale secures title sweep for Chandler

Arizona State Championship Track & Field Meet Highlights

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

One year after a failed baton pass in the 4x100 relay prelims resulted in Chandler’s nine-year reign as Division I girls champion being halted, the outcome of another relay determined whether the Wolves would capture a boys title this season at the Arizona Interscholastic Association state meet.

The outcome of the Division I boys championship came down to the 4x400 relay, with Desert Vista holding a one-point lead over Chandler entering the meet’s final race.

Chandler’s Latrell Tellis, Stacey Boyd, Imani Lee and Ta’Mir Waters clocked 3 minutes, 18.93 seconds and Desert Vista placed third in 3:21.35, helping the Wolves secure a 102-99 victory at Mesa Community College.

The title was the first for the Chandler boys since 2012 and seventh overall, helping the Wolves sweep both Division I championships for the fourth time in program history, with the girls atoning for last year’s setback to rival Mountain Pointe with a 137-99 victory over the Pride.

Lee also contributed to the victorious 4x100 relay (41.35) and won the triple jump (48-6.5) for Chandler, which received a long jump win from Darius Sutton (23-2.25).

The Wolves also benefited from a combined 42 hurdling points, with T.J. Hayes (14.16), Kyree Woods (14.22) and Edwin Adams (14.30) sweeping the top three spots in the 110 hurdles, in addition to Adams (38.13) and Hayes (38.59) placing first and second in the 300 hurdles.

Desert Vista, last year’s Division I boys champion, kept the pressure on Chandler throughout with Elijah Mason (182-1) and Torrey Hickel (178-3) taking first and second in the discus and Jymil Toney winning the high jump by clearing 6-9.

Hickel (57-1) and Mason (54-1.75) finished first and third in the shot put, with Connor Watson placing second in the triple jump (47-7) and the Thunder capturing the 4x800 relay in 7:55.33.

Hamilton’s Connor Stevens cleared 17 feet in the pole vault and Centennial’s Marcus Parker swept Division I titles in the 100 (10.59) and 200 (21.46), with Tucson Magnet’s Tavian Ross repeating as 400 champion in 48.28.

Brophy Prep, which captured the 2013 team title, swept the top three spots in the 3200, with Luke Mason (9:21.92), Drew Burns (9:25.13) and Hociel Landa (9:25.27) elevating the Broncos to fourth place overall.

Foster-ing a new championship legacy

Chandler captured its 10^th Division I girls championship, but unlike past titles when sprints, relays and jumps led the way, it was a balanced effort with the Wolves receiving several points from their distance runners, especially freshman Morgan Foster, who also contributed to the school’s first state cross country title in November.

After anchoring Chandler’s 4x800 relay to victory in 9:07.43, the No. 5 time in Arizona history, by following Gabrielle Enns, Alexis Nichols and Becca Taylor with her 2:09 split, Foster produced two more impressive performances by placing runner-up in the 800 and 1600.

Foster, who already had the fastest 800 time in the country by a freshman, clocked 4:54.15 to post the top 1600 mark nationally by a ninth-grader. Foster ran 2:11.16 in the 800 final, just off her 2:10.71 from the April 7 Sun Angel Classic.

Anaya Bailey also played a significant role in Chandler’s success, winning the 200 in 24.58, taking second in the 100 (12.27) and anchoring a pair of winning relays. The Wolves clocked 47.47 in the 4x100 and 3:53.29 in the 4x400.

Tiana Poirier-Shelton won the triple jump (39-8) and took second in the long jump (18-11.5) behind teammate Jai Grunewald (19-1.25) for Chandler.

Autumn Smith did her best to keep Mountain Pointe within striking distance, winning the 100 hurdles (13.99) and 300 hurdles (42.48) – the No. 4 time in state history – in addition to placing second in the triple jump with a leap of 38-8.75 after teammate Nura Muhammad, the state leader and U.S. No. 8 at 41 feet, fouled on all three attempts. Kayleigh Conlon swept the shot put (45-3) and discus throw (131-10) for the Pride.

Liberty senior Christine Williford produced an impressive double by winning the 400 in 54.76 and then holding off Foster in the 800 to prevail in 2:09.25, the fourth-fastest time in state history. Teammate Lashira Tremble captured the 100 title in 12.07.

Xavier Prep’s Tessa Weiss also doubled, capturing the 1600 in 4:51.78 and 3200 in 10:42.35, with Mountain View’s Kyndal Stewart clearing a personal-best 12-3 to win the Division I pole vault title.

Showcase by Schadler sisters still not enough

Despite sisters Allie Schadler and Samantha Schadler combining to win five events, Rio Rico didn’t have the depth to keep pace with Fountain Hills, which captured its first Division III girls title after consecutive second-place finishes with a 91-68 victory.

Allie Schadler won the 1600 in 4:49.03 and 3200 in 10:16.72 – No. 4 in state history – with freshman Samantha Schadler capturing the 800 in 2:21.17. The sisters joined Kiara Laborin and Ximena Nerey on the 4x800 relay that prevailed in 9:43.54 and teamed with Emily Rivadeneyra and Victoria Valencia on the 4x400 relay that won in 4:02.19, capped by Allie Schadler anchoring in 56.9.

Fountain Hills won the 4x100 relay in 50.43 and had Trista Smith capture her second Division III pole vault title in three years by clearing 11-6, with Kelsey Schultz capturing the 300 hurdles (46.07) after taking second in the 100 hurdles (16.41).

Blue Ridge’s Hannah Flodin won the 100 (12.38) and 200 (25.53), with Italian exchange student Lucrezia Gritti capturing the triple jump title for Benson with a leap of 37-7.

Another sweep for Scottsdale Prep

For the second year in a row, Scottsdale Prep captured both Division IV boys and girls titles. The Spartans secured a third straight girls championship with a 132-59 victory over Pima, with the boys winning back-to-back crowns with a 77-58 victory over Bisbee.

Haley Everroad and Tali Castle led the way in the distance events for Scottsdale Prep, which also received a victory from Ali Goodson with a 12-foot clearance in the pole vault. Everroad won the 1600 (5:24.67) and 3200 (11:40.06), with Castle taking the 800 in 2:28.24, and the duo joining Katie Wick and Parker Williams in capturing the 4x800 relay in 10:06.20.

Weston Wright swept the shot put (52-6.5) and discus throw (161-10), with Hayden Shelly winning the 1600 for Scottsdale Prep in 4:35.92, holding off Gilbert Christian’s Logan Pinkerton (4:35.97), who secured victories in the 800 (2:01.80) and 4x800 relay (8:12.77).

Crystal Akpede won four events for Arete Prep, capturing the 100 (12.43), 200 (25.37), 400 (58.34) and long jump (17-10.5).

Bisbee’s Tony Chavez cleared 14 feet in the pole vault and prevailed in the 300 hurdles in 40.01, with Joy Christian’s Dujuan Lawrence sweeping the boys 100 (11.09) and 200 (22.80), in addition to Scottsdale Christian’s Nick Winn capturing the long jump (21-9.75) and triple jump (44-9).

Desert Edge, Snowflake return to top

Snowflake repeated as Division III boys champion with an 89.5-66 victory over Sahuarita and Desert Edge captured its first Division II title since 2007 with a 61-41.5 win over Apollo.

Jordan Gardner led the way for Snowflake, securing the 800 (1:56.26) and 1600 (4:28.92), in addition to contributing to victories in the 4x400 relay (3:27.29) and 4x800 relay (8:06.12). Dylan Kay added a high jump championship for the Lobos, clearing 6-8.

Desert Edge relied on Tyson Jones sweeping the shot put (60-4) and discus throw (173-6) in the Division II boys final. State discus leader Turner Washington of Canyon del Oro, U.S. No. 5 at 202 feet, fouled on all three attempts.

Mountain View Marana’s Justice Summerset, who set the state high jump record by clearing 7-2.5 on April 23, won the title with a 6-9 clearance in addition to capturing the 400 in 48.93.

Kellis junior Brandon McGuire won Division II titles in the 110 hurdles (14.29) and 300 hurdles (37.58).

Seton Catholic’s Luke Zuluaga captured four Division III titles, winning the 100 (10.92), 200 (21.84), 400 (49.47) and anchoring the 4x100 relay to victory in 43.42. Thatcher’s Kaleb Mattice won the 110 hurdles (15.19) and 300 hurdles (39.89).

Deer Valley caps dominant run

Led by the distance dominance of Kassidy Deardorff and Emily Stutesman, the versatility of Katheryn Nantz and the strength of Emily Conlin, Deer Valley captured its first Division II girls title with a 107-49.5 victory over Cactus Shadows.

Deardorff and Stutesman helped Deer Valley place second in the 4x800 relay (9:43.70) behind champion Flagstaff (9:40.50), then contributed an additional 39 points in the 800, 1600 and 3200.

Deardorff won the 1600 in 5:01.72 and 3200 in 10:53.17, with Stutesman placing second in the 3200 (10:56.07) and third in the 1600 (5:03.25). Deardorff (2:19.70) and Stutesman (2:21.51) finished fifth and sixth in the 800.

Nantz won the triple jump (37-2.5), took third in the long jump (18-4) and 100 hurdles (15.23), and finished seventh in the 300 hurdles (47.13) for Deer Valley, which received another victory in the shot put from Conlin with her 39-11.5 effort to go along with a fifth-place finish in the discus (118-3).

Fairfax freshman Ma’Kayla Dickerson won the 200 (24.82) and 300 hurdles (43.11), in addition to taking second in the 100 hurdles (14.91) and fourth in the high jump (5-3). South Mountain senior Alexis Center repeated in the 100 (11.86) and placed second in the 200 (24.92), in addition to anchoring the victorious 4x100 relay (48.62).