Schadler shines again in record-setting run

Desert Vista, Flagstaff deliver impressive state title doubles; Hopi boys extend national record to 27 straight

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

PHOENIX, Arizona -- Despite a year filled with cross country historians in her home state discussing the magnitude of a jaw-dropping record run at state finals last season, Rio Rico star Allie Schadler hadn't thought about pursuing another personal best on the Cave Creek Golf Course until just days before the Arizona Interscholastic Association state championships.

Instead, the senior's primary focus was on a fourth Division III individual state title and sweeping the top two spots in the final with sophomore sister Samantha Schadler.

After breaking the 2014 record of 17 minutes, 26 seconds set by former Desert Vista standout Dani Jones by clocking 17:04.5 last year while running with plantar fasciitis in her foot, Allie Schadler took full advantage of competing with two healthy feet to eclipse her own standard on the 5-kilometer course.

Schadler ran 17:02.4, with Samantha moving to No. 7 all-time in state finals history at 17:57 to produce the two fastest times of the meet. The Schadlers are the third set of sisters to both have performances among the fastest dozen runners in state finals history, along with Mountain Ridge's Nadya and Nastia Bishton, in addition to Desert Vista's Dani and Baylee Jones.

Allie Schadler wasn't the only athlete to extend an individual streak of state championships, with Northland Prep junior Maya Smith clocking 18:20 to capture her third straight Division IV title.

Sandra Day O'Connor junior Jesselyn Bries won the Division I girls title in 18:03 and Chaparral sophomore Abi Archer captured the Division II championship in 18:29.

Chinle senior Santiago Hardy ran the fastest boys time of the meet at 15:27 to secure his second straight Division III title.

Abdihamid Nur of Phoenix North captured the Division I championship in 15:49 and Buena senior Manny Olivo-Quinones won the Division II crown in 15:41.

Dominant double for Desert Vista

The Desert Vista boys team had perhaps the toughest act to follow after the Thunder girls team placed five in the top six and six in the top 12 in the Division I girls final.

Desert Vista was up to the challenge, with five scorers in the top 25 to secure its third consecutive Division I boys championship and fourth in five seasons.

Habtamu Cheney (15:54) was fourth, Reece Donihi (16:14) placed 11th, Chris Dangelo (16:21) finished 14th, Nick Thatcher (16:30) took 16th and Aksel Laudon (16:33) to secure 20th for Desert Vista, which captured its seventh overall state championship in program history.

After finishing third last year behind first-time Division I girls champion Chandler and runner-up Xavier College Prep, Desert Vista atoned for its disappointing performance with one of the most dominant efforts in state finals history.

The Thunder had Haley Wolf (18:29), Baylee Jones (18:31), Emily Crall (18:34), Brooklyn Christoffis (18:38) and Amanda Davis (18:38) place second through sixth overall, with Kelly Harris (19:17) taking 12th and Madeline Bucci (19:55) finishing 28th to produce a 20-105 victory over Chandler.

Desert Vista broke the record for the lowest point total in a Division 1 or 5-A girls final, with Xavier Prep establishing the previous mark of 22 in 2011. Hopi (1990) and Tuba City (1982) share the overall girls record for lowest point total at 18.

Another banner day for Flagstaff

For the second year in a row, Flagstaff swept the Divsion II team championships, giving the boys back-to-back crowns after it had never won a title before last season following a 64-86 victory over Campo Verde.

Flagstaff also won its second straight girls championship and fifth in six years by defeating Chaparral by a 63-105 margin, an achievement made even more impressive when senior Valentina Nyhart dropped out of the race at the 2-mile mark.

Maddy Christopher (19:46) finished fourth, Chloe Painter (19:51) was fifth and Brianna White (19:52) took seventh for Flagstaff, which had three additional runners place in the top 26 to secure the program's 13th state title since 1980.

Davis Boggess (16:28) was fourth, Wren Cooperrider (16:43) took ninth and Flynn Fuhrmann (16:53) finished 12th for Flagstaff, which had two additional runners in the top 22.

National record streak continues for Hopi

Pinon swept the top three spots in the Division IV boys final, but Hopi rallied with three of the next five finishers and five in the top 20 overall to extend its national record for consecutive state championships to 27 in a row with a 56-80 victory.

Wesley Cook (16:16), Tyrin Begay (16:26) and Adriano Joe (16:43) helped the Eagles take a commanding lead through three runners, but Hopi had Andre Dennis (16:51) finish fourth, Jihad Nodman (16:55) take seventh and Andre Lucas (16:58) place eighth to secure the Bruins' narrowest margin of victory since 2012.

Page produces third straight title

Despite having only seventh-place finisher Dorian Daw (16:29) in the top 10, Page produced six runners total in the top 26 to secure a third consecutive Division III boys championship with a 77-98 triumph over Saguaro.

It marked the fourth time in program history Page won at least three straight titles, along with 2003-05, 1997-99 and 1989-92.

Salpointe Catholic punctuates special season

Ana Alvarez-Tostado (18:54) was third and freshman Zoey Delgado (18:59) placed fourth for Salpointe Catholic, which captured its first girls championship since 2006 with a 97-118 victory over Coconino in the Division III final.
Salpointe had six runners total place in the top 50 to improve from an eighth-place finish in Division II last year. Two-time defending Division III champion Page was fifth.

Number two for Northland Prep

After suffering a narrow setback against Scottsdale Prep in last year's Division IV girls final, Northland Prep relied on another victory from Maya Smith (18:20) and five girls in the top 35 to secure a second championship in three years with a 78-118 victory over Hopi.

Nora Blodgett (21:04) finished ninth for Northland Prep, which prevented Hopi from its first championship sweep since 2013.