ARIZONA STATE MEET

Following 35.05 performance in Division 1 final, Nilsson eclipses 2009 all-time mark of 35.02 by Wyatt, adds 13.70 victory in 110 hurdles at Mesa Community College; Hamilton girls, Queen Creek boys prevail in tight team battles

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Although the races to determine the team champions Saturday came down to the final two races at Mesa Community College, even the thrilling conclusions of the girls and boys 4x400-meter relays at the Arizona Interscholastic Association state championship meet were still overshadowed by the performance produced by Vance Nilsson an hour earlier.

Nilsson not only became the first U.S. prep athlete to eclipse the 35-second barrier in the 300-meter hurdles, but the Gilbert High senior achieved the American record by clocking 34.83 seconds, smashing the 2009 mark of 35.02 achieved by Reggie Wyatt of La Sierra High in the semifinals at the California state championships.

Nilsson also elevated to the No. 6 all-time global competitor in the 300 hurdles, one week after running 35.05 to secure the Division 1 title at Red Mountain High.

Gilbert also ran a wind-legal 13.70 seconds Saturday to triumph in the 110 hurdles.

Bellemy Amina-Harris, a junior at West Point High, finished second to Nilsson in both events by running 14.17 and 37.73, respectively.

Nilsson helped Gilbert tie Desert Edge for fifth place overall with 28 points, with Queen Creek capturing the boys championship with 43 points, edging Chandler at 42 points, Desert Vista taking third with 41 points and Red Mountain placing fourth with 35 points.

Hamilton emerged victorious in the girls competition with 55 points, holding off Chandler at 52 points, with Canyon View taking third at 41 points. Campo Verde achieved 35 points and North Carolina had 34 points to complete the top five girls programs.

Although Chandler’s Bree’Anne Cryer, Anaya Quarles, Imani Galera-Young and Na’Zyia Richardson prevailed by a 3:46.43 to 3:46.84 margin against Canyon View’s Madyson Goodman, Aniya Smith, Annaleise Taylor and Brooklyn Grizzell in the girls 4x400 final, Hamilton took third in 3:48.77 to secure the team championship.

Chandler also won the boys 4x400 in dramatic fashion, as Otis Knapper, Geramiah Flunder, Braylen Singleton and Darius Cade achieved a 3:15.50 to 3:15.81 triumph against Queen Creek, but it wasn’t enough for the Wolves to rally for the team crown. Cesar Chavez held off Desert Vista for third by a 3:16.82 to 3:18.03 margin, denying the Thunder an opportunity to capture the team title.

Tyler Mathews of Red Mountain was the only competitor to secure three championships, clocking 1:49.73 in the 800 and 4:08.36 in the 1,600, in addition to helping the Mountain Lions prevail in the 4x800 relay, joining Roman Smith, Matthew Hamilton and Ryan Martin to run 7:47.87, holding off Sandra Day O’Connor in 7:48.65.

Landen LeBlond of Millennium was victorious in the girls 1,600 in 4:53.76 and 3,200 in 10:44.90, with Copper Canyon’s Zalaya Dupre earning wins in the long jump at 19-3 (5.86m) and triple jump with a mark of 41-9.50 (12.74m).

Desert Edge teammates David Cabrera (10.61) and Jamar Beal-Goines (10.62) secured the top two spots in the 100-meter dash final, in addition to contributing to the 4x100 victory in 40.99, teaming with Antonio Para and Jonathan Kamara to edge Chandler (41.22).

North Canyon’s Rebekah Jhade-Garrett triumphed in the girls 100-meter hurdles in a wind-legal 13.44, in addition to joining forces with Devyn Henderson, Olivia Hussey and Demitria Kossigbo to produce a 46.37 performance in the 4x100, with Chandler placing runner-up in 46.60.

Highland, the inaugural girls team winner last year at the state championship meet, prevailed again in the 4x800 relay, with Camryn Delancey, Audra Huempfner, Stella Hall and Cloe Baugh running 9:17.88. Queen Creek secured second in 9:25.82.

Taylor challenged the girls 300 hurdles record in both the prelims and finals, capturing the title in 41.15, with Galera-Young finishing second in 42.69. Taylor, who was second in the 100 hurdles final in 13.67 ahead of Hamilton’s Kori Martin (13.68), clocked a personal-best 41.09 in the 300 hurdles prelims.

Eyitayo Omotinugbon helped Queen Creek capture the boys championship, winning the shot put at 60-6 (18.44m) and taking third in the discus throw at 173-8 (52.95m).

Notre Dame Prep’s Diego Herrera-Vendrell prevailed in the boys discus with a throw of 177-7 (54.13m), with Desert Vista’s Owen Lee earning runner-up at 177-4 (54.07m). Lee also finished third in the shot put at 58-11.50 (17.97m), just behind Keona Wilhite of Salpointe Catholic and his 59-1.50 (18.02m) mark.

Millennium’s Diego Aguirre-Stewart won the boys 200 in a wind-legal 21.57, with West Point’s Kevin Seales taking second in 21.62. Aguirre-Stewart ran a wind-legal 21.48 in the prelims.

Josiah Anderson from Barry Goldwater was victorious in the boys 400 in 46.78, with Royal Haley from Cesar Chavez clocking 47.55 to place second.

Eastmark’s Bryson Nielsen held on to win the boys 3,200 in 9:11.72, with sophomores Symond Martin of Page and Zarian Rodriguez from Hamilton running 9:12.09 and 9:12.60, respectively.

Desert Ridge’s Austin Taylor triumphed in the boys javelin competition with a throw of 185-8 (56.60m). Levi Hellmann from Gilbert was able to hold off Desert Vista’s Lucas Schiermeyer for second in a battle of elite juniors by a 176-10 (53.91m) to 176-7 (53.83m) margin.

Phoenix Country Day’s Sam Novak edged American Leadership Academy of Queen Creek’s Taylor Searle on fewer attempts after both competitors cleared 17 feet (5.18m) in the pole vault.

William Feagles of Notre Dame Prep achieved a 6-8 (2.03m) clearance in the boys high jump, with a trio of competitors successful at 6-6 (1.98m).

Paradise Valley senior Nathan Williams produced a wind-legal leap of 23-9 (7.24m) in the long jump, with Perry’s Jaymis Brown and Marana’s Jaelen Collins both recording 23-6 (7.16m) efforts to finish second and third.

Augustine McCabe of Tolleson triumphed in the boys triple jump with a wind-legal 49-9.50 (15.18m) effort and Trace White from American Leadership Academy of Anthem was runner-up at 48-8 (14.83m).

Mayen Usoro from Cesar Chavez was victorious by an 11.75 to 11.82 margin against Agua Fria’s Stacey Onyepunuka in the girls 100-meter dash final.

Onyepunuka triumphed in 23.98 in the 200 championship, with Henderson of North Canyon running 24.31.

Liberty sophomore Saylor McMillon won the girls 400 crown in 56.01, as Quarles of Chandler placed runner-up in 56.51.

The girls 800 final was a showdown of elite sophomores, with Campo Verde’s Bianca Hurtado clocking 2:11.62 to secure the title and Queen Creek’s Nicole Ripperdan finishing second in 2:12.80.

Glendale Prep’s Sofia Boonzaayer triumphed in the girls shot put with a mark of 42-3.75 (12.90m), just ahead of Millennium’s Erika Grossman at 42-2.75 (12.87m).

Campo Verde senior Brooklyn Montgomery was victorious in the girls discus with a throw of 154-2 (47.00m), 15 feet ahead of the runner-up competitor Katrina Trahan of Canyon del Oro (139-2/42.41m).

Kyana Williams, a sophomore at American Leadership Academy of Queen Creek, won the girls high jump crown with a 5-6 (1.68m) clearance. Alexandra Johnson of Tucson Magnet cleared 5-4 (1.63m) for second.

Highland’s Jea Genet, a first-year track and field athlete, prevailed in the girls javelin final with a throw of 145-3 (44.28m), benefiting from the absence of Basha senior and reigning champion Gabriella Garcia, who was unable to compete during the postseason. Faith Gentry from South Mountain secured second at 136-1 (41.48m).

Basha’s Jocelyn Phillips cleared 12-9 (3.88m) in the pole vault, more than a foot higher than the rest of the field.

Salpointe Catholic’s Madison Martinez achieved a wind-aided mark of 40-7.50 (12.38m) in the triple jump to finish second behind Dupre.

Jaiden Ware contributed to Hamilton’s team title by finishing runner-up to Dupre with a leap of 18-11.75 (5.78m) in the long jump final. Hamilton also took third and fifth in the pole vault championship.

Team Champions

Open - Queen Creek boys 43 points, Hamilton girls 55 points - RESULTS

Division 1 - Chandler boys 73 points, Chandler girls 90 points - RESULTS

Division 2 - Williams Field boys 51 points, Canyon View girls 112 points - RESULTS

Division 3 - Salpointe Catholic boys 114.5 points, Salpointe Catholic girls 86 points - RESULTS

Division 4 - Snowflake boys 102 points, Snowflake girls 146.5 points - RESULTS

Division 5 - Arete Prep Academy boys 82 points, Arizona Lutheran girls 94 points - RESULTS