Similar to Desert Twilight Festival finish, Newbury Park’s Sahlman triumphs again in Arizona, this time against Greer; Basalt’s Maley achieves another memorable sophomore performance, with Ping running away from 3,200 field

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Colin Sahlman hasn’t raced in California in nearly 15 months, but the Newbury Park High junior has enjoyed the most impressive stretch of his career with three strong performances in Arizona since October, the most recent coming Saturday at the first Sundown Track Series event.

Katelyn Maley, a Basalt High sophomore, also made her second appearance in Arizona during a three-month stretch and the Colorado state 3A champion produced another memorable effort at Queen Creek High.

And Desert Vista sophomore Lauren Ping took to the track in her home state for the first time since June and battled strong winds in the girls 3,200 meters to deliver a dominant effort at the first of three outdoor competitions organized by Newbury Park coach Sean Brosnan.

INTERVIEWS | RESULTS

Similar to his cross country performance Oct. 2 at the Desert Twilight Festival, Sahlman rallied past senior Judson Greer of Melissa High in Texas, representing Tinman Junior Elite, in the final 200 meters to prevail in the marquee section of the boys mile by a 4:09.86 to 4:11.74 margin.

Sahlman surged past Jack Scherer of Oshkosh North High in Wisconsin, also representing Tinman Junior Elite, during the final straightaway at The Links course in San Tan Valley in October to win the 5-kilometer cross country race by a 14:53.7 to 14:54.5 margin.

Greer was overtaken late in his Desert Twilight Festival 5-kilometer race by Ben Shearer of Woodlands Christian in Texas, before rebounding to win his final five cross country competitions of the fall season.

It marked the first time Sahlman had competed in the mile since running 4:16.44 as a freshman at the 2019 Arcadia Invitational. He was coming off a 14:27.03 effort Dec. 5 at the Sundown 5,000 at Eastmark High in Mesa, leading five Newbury Park athletes under 15 minutes, helping the Panthers become the first high school program to achieve the exceptional feat.

Greer, who won the UIL 4A state title in the 1,600 meters in 4:14.56, hadn’t competed in any races since November. He won the XC Town USA Meet of Champions title Nov. 10 at the LaVern Gibson course in Terre Haute, Ind., before achieving a third consecutive 4A state cross country championship Nov. 24.

Greer led Sahlman by a full second entering the final lap, but the Newbury Park standout made a strong surge to surpass the North Carolina signee in the last 75 meters and held on for the victory. Newbury Park senior Christian Simone took third in 4:15.89.

Maley became one of the top five sophomore performers in the mile in Colorado state history, covering the final lap in 61.7 seconds to prevail in 4:54.24, edging Newbury Park junior Samantha McDonnell (4:55.27). Sadie Engelhardt, an eighth-grader at Cabrillo Middle School in Ventura, Calif., was third in 4:56.96 and UCLA commit Anna Weirich of Harker School in California placed fourth in 5:00.49.

Engelhardt, the national AAU and USATF cross country champion in the 13-14 division representing the Valley United Striders, lowered her mile personal best from 5:04.80 on June 12 at the Desert Dream Last Hurrah at Poston Butte in San Tan Valley.

Maley also ascended into the top five all-time sophomore competitors in Colorado with her 10:34.36 effort Nov. 28 at the Valley of the Sun 3,200 meters at Brophy Prep School in Phoenix.

Ping was hoping to push the pace in the 3,200 in pursuit of challenging her 2019 personal-best 10:19.66, but after covering the first half of the race in 5:13, the windy conditions made it difficult to maintain the same pace.

Ping still produced an impressive performance to prevail in 10:33.84, with Desert Vista junior teammate Katie Sigerud placing second in 10:46.64.

Payton Godsey, a freshman at Oaks Christian in California, took third in 10:51.03. Although she was competing unattached, Godsey’s performance was already faster than the 2011 program record of 10:56.16 established by Cristina Garcia.

Tiffany Sax, an eighth-grader and teammate of Engelhardt with the Valley United Striders, finished fourth in 11:02.79. Junior Stormy Wallace of Sage Creek High in California was fifth in 11:10.45.

Seniors Joshua Schuld and Zeid Hussain of Beckman High in California took the top two spots in the boys 3,200 meters. Schuld covered the final lap in 68.36 seconds to pull away from Hussain, with the teammates clocking 9:26.60 and 9:28.92.

Jordan Bramblett of Embry-Riddle University, an NAIA program in Arizona, won the second section of the 3,200 in 9:28.03 to finish second overall.

Noah Jodon of Desert Vista ran 9:35.04 in the top section, with Ethan Godsey of Agoura High in California clocking 9:35.78.