By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Here are summaries of the regional finals matchups:

First-round results:  BOYS | GIRLS

Second-round results:  BOYS | GIRLS

Regional semifinal results:  BOYS | GIRLS

TOURNAMENT BRACKETS

WEST REGIONAL FINAL

Buchanan CA 79, Chandler AZ 57

For the first time in event history, a California girls program will compete in the final, after Buchanan defeated the only two-time winner in tournament history in Arizona Division 1 champion Chandler High. Vista Murrieta advanced to the inaugural boys championship matchup in 2016, but lost to Auburn High of Alabama. Great Oak reached the boys final in 2018, also losing to Alabama power Hoover. But following an 11-point setback to DeSoto High of Texas in the 2019 regional final, Buchanan not only earned a measure of revenge against the reigning champion Fighting Eagles in the round of eight, but knocked out Chandler for the second time after the Wolves had reached the final three straight years, including winning the tournament in 2017-18. The Bears, who captured an 11th Central Section title in the absence of a CIF state final for the second year in a row, held a six-point advantage against Chandler on the track. But Buchanan continued to rely heavily on its strength in the field events, producing a 35-19 advantage against a well-rounded Wolves’ lineup. New Mexico signee Lauren Fowler won the long jump, Columbia commit Helen Chu prevailed in the triple jump, junior Hannah Butler added a victory in the high jump and sophomore Jordan Leveque led a sweep of the pole vault for the Bears. Although Indiana-bound Makayla Hunter doubled up in the discus throw and shot put for the Wolves, junior Chinyere Egbuziem helped prevent a sweep from a deep Chandler group with second-place finishes in both events for Buchanan, which relied on more exceptional performances from its distance lineup to build the final margin. Sophomores Sydney Sundgren and Grace Hutchison, in addition to Fresno State commit Morgan Hutchison, accounted for 26 points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. Although the Wolves won the 4x100 and 4x400, they couldn’t build momentum elsewhere on the track, as Chandler’s Erykah Garrett split the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles matchups with Fresno State signee Alexa Dandridge. The same scenario occurred in the 100 and 200, with Chandler junior Trinity Henderson and Fowler each earning a victory in showdowns involving two of the country’s top sprinters. Junior Jocelyn Johnson secured the only other victory for Chandler in the 400, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Wolves into a record fourth final, after they managed only a third-place effort in the 800 from Ava Potts as their only distance point.

EAST REGIONAL FINAL

St. Thomas Aquinas FL 88, Miami Northwestern FL 61

The matchup everyone wishes would materialize annually at the Florida High School Athletic Association state meet, but never does because the two programs remain in separate classifications, was showcased again in the dual meet regional final, with an even more definitive outcome than their 2019 showdown. St. Thomas Aquinas, which prevailed by a 76-60 margin to reach the final two years ago, put forth an exceptional display on the track by scoring as many points in those 11 events as Miami Northwestern did in the entire meet. Florida has now been represented in the final four times, with 17-time state champion and nine-time 3A winner Miami Northwestern winning the inaugural tournament in 2016 and falling to Chandler High of Arizona in the rematch in 2017. St. Thomas Aquinas, which lost to DeSoto High of Texas in the 2019 final, returns with another opportunity after capturing a 14th state championship, including the sixth for the Raiders in 4A. Junior Aaliyah Butler continued to perform at an exceptional level for the Bulls, winning the 100, 200 and 400, along with contributing to victory in the 4x400 relay, as both teams ran under 3:50. But Miami Northwestern managed only six points from the rest of its track athletes, including just one in the distance events from a third-place 800 finish by senior Le’nai Hunter, as sophomore Cha’iel Johnson and senior Britney Chatfield took the top two spots for St. Thomas Aquinas in the event, and were supported by 1,600 and 3,200 sweeps from freshman Lindsey Duffner, along with seniors Danielle Martinez and Haley McCloskey. Coastal Carolina commit Alexis Glasco and North Carolina signee Eddiyah Frye took the top two spots in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles for the Raiders, who also won the 4x100 and 4x800 relays. The Bulls held a 35-27 advantage in the field events, including an uncontested sweep of the triple jump, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 35-point deficit on the track against St. Thomas Aquinas. Juniors Me’Kayla Rothmiller and Janist Daniel emerged victorious in the shot put and javelin throw, respectively, for Miami Northwestern, but the Raiders earned wins in the discus throw from freshman Lauren Thomas, the high jump from sophomore Leya Armenteros-Castillo and added eight uncontested points from a pair of pole vaulters. Frye followed her triumph in the 100 hurdles and runner-up effort in the 300 hurdles with another big long jump victory.