Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: The Eagles’ girls finished first in the Thatcher Invitational Cross Country meet at Discovery Park on Sept. 11. The first five runners were each in the top nine to give Thatcher 28 points for first place of six teams. Members and order of finish were freshman Camille Bryce fourth (24:15), senior Elliana Windsor fifth (24:38), junior Ashlyn McMaster seventh (25:06), junior Rachel Richardson eighth (25:32), and senior Hailey Udall ninth (25:45). The sixth and seventh Eagles, senior Paisley Layton and freshman Felicity Lunt came in 15th (28:05) and 17th (28:50), respectively.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SAFFORD – The Chris Cook-coached Thatcher cross country girls had five finishes in the top nine. It gave the Eagles 28 points to place first of six teams in their own meet at Discovery Park on Sept. 11.
San Carlos was second with 60 points, Benson third (83), Tombstone fourth (99), Saint David fifth (100), and Fort Thomas sixth (134). Morenci and Miami both had two entrants and Willcox one.
Morenci junior Kayla O’Connell placed first of 41 runners in 22 minutes, 35 seconds or 57 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Benson sophomore Amity Hall, with 23:32. O’Connell and Hall turned in runs of 23:54.06 and 24:43.01, respectively, in 2018. San Carlos freshman Chloe Wiley was third (23:57).
Thatcher freshman Camille Bryce was fourth (24:15), senior Elliana Windsor fifth (24:38), junior Ashlyn McMaster seventh (25:06), junior Rachel Richardson eighth (25:32), and senior Hailey Udall ninth (25:45). The sixth and seventh Eagles, senior Paisley Layton and Felicity Lunt came in 15th (28:05) and 17th (28:50), respectively.
The other four scorers for San Carlos were Marissa Barrasa at sixth (24:55), junior Shanaya Victor at 12th (26:46), sophomore Teshina Nosie at 23rd (31:25), and junior Kayani Case at 27th (31:54). Runner number six, sophomore Jodi King, finished 33rd (34:38).
Benson’s quintet also included freshman Siarra Wilson at 10th (26:00), senior Dalia Moroyoqui at 13th (27:11), sophomore Delma Santiago at 31st (33:52), and freshman Brooke Schmidt at 39th (39:28).
Tombstone’s pack was junior Jessika Howard at 14th (37:53), junior Jessy Bowser at 18th (29:06), senior Clair Smith at 22nd (30:52), sophomore Bryanna Givens at 26th (31:35), and junior Emma Penrose at 35th (35:02).
Saint David sophomore Mayden Tilton was 11th (26:28), senior Zoey White 20th (30:01), junior Alana Jones 26th (31:44), junior Destinee Averill 29th (32:39), and senior Akira Jones 30th (32:40). The sixth Tiger, junior Ashlee Romero, was 37th (39:03).
Fort Thomas freshman Kenia McCabe finished 24th (31:31), sophomore Chasinee Stanley 28th (32:11), freshman McKenna Rogers 32nd (33:55), junior Kylee Logan 34th (35:01), and freshman Marilyn Guardado 36th (38:34). The other two Apaches, junior Kayla Olivar, and senior Taylor Cobb were 40th (44:00) and 41st (45:03), respectively.
Morenci freshman Hannah Silvester ended 16th (28:48), Miami junior Jalen Pike 19th (29:16) and senior Mycala Stapleton 21st (30:35), and Willcox freshman Allison Wilson 38th (39:12).
Morenci at Cobre Invitational
O’Connell clocked in first (22:00.00) of 17 entrants in Bataan Park at Fort Bayard Sept. 14. She was third (23:46.40) of 16 entrants in 2018.
Silvester was eighth (27.36.20) and freshman Keirah Chee 13th (29:55.00). Freshman Sara Gray was seventh of nine junior varsity runners (42:53.00).
Morenci at Desert Solstice Invitational
Morenci was one of 68 schools represented in Marana Mountain View’s Desert Solstice Invitational at Crooked Tree Golf Course Sept. 6. The Wildcats were in neither the Gold portion (1-4 runners) nor the Blue (5-8).
O’Connell came first of 98 juniors with 21:52.00. She was 21st (22:29.76) of 104 finishers in 2018.
Silvester was 49th (26:58.3) and Chee 77th (29:49.4) of 126 freshmen, and Andrea Navarrete 86th (43:47.9) of 87 seniors.
A pair of Tucson Desert View entrants, freshman Emily Littlefield (22:15.10) and senior Julia Nelson (20:48.00) finished first in their respective races.
Morenci is at the Second Juan Reyes Invitational in Laveen on Saturday, Sept. 21, in Willcox on Sept. 24 and in Casa Grande on Friday, Sept. 27, before hosting the Copper Hills Invitational on Oct. 2.
