Thatcher track girls dominate in Benson
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SAFFORD – The Safford Rotary track meet will have 18 teams on Friday, April 17. The field events begin at 10 a.m. and the running events at 11 a.m. on Herman BB Andrews Track and Field.
Joining Division IV host Safford are Division III Douglas and Sahuarita; Division IV Globe, Holbrook, Payson, and Thatcher; Division V Benson, Bisbee, Duncan, Morenci, Pima, Saint David, San Carlos, San Simon, Tucson Desert Christian, and Willcox; and New Mexico District 3 Silver.
Safford Rotary Track Invitational (April 17)
Records:
Eleven records were broken in 2025, six in the eight running events, three in the seven field events, and two in the three relays.
Individual running event record holders are Queen Creek sophomore Amaya Rodgers in the 100 (12.42a, 2025) and 200 (26.20a, 2025), Queen Creek junior Kylee Blair in the 400 (59.63, 2025), Queen Creek junior Hadlee Hardt in the 800 (2:31.68, 2025), Benson senior Ella Allred in the 1600 (5:46.98, 2024), Douglas senior Ana Bojorquez in the 3200 (13:18.93, 2025), Pima junior Sadie Richardson in the 100 hurdles (16.31a, 2024), and Benson junior Rayleigh Owen in the 300 hurdles (46.75, 2025).
The field event record holders are Round Valley junior Sydnee Finch in the shot put (480-7.5, 2024), Safford sophomore JayCee Gable in the discus (110-4, 2025), Sahuarita junior Camila Villalobos in the javelin (110-11, 2024), Thatcher junior Susie Mack in the high jump (5-1, 2024), Queen Creek sophomore Brinley Sessions in the pole vault (10-6, 2025), Morenci sophomore Tracy Mianda in the long jump (16-3, 2025), and Pima junior Sadie Richardson in the triple jump (34-7, 2024).
Three different schools have records in the relays, Queen Creek in the 4×100 (49.05a PR, 2025) with junior Kylee Blair, junior Shaniah Gray, freshman Amaya Rodgers, and junior Nya Campbell; Queen Creek in the 4×400 (4:16.97 PR, 2025) with Blair, Gray, sophomore Addison Gibson, and Rodgers; and Sahuarita in the 4×800 (10:58.71a, 2024) with senior Juliana Silvester, sophomore Kylie Gallego, senior Angela Stinnett, and sophomore Naomi Taylor.
Division IV Safford
The top Bulldogs in running events to date are freshman Bria Klajda in the 100 (13.73 PR, April 10) and 200 (28.13 PR, March 21), and sophomore Kailana Beck in the 300 hurdles (51.54 PR, April 10).
Field events: junior JayCee Gable in the shot put (31-1, April 10) and Discus (103-2, April 3); freshman Alejandra Moreno in the javelin (68-2 PR, Feb. 28); junior Alecia Torres in the high jump (4-10, March 6), long jump (15-7.25 PR, April 3), and triple jump (30-7.5 PR, March 21); and sophomore Fiona Pralgo in the pole vault (8-6 PR, April 3).
The 4×100 relay (53.47 PR, March 20) has Beck, junior Amiyah Holguin, Klajda, and sophomore Carlirae Granados.
Jerry Lee Invitational (April 11)
Division IV Thatcher placed first with 268.5 points.
Senior Kylia Nelson (1st – HJ, 4-10; 1st – LJ, 16-11.5; 1st – TJ, 34-9; 3rd – PV, 9-0) totaled 36 points, senior Tyla Bryce (1st – 100H, 16.706a SB; 2nd – 300H, 50.11; 1st – 4×100 R, 51.43a; 1st – 4×400 R, 4:21.73a) 23, senior Taizlee Taylor (2nd – 100, 13.17a; 2nd – 200, 27.22a; 5th – 400, 1:02.97a PR; 1st – 4×100 R, 51.43a) 22.5, senior Jade Richardson (2nd – 400, 1:01.29a; 3rd – 200, 27.38a; 4th – 100, 13.43a; 1st – 4×400 R, 4:21.73a) 21.5, sophomore Amy Maybury (2nd – HJ, 4-8; 3rd – TJ, 33-0; 5th – LJ, 15-2.75) 18, freshman Zoe Ochoa (1st – 800, 2:34.25a PR; 6th – TJ, 29-10.25) and sophomore Brightyn Stevens (2nd – 100H, 17.22a PR; 4th – 300H, 52.30a) 13 apiece, junior Marley Homer (7th – 200, 28.60a; 1st – 4×100 R, 51.43a; 5th – LJ, 15-3; 5th – TJ, 31-10.5) 12.5, senior Lanie Larson (1st – 4×100 R, 51.43a; 1st – 4×400 R, 4:21.73a; 3rd – 400, 1:01.78a; 8th – 100, 13.69a) 12, junior Emily Welker (4th – 100H, 17.89a; 5th – 300H, 52.72a; 7th – LJ, 15-1.25) and sophomore Dalia Sanchez (3rd – 3200, 14:37.48a; 4th – 1600, 6:35.42a) both 11, junior Lillie Welker (1st – 4×400 R, 4:21.73a; 3rd – 300H, 50.30a) 8.5, senior Clara Barton (5th – 800, 2:55.07a; 5th – javelin, 80-0), senior Londyn Taylor (2nd – PV, 9-0), junior Addison Williams (2nd – 3200, 14:06.31a), and sophomore Jordin Bedford (5th – 100, 13.45a; 5th – 200, 27.88a) eight apiece, senior Sophie Martinez (3rd – HJ, 4-4) and junior Liv Barron (3rd – javelin, 98-11) six apiece, senior Sadie Dorr (5th – PV, 8-6), junior Taylor Payne (7th – 3200, 15:23.16a PR; 7th – PV, 8-0), junior London Rhoton (5th – 800, 2:54.64a), sophomore Madi Lunt (5th – 3200, 15:01.56a), and sophomore Allie Curtis (5th – SP, 25-5 PR) four apiece, junior Olivia Scott (6th – 1600, 6:52.70a) three, junior Evelyn Bull (7th – javelin, 77-6 SB) two, and freshman Giana Jaurigue (8th – SP, 24-8) one.
Division V Pima had 93 points for second.
Senior Hanna Ashby (1st – 100, 12.98a PR; 1st – 200, 26.54a; 1st – 400, 1:00.42a PR; 2nd – LJ, 15-7.5) contributed 38 points, senior Brynn Kartchner (1st – SP, 34-2 PR) and, junior Cheyenne Alder (1st – PV, 9-6) 10 apiece, freshman Ella Ashby (4th – 800, 2:49.74a PR; 7th – 400, 1:06.19a; 7th – 1600, 6:55.80a PR) nine, senior McKynna Walker (2nd – D, 95-7 SB) eight. freshman Avalon Johnson (5th – HJ, 4-4; 7th – 100H, 20.01a PR) six, freshman Rylin Cluff (4th – HJ, 4-4 PR) five, senior Stephanie Casey (5th – D, 88-2) four, sophomore Ellie Raley (6th – HJ, 4-0) three, sophomore Kera Clifford (7th – TJ, 28-9) two.
Division V Morenci had 47 points to place sixth.
Junior Hazel Salina (1st – 1600, 6:26.44a) scored 10 points, senior Rozlyn Funari (2nd – javelin, 99-3) and sophomore Catalina Garcia (4th – SP, 29-1 PR; 6th – D, 81-7 PR) eight apiece, junior Kaylee Wiggins (3rd – 100H, 17.82a PR; 8th – 300H, 56.72a) seven, sophomore Tracy Mianda (3rd – LJ, 15-6.25) six, freshman Aris Hooper (4th – 400, 1:02.12a PR) five, and junior Avery Wiltbank (6th – 100H, 19.66a) three.
Division V Willcox had 43 points for seventh.
Junior Paislee Adams (2nd – 4×100, 54.25a; 4th – LJ, 15-3.25; 7th – 100, 13.67a) contributed nine points, senior Cienna Ward (3rd – 1600, 6:33.80a PR; 6th – 4×400, 5:14.80a) and freshman Katelyn Millenaar (5th – 1600, 6:51.58a; 6th – 4×400, 5:14.80a; 7th – 800, 2:58.22a PR; 8th – 100H, 20.08a PR) 7.5 apiece, senior Darielys Ruiz (2nd – 4×100, 54.25a; 4th – TJ, 32-3.5) 7, sophomore Emilia Warner (2nd – 4×100, 54.25a; 6th – 4×400, 5:14.80a) and freshman Era Risher (6th – 4×400, 5:14.80a; 7th – 1600, 6:55.80a PR) 3.5 each, freshman Grace Flanders (7th – HJ, 4-0) and freshman Camry Thompson (2nd – 4×100, 54.25a;) 2 apiece, and senior Hayden Faccio (6th – 4×400, 5:14.80a) 1.5.
Team Placements
Division IV Thatcher was first with 268.5 points, Division V Pima second (93), Division V Benson third (50), Division V Tombstone fourth (48), Division III Douglas fifth (47.5), Division V Morenci sixth (47), Division V Willcox seventh (43), Division V Bisbee eighth (21), Division V Saint David 9th (19), Division V San Simon 10th (11), and Division V Tucson Saint Augustine 11th (6).
Division V Eloy Santa Cruz Union did not score,
Individual Champions
Thirteen of 18 records were re-set, with Pima junior Hanna Ashby breaking her 2025 mark (200) and running quicker for two others (100, 400); Pima junior Cheyenne Alder clearing three more inches in the pole vault, and Benson senior Rayleigh Owen resetting her 2025 mark in the 100 hurdles.
Individual running event champions were Pima junior Hanna Ashby in the 100 (12.98a PR), 200 (25.54a), and 400 (1:00.42a PR); Thatcher freshman Zoe Ochoa in the 800 (2:34.25a PR); Morenci junior Hazel Salinas in the 1600 (6:26.44a); Bisbee junior Shajae Bailey in the 3200 (13:46.98a PR); Thatcher senior Tyla Bryce in the 100 hurdles (16.70a PR), and Benson senior Rayleigh Owen in the 300 hurdles (46.65a PR).
The field event champions were Pima senior Brynn Kartchner in the shot put (34-2 PR); Tombstone junior Sabrina Willey in the discus (98-3); Saint David junior Camber Jacquez in the javelin (103-1); Thatcher senior Kylia Nelson in the high jump (4-10), long jump (16-11.5), and triple jump (34-9); and Pima junior Cheyenne Alder in the pole vault (9-6).
Two different schools placed first in the relays, Thatcher in the 4×100 (51.43a) of four finishing with senior Tyla Bryce, junior Marley Homer, senior Taizlee Taylor, and senior Lanie Larson; and in the 4×400 (4:21.73a) of three with Bryce, senior Jade Richardson, Larson, and junior Lillie Welker; and Tombstone in the 4×800 (11:48.80a) of two with freshman Hailey Yocupicio, freshman Isabelle Aguilar, freshman Samantha Meza, and junior Kihana Yocupicio.
