Thatcher girls first, Pima third in Benson meet
By Raymundo Frasquillo
GREENLEE COUNTY – Eleven teams have indicated they will participate in the 2026 Copper Hills Classic. Joining Morenci on the Greenlee Country Club Course, 510 Country Club Road, will be Benson, Bisbee, Eloy Santa Cruz, Fort Thomas, Pima, Safford, San Carlos, Thatcher, Tombstone, and Willcox.
The top runners from each school are Benson freshman Brenna McFadden (20:18.0 PR, Sept. 30), Thatcher junior Brightyn Stevens third (21:24.0 PR, Oct. 7), Pima sophomore Jacey Tilley sixth (22:31.0 PR, Oct. 14), San Carlos senior Malia Antonio (22:57.3 PR, Oct. 3), Morenci sophomore Arris Hooper 15th (23:26.0 PR, Oct. 14), Fort Thomas sophomore Alanah Harvey (23:33.3 PR, Sept. 30), Tombstone senior Kihanna Yocupicio (23:34.7 PR, Aug. 28), Willcox sophomore Katelyn Millenaar 25th (24:24.0 PR, Oct. 14), Safford sophomore Charity Dalton (25:05.8 PR, Sept. 30), Santa Cruz freshman Ileana Herrera (26:38.7 PR, Sept. 2), and Bisbee sophomore Leilani Ochoa (32:16.0 PR, Sept. 30).
The state qualifying Rio Rico-held sectional is on Nov. 4.
Benson Invitational (Oct. 14)
There were 15 schools represented in Benson, with only eight having a full team.
Thatcher was first with 47 points, Empire second (76), Pima third (88), Benson fourth (102), San Carlos fifth (113), Fort Thomas sixth (128), Saint Augustine Catholic seventh (147), and Globe eighth (189).
Morenci (4), Tombstone (4), Tucson Desert View (4), Sierra Vista American Leadership (4), Safford, Willcox 11, Bisbee, Saint David, Tucson ASDB,
Individually, Benson freshman Brenna McFadden was first of 68 in 20:28.0 PR. She is third behind Class of 2026 Bobcat meet record holder Rayleigh Olsen of 20:18.6 (Sept. 18, 2025) and Empire Class of 2030 Raven Eshe Stockton of 20:22.9 (Sept. 18, 2025).
The rest of the Top 10 included Empire sophomore Eshe Stockton was second (20:39.0), Thatcher junior Brightyn Stevens third (21:35.0), Thatcher junior Madi Lunt fourth (21:45.0 PR), Sierra Vista ALA freshman Clara Curtis fifth (22:27.0), Pima sophomore Jacey Tilley sixth (22:31.0 PR), Pima sophomore Ella Ashby seventh (22:35.0 PR), Thatcher senior Addison Williams eighth (22:39.0 PR), Benson sophomore Arden Tucker ninth (22:48.0 PR), and Thatcher sophomore Lillie Aranda 10th (22:59.0 PR).
Meet winner Thatcher – 47; also had sophomore Zoe Ochoa 32nd/24 pts. (24:56.0). The sixth and seventh Eagles, freshman Kate Gibson and junior Macady Kartchner, were 35th/25 pts. (25:04.0 PR) and 37th/26 pts. (25:12.0 PR), respectively.
Runner-up Empire – 76 also had freshman Ianna Cochran 12th/11 pts. (23:07.0), freshman Taylor Bryner 20th/15 pts. (23:44.0), junior Penelope Matthews 23rd/18 pts. (24:15.0), and junior Sophia Karn 43rd/30 pts. (25:49.0). The sixth Raven, freshman Cameron Rupel, was 50th/36 pts. (26:38.0).
Third place Pima – 88 also had junior Kaylen Minor 11th/10 pts. (23:07.0 PR), senior Page Ashby 45th/32 pts. (26:06.0 PR), and freshman Macie Nelson 49th/35 pts. (26:29.0 PR). The sixth and seventh Roughriders, senior Taylor Payne and junior Jailey Tilley, were 51st/38 pts. (27:08.0) and 54th/40 pts. (27:32.0), respectively.
Fourth place Benson – 102 also had junior Sasha Canales 22nd/17 pts. (24:07.0), freshman Sofie Marquez 39th/28 pts. (25:36.0 PR), and freshman Allyson Olsen 63rd/48 pts. (29:28.0 PR). The sixth Bobcat, freshman Natalie Stearns, was 68th/50 pts. (34:36.0).
Fifth place San Carlos – 113 had senior Malia Antonio 13th/12 pts. (23:10.0), sophomore Samirah Ailak 19th/14 pts. (23:35.0), sophomore Olivia Haozous 24th/19 pts. (24:17.50), Deznae Nzeukou (1255) 41st/29 pts. (25:39.0), and sophomore Kyra Browning 53rd/39 pts. (27:24.0). The sixth and seventh Braves, freshman Kaydence Harney and senior Seanice Patten, were 55th/41 pts. (27:39.0) and 60th/45 pts. (28:44.0), respectively.
Sixth place: Fort Thomas – 128 had sophomore Alanah Harvey 21st/16 pts. (23:58.0), sophomore Maya Kessay 26th/20 pts. (24:25.0), junior Leiynn Wesley 38th/27 pts. (25:31.0 PR), junior Tyrekia Harvey 44th/31 pts. (25:58.0), and senior Breanna Gambler 48th/34 pts. (26:22.0). Sixth and seventh Apaches, seniors Corey Cody and Alycia Sanchez, were 56th/42 pts. (27:42.0 PR) and 57th/43 pts. (27:58.0), respectively.
Seventh place: Saint Augustine Catholic – 147; senior Natalia Giron 14th/13 pts. (23:14.0), junior Natalie Reyna 27th/21 pts. (24:34.0), junior Sevina Paz 31st/23 pts. (24:55.0), senior Evelyn Reyes 59th/44 pts. (28:25.0), and junior Mariana Giron 61st/46 pts. (287:58.0).
Eighth place Globe – 189 had sophomore Laak’os Parsons 30th/22 pts. (24:50.0), freshman Nayeli Antonio 47th/33 pts. (26:18.0), freshman Danielle Hosay 52nd/38 pts. (27:09.0), senior Carina Garcia 62nd/47 pts. (29:04.0), and senior Sage Parsons 65th/49 pts. (31:29.0).
The non-full teams, Morenci (4) had sophomore Arris Hooper 15th (23:26.0 PR), senior Hazel Salinas 16th (23:31.0), freshman Danielle Ellington 17th (23:31.0), and freshman Raeleigh Lucero 18th (23:34.0 PR); Tombstone (4) had sophomores Taylor Murray 28th (24:42.0 PR), Samantha Meza 33rd (24:57.0 PR), Hailey Yocupicio 42nd (25:41.0), and Isabel Aguilar 46th (26:17.0); Sierra Vista ALA (3) also had freshman Francesca Nash 29th (24:45.0), freshman Jaida-Marie De La Cruz 66th (33:25.0), and sophomore Shayla Mungarro 67th (34:10.0); Willcox (2) had sophomore Katelyn Millenaar 25th (24:24.0 PR) and junior Miriam Roger 58th (28:07.0); and Desert View (4) had sophomore Amor Flores Olvera 34th (24:59.0), sophomore Gabriela Barrera Torres 36th (25.05.0), junior Amelia Galorza Laska 40th (25:38.0), and sophomore Maria Galaviz 64th (30:29.0).
In the Girls Open Run, Thatcher freshman Allie Henry finished first of 15 with a personal best of 25:38.0.
