Safford ends 29 of 33 at the state meet
By Raymundo Frasquillo
CAVE CREEK – Morenci finished 14th of 23 teams during the Division IV state meet on Nov. 2. It was held on the Cave Creek Golf Course with senior Trent Nelson placing 44th (18:30.30) of 188 individual participants, freshmen Ryder Nelson 62nd (18:58.00), senior Anthony Heathman 74th (19:13.10), junior Lyndale Waterhouse 117th (20:24.40), and freshman Braxton Merrill 125th (20:38.00). The sixth and seventh Wildcats, freshman Joaquin Ma and junior Aaron Esquivel, were 169th (22:19.50) and 178th (23:23.60), respectively.
Season bests were 18:13.20 (Sept. 19, 2024) for Heathman, 18:22.50 (Oct. 12) for Trent Nelson, and 22:13.60 (Oct. 12) for Esquivel while personal bests were 19:43.30 (Sept. 19) for Ryder Nelson, 20:03.00 (Sept. 14) for Merrill, and 20:33.10 (Oct. 12) for Waterhouse.
Section team champion Baboquivari had junior Noah Segundo in 36th (18:12.80), sophomore Ezekiel Hendricks in 46th (18:32.80), senior Mariano Francisco in 84th (19:29.90), junior Juan Martin in 115th (20:19.50), and freshman Kyler Baptisto in 119th (20:30.70). The sixth and seventh Warriors, sophomore Angel Martinez and senior Cade Widener, were 131st (20:46.10) and 139th (21:47.10), respectively.
Tombstone had senior Landen Pease at 52nd (18:44.10), senior Danary Jackson at 55th (18:47.90 PR), freshman Jason Whipple 78th (19:17.20 PR), freshman Aiden Werkheiser80ith (19:21.20 PR), and sophomore Colton Thursby 147th (21:14.60). The sixth and seventh Yellow Jackets, senior Logan Masters and freshman Chase Davidson were 149th (21:20.30 PR) and 165th (22:09.10), respectively.
Benson had sophomore Jace Myatt at 56th (18:48.70), senior Syric Ramirez at 87th (19:35.50), sophomore Kolten Maxwell at 92nd (19:46.90 PR), junior Emerson Owens at 97th (19:52.60 PR), and junior Makai Pralgo at 153rd (21:35.20). The sixth and seventh Bobcats, sophomore Salomon Crowley and freshman Prisco Capangpangan at 113th (20:17.00) and 142nd (21:00.30), respectively.
The Gregory School had senior Jaxon Maher at 38th (18:19.20), senior Braden Lockaby at 57th (18:49.90), junior Quinn Denhert at 65th (19:02.80), junior Logan Hubble at 132nd (20:49.00), and freshman Roi Gishes at 186th (25:45.40 PR). The sixth Hawk, junior Ben Tweito, was 188th (34:18.70).
Saint Augustine had sophomore Jonathan Ochoa at 42nd (18:29.60), freshman Christopher Carrillo at 152nd (21:31.80), sophomore Hector Medel at 167th (22:10.20), junior Angel De Los Rios at 174th (23:09.70), and sophomore Isaiah Ochoa Gomez at 180th (23:40.60 PR).
The seven individual South Section state qualifiers included Bisbee sophomore Pete Noperi at 90th (19:41.50), Saint David senior Corban Fry 104th (20:29.10), Pima sophomore Oliver McCray 108th (20:08.10), Fort Thomas junior Aiden Victor 109th (20:09.20), Pima junior Keaton Bryce 128th (20:43.20), Bisbee senior Eduardo Navarrete-Martinez 133rd (20:50.20), and Tucson Desert Christian senior Mario Contreras 154th (21:49.40).
The top 10 team finishers were Glendale Prep with 68 points, Flagstaff Northland Prep second (71), Keams Canyon Hopi third (144), Eagar Round Valley fourth (145), Chandler Prep fifth (196), Many Farms sixth (216), Flagstaff Basis seventh (244), North Phoenix Prep eighth (275), Gilbert Classical ninth (297), and Phoenix Arizona Lutheran 10th (312).
State champion Glendale Prep had sophomore Luke Webdale at 15th (17:22.50), junior Daniel Andersen at 16th (17:22.80), freshman Logan Hartman at 22nd (17:38.20 PR), sophomore James Reamer at 33rd (18:04.40), and junior David Vosekalns at 54th (18:47.10). The sixth Griffin, junior Zack Rich, was 58th (18:55.60).
South Section entrants, champion Sells Baboquivari was 11th with 321 points, fourth place Tombstone 12th (336), third place Morenci 14th (342), runner-up Benson 15th (361), fifth place Tucson’s The Gregory School 18th (392), and sixth place Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic 22nd (588).
The top 10 individual state meet placers were Valley Lutheran junior Benjamin Benally with 16:22.80 for first, Chandler Prep senior Josef Iker second (16:32.10), Gilbert Arete Prep senior Max Bruns third (16:43.30), Northland Prep senior Delani Hanson fourth (16:44.20), Northland Prep senior Aaron Nicol fifth (17:00.90), North Phoenix Prep junior Jaiden Ploederl sixth (17:06.10), Saint Michael Indian sophomore Evans Tracey seventh (17:11.10), Phoenix Horizon Honors senior Trey Costello eighth (17:11.60), Hopi junior Hunter Bahnimptewa ninth (17:13.70), and Round Valley senior Preston Myers 10th (17:14.80).
Division III State Finals
The Division III state meet was also held on the Cave Creek Golf Course.
Page placed first of 33 teams with 101 points, Queen Creek American Leadership was second (105), Waddell ALA – West Foothills third (155), Rio Rico fourth (160), Gilbert North ALA fifth (204), Tucson Salpointe Catholic sixth (206), Phoenix Greenway seventh (265), Holbrook eighth (302), Mesa Easkmark ninth (324), and Chinle 10th (344).
South Section entrants, Rio Rico was fourth, Salpointe sixth, Tucson Tanque Verde 11th (395), Tucson Sabino 14th (421), Tucson Catalina 24th (617), Sahuarita Walden Grove 28th (663), Safford 29th (700), and Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian 32nd (842).
Safford had junior Grady Lackner at 80th (17:53.20 SB) of 188 individual participants, senior Andrew Ortega at 82nd (17:54.80 PR), junior Noah Gonzales at 168th (19:08.50 PR), sophomore Kendrick Fritz at 223rd (20:10.10 PR), and sophomore Justin Hatchet at 242nd (20:58.10). The sixth and seventh Bulldogs, freshman Cort Konrath and freshman Karlos Enrico were 245th (21:19.70 PR) and 252nd (22:08.00 PR), respectively.
The seven individual qualifiers included Sahuaro freshman Jacob De Filipo at 70th 17:45.60), Sahuarita sophomore Gabriel Felix at 100th (18:10.20), Sahuarita sophomore Daniel Kibbey at 110th (18:14.10), Palo Verde junior Care Makiir at 162nd (19:04.10), Thatcher freshman Westen Dement at 209th (19:56.10), Empire sophomore Ukiah Dziadosz at 226th (20:11.20), and Empire senior Jeffery (Taylor) Zobell did not participate.
State champion Page had junior Simon Martin second (15:39.90), sophomore Nyall Prather at 20th (16:34.40), junior Maximus Reid at 22nd (16:38.90 PR), sophomore Jaiden Jordan at 24th (16:39.00), and junior Desmond Goldtooth at 40th (17:00.60). The sixth and seventh Sand Devils, freshman Justin Rivers and sophomore Alek Scott, were 53rd (17:21.20) and 55th (17:23.40), respectively.
