Thatcher girls capture Willcox meet title
By Raymundo Frasquillo
BAYARD – Morenci returned from “the Land of Enchantment” with season-best times for the four participants in the New Mexico Bayard Cobre Invitational on Sept. 14.
Sophomore Hazel Salinas clocked in at 23:54.00 for 12th of 39 entrants, sophomore Karol Escalona was 21st (26:09.00), freshman Peytin Corbell 26th (27:40.00), and freshman Katerine Escalona 35th (34:19.00).
Eight New Mexico schools were represented, including Cliff, Cobre, Deming, Las Cruces, Las Cruces Mayfield, Santa Teresa, Silver City’s Silver, and Truth or Consequences Hot Springs; two from Arizona in Morenci and Tombstone; and one from Texas in El Paso Irvin.
Four schools had a full team: Mayfield had 21 points for first place, Las Cruces was second (51), Cobre was third (71), and Irvin was fourth (87).
The top five finishers were Las Cruces Mayfield senior Alena Castillo with 22:22.00, followed by Silver junior Nyssa Torres (22:41.00), Las Cruces junior Sofia Amato (22:43.00), Mayfield senior Layla Lazarrin (22:59.00), and Silver junior Danity Gore (23:09.00).
Las Cruces Organ Mountain Class of 2017 grad Renee Baldwin set the course record of 20:49.00 on Sept. 20, 2014, as a freshman.
Willcox Invitational – Girls Varsity
The final race of the day, the varsity girls, began around 5:30 p.m. and the shadows were long by the time the final participant crossed the finish line on Sept. 11.
Thatcher was the first-place team with 39 points, followed by Morenci (51), Pima (60), and Fort Thomas (75).
Pima senior Sadie Richardson negotiated the course west of the Coronado Vineyards in 24:43.50. Benson junior Rayleigh Olsen (24:58.12) was second, Fort Thomas junior Sadie Harvey (25:58.15) third, Thatcher junior Jade Richardson (26:09.00) fourth, and Tombstone sophomore Kihanna Yocupicio (26:09.78) fifth.
Morenci Class of 2021 grad Kayla O’Connell left her time of 22:28.40 as a junior during the Oct. 15, 2019 meet.
The Thatcher Eagles were the first-place team, with Jade Richardson, sophomore Emily Welker 11th (27:56.21), sophomore Addison Williams 12th (28:17.36), junior Savanna Kartchner 15th (28:49.92), and senior Lizzy Bauman 16th (29:02.38). Sixth and seventh runners Nataly Walter and Sophie Martinez were 18th (29:27.63) and 21st (30:44.67), respectively.
Morenci came in second with Salinas finishing seventh (27:03.49), Katerine Escalona eighth (27:22.91), Karol Escalona 14th (28:39.99), Corbell 19th (29:43.90), and freshman Catalina Garcia 26th (32:52.61).
Third place Pima had Sadie Richardson, freshman Kaylen Minor ninth (27:28.36), senior Kennedy Minor 17th (29:12.78), senior Mia Ashby 27th (33:36.41), and freshman Jailey Tilley 29th (34:15.03).
Fort Thomas ended fourth with Sadie Harvey, junior Makayla Chapman 23rd (32:01.17), freshman Breanna Gambler 24th (32:09.83), senior Adaia Lorenzo 25th (32:0.08), and freshman Tia Harvey 30th (35:17.81). The sixth and seventh Apaches, junior Talia Pike and senior Ashante Cheney were 31st (35:26.14) and 32nd (36:49.02), respectively.
Schools represented without a full team (five participants) were Benson, Tombstone, Douglas, and Safford.
Ana Bojorqez of Douglas was sixth (28:18.49), Benson junior Araya Stanley 10th (27:44.06), Tombstone sophomore Ayrianna Canez 13th (28:38.89), Benson freshman Sasha Canales 20th (29:47.07), Benson freshman Savanna Mesa 22nd (31:21.01), and Safford freshman Krista Zale 28th (34:01.39).
Morenci Class of 2021 grad Kayla O’Connell has the current meet record time of 22:28.40 set as a sophomore on Oct. 15, 2019.
Willcox Invitational – Girls Open
Thatcher junior Clara Barron was first in the Girls Open race with a 28:14.12 time in a field of 29 participants, with 17 from Thatcher, eight from Sells Baboquivari, three from Fort Thomas, and one from Tombstone.
