Morenci Cross Country finishes in 13th Place at State.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
CAVE CREEK – South Section entrants, champion Benson was seventh (188), runner-up Pima eighth (210), and third place Morenci 13th (276) of 13 teams during the 2024 Division IV state meet on Nov. 2. The meet was held on the Cave Creek Golf Course.
The inaugural Pima cross country team had senior Sadie Richardson at 17th (21:54.20 PR), freshman Kaylen Minor at 54th (24:35.40), sophomore Hinckley Nelson at 62nd (24:56.80), senior Kennedy Minor at 65th (25:28.70), and freshman Jailey Tilley at 100th (29:21.30). The sixth and seventh Roughriders, senior Mia Ashby and senior Ashley Hoopes, finished 105th (32:56.60) and 109th (38:55.20 PR), respectively.
Personal bests were 24:00.90 (Oct. 23) for Richardson, 24:21.40 (Sept. 19) for Kaylen Minor, 24:23.30 (Sept. 19) for Hinckley, 24:30.30 (Oct. 23) for Kennedy Minor, 28:05.40 (Sept. 19) for Tilley and 30:06.40 (Sept. 19) for Ashby.
The Dr. David Woodall-coached Morenci Wildcats scored 276 points, which placed them 13th. In 2023, they finished 11th (259) at Cave Creek Golf Course.
Sophomore Hazel Salinas was 59th (24:47.10), freshman Katerine Escalona 67th (25:34.40), freshman Peytin Corbell 79th (26:36.90 PR), junior Karol Escalona 92nd (27:44.60), and freshman Catalina Garcia 96th (28:46.70 PR).
Personal bests were 23:23.20 (2023) for Salinas, 23:24.20 (2023) for Karol Escalona, and 24:12.50 (Sept. 19, 2024) for Katerine Escalona.
Section champion Benson had junior Rayleigh Olsen at 11th (21:35.60), sophomore Avery Owens at 41st (23:41.30 PR), freshman Savanna Mesa at 58th (24:39.10 PR), junior Araya Stanley at 75th (26:07.30), and freshman Fiona Pralgo at 83rd (26:53.30). The sixth Bobcat, freshman Sasha Canales was 87th (27:19.50).
Personal bests were 21:19.30 (Oct. 12) for Olsen, 24:44.10 (Sept. 27) for Stanley, 26:39.10 (Aug. 30) for Pralgo, and 26:54.40 (Sept. 27) for Canales.
Individual South Section qualifiers included Fort Thomas junior Sadie Harvey in 21st (22:13.00 PR), Tombstone sophomore Kihanna Yocupicio at 45th (24:06.80), Tombstone sophomore Aryianna Canales at 56th (24:38.10), Baboquivari senior Melia Johnson at 70th (25:41.50 PR), Saint Augustine Catholic sophomore Natalia Giron at 82nd (26:48.90), Fort Thomas freshman Breanna Gambler at 85th (27:16.60 PR), and Baboquivari junior Jessica Ortega at 86th (27:19.30 PR).
Personal bests were 23:16.60 (Sept. 19) for Yocupicio, 23:16.90 (Oct. 19) for Giron, 23:34.90 Sept. 27) for Canales, and 27:44.20 (Sept. 19) for Gambler.
The top 10 team finishers were Flagstaff Northland Prep with 61 points (71), Keams Canyon Hopi second (78), North Phoenix Prep third (100), Phoenix Veritas Prep fourth (100), Glendale Prep fifth (156), Flagstaff Basis sixth (163), Benson seventh (188), Pima eighth (210), Kingman Academy ninth (213), and Phoenix Arizona Lutheran 10th (220).
State champion Flagstaff Northland Prep had senior McKenna Marino at seventh (21:01.30), junior Jaelyn Weiss at 12th (21:39.90), sophomore Eva Madsen at 16th (21:52.70), senior Sarah Drexler at 23rd (22:23.50), and senior Luara Drexler at 30th (23:04.80). The sixth Spartan, sophomore Ellery Swan, was 108th (36:03.10 PR).
The top 10 individual state meet placers were Glendale Prep senior Taryn Jannsen with 19:29.30 for first, Phoenix Country Day School freshman Emerson Butler second (20:20.00), Arizona Lutheran senior Ava Wadhwa third (20:24.00), Eagar Round Valley sophomore Callie Hall fourth (20:27.10), Flagstaff Basis junior Jasmine Hall fifth (20:27.40), Hopi sophomore Brook Huma sixth (20:27.50), Northland Prep senior McKenna Marino seventh (21:01.30), North Phoenix Prep freshman Leah Morozovich eighth (21:31.20), Saint Michael Indian junior Leonna Slim ninth (21:33.60), and Wickenburg junior Hurlee Volopich 10th (21:34.40).
