Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Forty-seven girls negotiated the first turn of the 5K Discovery Park course. Participants represented 14 schools during the Oct. 11 run. Thatcher placed seventh of 23 teams as 140 participants from 27 schools ran in Tucson on Oct. 14. Benson was 12th and Morenci 14th. The Wildcats will be hosting their 8th Copper Hill Invitational at the Greenlee Golf Course on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
Thatcher girls capture first in own meet
By Raymundo Frasquillo
GREENLEE COUNTY – The 8th Morenci Copper Hill Invitational, the fourth at the Greenlee Golf Course, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
Teams from Benson, Fort Thomas, Morenci, Thatcher, and Tombstone are registered for the 5,000-meter run. The starting time for varsity girls is 2 p.m., varsity boys 2:30 p.m., and an open run at 3 p.m. Awards are slated for 3:45 p.m.
Last year, Thatcher finished first with 26 points while runner-up Poston Butte had 33.
Individually, Poston Butte sophomore Cailin Sagnimeni came in first of 33 with a time of 21 minutes, 9.57 seconds. Willcox sophomore Ainsley Hepworth was second (21:25.72) and Thatcher freshman Jade Richardson was third (21:39.41).
Thatcher won the 2021 meet, outscoring runner-up Benson by 30 points, 20-50. San Carlos was third with 75 points and Safford fourth (99).
Individually, Thatcher sophomore Sedona Nelson was first (20:47.00) of 35, Benson sophomore Ella Allred second (21:03.00), and Morenci sophomore Valeria Zegarra third (21:15.00).
Thatcher won the 2020 meet, 35-44 over Benson. Morenci was third with 60 points and Safford fourth (97).
Individually, Morenci senior Kayla O’Connell topped a field of 35 with a 21:23.00 clocking, followed by Tombstone freshman Reagan McGuire (22:45.00) and Thatcher sophomore Maren Hatch (22:47.00).
Thatcher outpaced three other teams in 2018, scoring 30 points. Morenci was second (58), Tombstone third (66), and Safford fourth (75).
Individually, Morenci sophomore Kayla O’Connell came in first (24:00.00) of 26, Thatcher sophomore Ashlyn McMaster second (24:30.00), and Thatcher junior Hailey Udall third (25:02.00).
Thatcher was first with 21 points in 2017, San Carlos second (43), Willcox third (69), and Safford fourth (99).
Individually, Thatcher senior Lily Richardson was first (24:34.00) of 26, Morenci senior second (25:38.00), and Thatcher sophomore Elliana Windsor third (26:19.00).
Thatcher set meet records during the inaugural Copper Hill Invitational in Morenci (Oct. 5, 2016). Four of 40 girls turned in personal-best times and eight had season-best markings.
The Eagles finished ahead of five other varsity teams, with 31 points. Morenci was second with 67 points, followed by New Mexico Silver (69), New Mexico Cobre (73), Willcox (135), and San Carlos (152). Tombstone had two participants and Fort Thomas had one.
Individually, Cobre senior Skylar Jones set the pace with a 22.15 clocking, followed by Thatcher junior Lily Richardson (23.05), Silver senior Sammantha Larisch (23.44), Thatcher freshman Elliana Windsor (23.54), and Morenci junior Paige Morales (24.09).
Thatcher had 21 points in the second meet (Oct. 4, 2017) to earn the title. San Carlos was second with 43 points and Willcox third (69). Tombstone had four participants, Morenci three, and Cobre one. Fort Thomas and Silver did not attend.
Individually, Thatcher senior Lily Richardson finished ahead of 25 other runners in 24 minutes, 34 seconds; Morenci senior Paige Morales was second (25:38), and Thatcher sophomore Elliana Windsor third (26:19).
Thatcher won its third straight meet title (Oct. 3, 2018), scoring 30 points or 28 fewer than runner-up and host Morenci (58).
Individually, Morenci sophomore Kayla O’Connell outpaced 32 runners as she broke Lily Richardson’s 2017 winning mark (24:34) with a clocking of 24:00. Thatcher sophomore Ashlyn McMaster finished second (24:30), Thatcher junior Hailey Udall third (25:02), and Safford senior Sabrina Gutierrez fourth (25:19).
Thatcher Cross Country Invitational
Nine schools were represented at Discovery Park, but only five fielded a full team on Oct. 11.
Division III – Southern Section Thatcher (40) placed first with 21 points or 31 fewer than runner-up Division I – Southwest Section Queen Creek (52).
New Mexico Silver was third with 84 points, and Division IV – South Section schools Morenci and Fort Thomas were fourth with 87 and fifth with 129, respectively.
Four other schools also had participants competing with four members apiece, including Division IV – South Section Benson, Division III – South Globe, Division IV – South Tombstone, and New Mexico Bayard Cobre.
Individually, Thatcher senior Sedona Nelson placed first of 47 in 22 minutes, 42.66 seconds, Benson senior Ella Allred second at 22:53.89, and Queen Creek junior Madison Hunter third with 23:01.13.
1st (21) – Thatcher Eagles (7)
Senior Sedona Nelson placed first (22:42.66) for one point, sophomore Jade Richardson fourth (23:06.78) for three points, senior Sophie Welker fifth (23:26.18) for four points, senior Brooklyn Dorr seventh (23:36.20) for six points, and senior Danielle Welker eighth (23:39.17) for seven points.
The sixth and seventh Eagles were freshman London Rhoton 11th (25:07.02), and freshman Emily Welker 19th (26:05.06), respectively.
2nd (52 points) – Queen for Creek Bulldogs (7)
Junior Madison Hunter placed third (23:01.13) for two points, sophomore Hadlee Hardt sixth (23:27.13) for five points, senior Danika Douglas 12th (25:11.98) for 10 points, senior Nadia Rosales 20th (26:17.36) for 15 points, and sophomore Jolie Hatch 26th (27:17.23) for 20 points.
The sixth and seventh Bulldogs were freshman Amelia Ripperdan 28th (28:01.84) and junior Bailey MacDonald 35th (31:03.95), respectively.
3rd (84) – Silver Fighting Colts (7)
Sophomore Nyssa Torres was ninth (24:40.61) for eight points, sophomore Areena Rogers 21st (26:26.10) for 16 points, senior Alaina Sedillo 23rd (26:42.22) for 18 points, sophomore Zenelle Rendleman 25th (26:43.59) for 19 points, and junior Kathryn Woodward 30th (25:39.64) for 23 points.
The sixth and seventh Fighting Colts were eighth grader Juliana Licht (31:36.95) and junior Addison Drennan (32:09.23), respectively.
4th (87) Morenci Wildcats (5)
Freshman Hazel Salinas was 17th (26:04.74) for 12 points, freshman Karol Escaloya 18th (26:05.06) for 13 points, senior Valeria Zegarra 22nd (26:39.62) for 17 points, sophomore Alicia Ahumada 27th (27:24.01) for 21 points, and sophomore Emma Kerrigan 34th (30:34.17) for24 points.
5th (129) Fort Thomas Apaches (5)
Sophomore Sadie Harvey was 13th (25:40.79) for 11 points, senior Tyesha Wilson 40th (32:52.94) for 28 points, senior Kayrie Kindelay 42nd (33:01.66) for 29 points, freshman Corey Cody 45th (36:16.42) for 30 points, and sophomore Talia Pike 47th (40:03.16) for 31 points.
Benson Bobcats (4)
Senior Ella Allred placed second (22:53.89), senior Willow Pralgo 10th (24:54.27), sophomore Olsen Rayleigh 15th (25:52.68), and sophomore Araya Stanley 33rd (30:16.14).
Tombstone Yellow Jackets (4)
Senior Cora Lehman was 16th (26:01.67), senior Elya Wildgen 24th (26:43.28), freshman Kihanna Yocupicio 29th (28:09.32), and freshman Ayrianna Canez 41st (32:53.43).
Globe Tigers (4)
Sophomore Isabel Rascon-Perez was 31st (29:42.48), freshman Carina Garcia 32nd (30:13.30), junior Nevaeh Guerrero 43rd (33:33.01), and senior Brianna Seletstewa 46th (37:59.32).
Cobre Indians (4)
Junior Analissa Tovar was 14th (25:49.23), sophomore Micah Joe Huerta 36th (31:18.30), sophomore Itzel Valdez 39th (32:20.47), and eighth grader Yalexi Valdez 44th (33:59.47).
