By Greg Perkins Snowflake once again has put together a dominant track team in both the boys’ and girls’ programs. They have completed four meets to date and have placed high as a team in each meet. The teams started their track season at the Saunder Montague Desert Classic held in Queen Creek on March 12. Competing against over 20 teams, the Lobos placed third overall in both the girls’ and the boys’ team scores. Individually athletes placing in the top five of their respective events at this meet were Lydia Szabo who placed fifth in the 200-meter. Ryleigh Smith placed fifth in the 800-meter run. Jaidee Willis was fourth in the Javelin. Lily Lundberg placed second in the high jump. Adelin Flake was third in the high jump. Jessica Stepp finished fifth in the pole vault. Reagon Olson won both the long jump and the triple jump. In the relay events, Sarah Gurr, Lydia Szabo, Eliza Gurr and Reagon Olson placed third in the 4×100-meter relay. Caitlyn King, Alyssa Hall, Mignon Ritz and Lydia Szabo placed fourth in the 4×400-meter relay. Caitlyn King, Hallie Nichols, Haddi Nichols and Alyssa Hall placed third in the 4×800-meter relay. For the boys’ team, Camden Brimhall placed third in the 110-meter hurdles and also finished third in the 300-meter hurdles. Bradly Ruiz was second in the shot put. In the javelin, Mayson McKinlay was third; Tate Hensley, fourth; and Tyler White, fifth. Mason Hunt placed second in the high jump, third in the long jump and second in the triple jump. Hunter Hall was fifth in the triple jump. In the 4×100-meter relay, Lance Christiansen, Heber Espinosa, Camden Brimhall and Mayson McKinlay placed fifth. In the 4×400 meter relay, Mayson McKinlay, Caleb Anson, Heber Espinosa and Kaden Clark placed fifth. In the 4×800-meter relay, Kaden Clark, Noah Fish, Trey Flake and Caleb Anson placed first. At the much smaller Mogollon Invitational held on March 26, the Lobos dominated both the boys’ and girls’ team scores, placing first in the boys with 170.5 and first in the girls with 180 team points. Lydia Szabo, Jaidee Willis, Jessica Stepp, Trystan Hancock, Mayson McKinlay, Camden Brimhall, Bradly Ruiz, Tyler White and Mason Hunt, each won individual events at the small meet. Snowflake also placed first in four of the six relay events. On Wednesday of last week, the Lobo track teams were at the Valley Christian Early qualifier meet along with 12 other teams. The Lobos placed third in both the girls’ and boys’ team scores. Taking first in their respective field events, Kaelynn Hipps won in the discus; Macee LeSueur, javelin; Lily Lunderber, high jump; Hannah Nichols, long jump; Trystan Hancock, triple jump; Mayson McKinlay, javelin; Mason Hunt, high jump; Mason Hunt, long jump; and Stuart West, triple jump. On Saturday, Snowflake returned to the White Mountains and returned to their dominance of the east region teams. The Lobos won the Blue Ridge Invitational meet easily on both the girls’ and the boys’ side. Snowflake girls scored 283 team points; with Poston Butte following in a distant second with 96. Snowflake’s boys’ team scored 311 points, with Show Low a very distant second place with 78.5. Winning in their respective individual events, Sara Gurr, 100-meter; Eliza Gurr, 200-meter; Mignon Ritz, 400-meter and 800-meter; Alyssa Hall, 1,600-meter; Haddie Nichols, 3,200-meter; Jaidee Willis, 100-meter hurdles; Kaylee Traver, 300-meter hurdles; Kaelynn Hipps, discus; Lily Lundberg, high jump; Jessica Stepp, pole vault; and Reagon Olson-Long, triple jump. Also winning in each of their individual events for the boys, Mayson McKinlay, 100-meter; Heber Espinosa, 400-meter; Caleb Anson, 800-meter; Kaden Clark, 1,600-meter; Camden Brimhall, 110-meter hurdles; Bradley Ruiz, shot put; Tyler White, javelin; and Mason Hunt, high jump. Snowflake also placed first in five of the six combined relay events, with the girl’s teams sweeping all three relay events.
