This week we preview the field events. Though, we are only 30 days out, we are waiting on confirmation on a few teams. Therefore, we will not include those athletes, unless we know for sure they are attending:
Vertical Jumps:
Last year the boys pole vault was the highlight field event of the meet, and to some degree the entire meet, with three athletes over 16’0 for only the second time in Arizona History. This year, the boys high jump could be the event to watch.
Long Beach’s Vincent Calhoun along with North Canyon Bryant O’Georgia will attempt to be the second jumper over 7’0” in Rotary History. Others to watch include Justice Sumers from Marana Mt. View and Tim Ryan of Sedona Red Rock.
On the girls side Ashlee Moore, of Hamilton comes in with the best mark from last year at 5’8”, but there are two sophomores that cleared 5’6” as freshman right behind her: Megan Schiffmacher (Cactus) and Sharmon Fritz (Desert Vista). The girls Pole Vault event have eight girls coming in who have cleared 12’ with the leading girls being the tandem duo of Vanessa Davis and Aliya Simpson, both from Desert Vista tandem. The boys top three look to be Tim Duckworth of Arcadia, Will Hooper Moon Valley and Jordan Hatfield from Regius, CO.
Horizontal Jumps
Top jumper back this year for the boys looks to be El Paso Burgess Keandre Bates, who jumped 51’ 6” at the IAAF World Youth Championships last year. He also went 23’ 6” in the long jump. Others to watch iwill be Stephen Haydent of Poston Butte in the triple jump and Zach Rucas (Basha) and Derrick Monroe (Cibola) in the long jump. Ashlee Moore is the top Arizona girl returning in the long jump (19’9” wind aided) while in the triple jump Abigael Spencer (Shadow Mountain) and Maddie Belnap of Queen Creek lead the top girls.
Throws:
The girls shot put, could be the deepest event with five Arizona girls over 40’. Chandler’s State record holder Ky Westbrook is at the top of the entries with her 47’ 9” mark. Also watch for teammate Bianca Finn, Heather Calandra (Mingus) and Jessica Neff (Snowflake). In the discus the top two entries at this point are Makenzi Holmes-Digiovine (Desert Vista) and Erin Fakler (Xavier). For the boys, Hamilton’s Beau Eggers comes back with the top mark in both shot and discus. Last year his best marks were 57’7 and 174’ 9”. Nic Mercer (South Mountain) and Blake Jacobs (Thunderridge, CO) will look to challenge Beau in the shot put, while in the discus, Jordan Rezael of Desert Vista has the second best throw coming into the meet.
That's it for now.....see you next week!