Results - Race Videos & Interviews (more to be added)
While the conditions at the Rattler Booster Invitational were hot and windy that did not stop athletes from performing and setting personal records.The morning started off with prelims and field events.
Alaina Diggs from Millennium H.S. won the shot with a throw of 38-08.5 and Ciera Jackson of Chandler High School finished a close second throwing 38-07.50. Weston Wright from Scottsdale Prep won the discus (169-10.50) and shot (52-04.0) with North Canyon's Austin Jackson finishing second respectively in both throwing events.
Gila Ridge swept the boys and girls long jump with Ryleigh North jumping 21-07 feet to win the boys LJ and Hannah Weller jumping a personal record of 17-07 to win the girls. Teammate Mia Corners (Gila Ridge) jumped 17-03.00 and finished second behind Weller. William Lynch-Howell of North Canyon won the boys high jump clearing 6-04 feet and Zion Green (Millennium) won the girls clearing 5-04.00.
One of the most impressive performances of the day went to Valley Vista's pole vaulter Cole Riddle who cleared 16-07.00 (#3 in the nation). Cole stated after he won his event, "It felt good to break the meet record because it was previously held by athletes that are competing for big colleges now so it gives me something to look forward to. I am also hoping to break the state record."
The North Canyon girls dominated in the distance events. In the 1600m Makyah Richard stayed with the pack until the last 800m and decided to make her move and finished with a time of 5:23:43. Kassidy Deardorff of Deer Valley tried to close the gap and placed second behind Richard (5:28.14). In the 800m Alexis Rios (North Canyon) and Abby Moon (Chaparral) battled to the finish. Abby Moon (2nd) took the lead the last 300 meters, however Rios (2:23.83) had a second kick coming in the last 100m and held off Moon for the win.
On the boys side Desert Mountain's Caden Hercules (1st) surged the last 600 meters and never looked back finishing with a PR of 4:29.85. In the 800m Cody Hartman (Gila Ridge) won the with a time of 2:00.79, and Bryan Aceves of South Mountain finished second (2:01.32).
In the sprints nationally ranked Tyrees Moulton impressed the spectators with a winning time of 21.36 in the 200m. This currently ranks Moulton #5 in the country for this event.
Mia Corners only a sophomore from Gila Ridge won both the 100m (12:45) and 200m (25.56) races for the girls. In the hurdle events Ilian Roberts from Deer Valley won the 300m hurdles with time of 40.31. On the girls side Jadyn Mays of North Canyon ran a 44.89 to to win the 300m hurdles. Chandler boys and girls easily won the 4x100m relays.
The boy's 4x400m relay went to McClintock (3:28.59) as they were able to hold off Millennium (3:30.41). The North Canyon Boys edged out Gila Ridge to win the their own Rattler Invite. The Cactus Shadow Girls took home the team trophy with North Canyon finishing second.
With Chandler Rotary less than a week away the bar has been set very high for Arizona athletes and we look forward to greater performances fueled by outside competition.
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