The Arizona State Meet continued with 5A division II prelims at Chandler High School Thursday evening.
The first final event was the boys 1600 meter run with all 25 boys in one heat. The first three laps were a tight pack of top runners with Camelback senior Alberto Tellez in the lead followed by Garrett Arvidson (Sr., Boulder Creek), Steve Magnuson (Jr., Ironwood Ridge) and T.J. Mangione (Jr., Skyline) but when the bell sounded for the final lap, Magnuson surged to the front and separated from the group. With 200 meters to go Tellez started to move closer to Magnuson but could not catch up. Magnuson won the race in 4:22.81 with Telles finishing 2nd in 4:24.85, Arvidson in 3rd in 4:26.47 and T.J. Mangione rounding out the top 4 in 4:28.00.
Photo from left: Garrett Arvidson (3rd), T.J. Mangione (4th), Alberto Tellez (2nd) and Steve Magnuson (1600 meter State Champ)
Photo from left: Riley Crosby (PV State Champ), Jarom Stringham (2nd) and Tyler Larson (3rd)
Over at the Pole Vault three juniors finished in the top three. AZ #5 ranked Riley Crosby (Centennial) won the event when he jumped 14-6. The junior jumped 15-0 at the Chandler Rotary but was unable to make the mark Thursday evening. Crosby's teammate Jarom Stringham finished 2nd with a height of 14-0 and Tyler Larson (Horizon) placed 3rd in 13-9.
(Photo right: 5A II Pole Vault State Champ)
The 800 meter run had to be the nail biter race of the evening.
The flu sidelined Magnuson during the 800 regionals, however, his 1:55 800 meter time qualified him for the State Meet but with no regional time he had to run in first heat. With no one to push him, Magnuson ran a 1:58.29 winning the heat.
The second heat started out at a normal pace for an 800. At the end of the first lap Centennial's German Jimenez looked comfortable at the front but at the 300 mark of the second lap, positions started shifting and continued to do so as the leaders picked up the pace as they hit the 200 and then the 100 mark. Flying down the final 100 meters Jimenez, Lee Gundy (Sr., Marana Mt. View) and Anthony Li (Ironwood Ridge) went stride for stride until they hit the finish line. Gundy finished first in 1:56.26 with Jimenez placing second in 1:56.75 and Li in third in 1:56.97. T.J. Mangione (Jr., Skyline) took fourth in 1:57.61, Ryan Libman (Jr., Valley Vista) finished 5th in 1:57.90 and Sunrise Mountain teammates Kelvin Busienei and Tyler Sciotto both finished with 1:58.02. Seven runners ran faster than Magnuson's time of 1:58.29 placing him in 8th.
Photo from left: Lee Gundy (800 State Champ), German Jimenez (2nd), Anthony Li (3rd) and T.J. Mangione (4th)
