Arizona State Champions - Chandler High School Girls
The Chandler High School Girls took home their 4th consecutive State Team title Saturday night at the Arizona State Championships held on their home field. The team known for it's depth in the hurdle and sprint events compiled 176 points. Xavier College Prep came in second with 100 points and Desert Vista took third with 82 points.
Early in the evening, before the State Meet began, senior Larissa Matthews rolled her ankle when she stepped into a hole. The 2008 four time State Champion won the 100 meter hurdles but was unable to pull it together for the rest of the races and had to drop out of the 4x100 meter relay, an event she anchored last year. Chandler's depth proved to be strong as freshman Jasmine Todd stepped up and won the 100 meter dash.
With strong young runners like Todd and sophomore Alexis Clay as well as juniors Steffanie Jordan, Bryanna Smythe and McKenzie Flannigan, there appears to be no end to the dynasty the Chandler girls team has created.
Here is how they did it!
Wednesday!
The Chandler 4x800 meter relay team placed 4th in 9:52.74
Alexis Clay (So.,) took 2nd (18-04.75) in the long jump with Jasmine Todd taking 3rd (18-04.25)
State Champion Omotayo Talabi (Sr.) threw the shot put 41-06.75. Sophomore Hannah Carson (just returning from knew surgery in February) took 3rd with a distance of 38-06.75
Cadija Harris (Jr.,) finished 3rd in the high jump with a jump of 5-04.00 and Jasmine Morris (So.,) took 7th, jumping 5-02.00.
Saturday!
State Champ Larissa Matthews (Center), Chaunci Toney far right and Alexis Clay far left
Senior Larissa Matthews added State Champion Title #8 (to her previous 7) after winning the 100 meter hurdles in 14.27. Chaunci Toney (Sr.,) placed 2nd (14.66) and Alexis Clay (So.,) finished 3rd (14.80) for a 1-2-3 sweep.
State Champion, freshman, Jasmine Todd won the 100 meter dash in 12.19 with Larissa Matthews placing 2nd (12.22) and Steffanie Jordan (Jr.,) finishing 5th (12.47). Jordan also finished 3rd in the 200 meter dash (25.27).
(Photo: 100 Meter Dash From left - State Champ Jasmine Todd, 2nd place Larissa Matthews, 3rd place Shannon Jacobs (Jr., Highland) and 4th place Zenobia Sims (Jr., Buena)
Two time State Champion, junior, McKenzie Flannigan won the 400 meter dash in 56.36 and the 200 meter dash in 24.79. Teammate Bryanna Smythe (Jr.,) came in 3rd in the 400 meter dash(57.80) and Jade Dean (Fr.,) finished 6th. Smythe also finished 5th in the 200 meter dash (25.68) and Angela Reyes (Sr.,) rounded out the event with an 8th place finish (26.33).
400 meter run top 4. From left, State Champion McKenzie Flannigan, Bianca Lewis (So., Xavier), Bryanna Smythe and Shayna Norberg (Sr., Mesa Mtn. View)
Larissa Matthews finished 2nd in the 300 meter hurdles (45.73) and Chaunci Toney took 8th (48.78).
Jasmine Todd won her second State Championship with a win in the triple jump, jumping 37-11.00. Alexis Clay took 2nd with a jump of 36-04.25.
The Chandler girls 4x100 meter relay State Champion Team
The Chandler girls also won the 4x100 (4:01.09) and the 4x400 meter relays (3:54.77)
All points came from the sprints, hurdles, field events and relays. There were no points scored in the distance events.