Saturday at the 2A Arizona State Championships Valley Christian High School girls track and field team became the first team in the country to win the most consecutive State Championships. Safford High School (3A) won the state title thirteen times between 1986 and 1998 and Rapid City Stevens in South Dakota also won the title 13 times between 1996 to present day. Rapid City Stevens will be going for number 14 in two weeks but for now Valley Christian holds the record alone.
The Trojan girls won the title by placing several athletes in multiple events and by winning the 4x100 and the 4x440 meter relays and taking 2nd in the 4x800 relay.
Senior Breanna Leslie won three State Championships winning the 200 meter dash (26.03) and the 100 (15.33) and 300 meter hurdles (46.62).
Lisette White (Jr.,) finished 7th (27.99) in the 200 meter dash and tied for 5th in the high jump with Sarah Mehan (Sr.,) They both jumped 4-10.00
Shanel Smith (Sr.,) took 2nd (13.01) and Lindsey Brannon (Sr.,) took 8th (13.87) in the 100 meter dash.
State Champion Ashton Wolf (So.,) won the 400 meter dash in 59.92 and took 5th (2:33.75) in the 800.
Christine Patterson (Fr.,) took 8th (2:36.31) in the 800 and Christine's twin sister, Amanda Patterson, who came in 9th in the 800 became the State Champion in the 1600 in 5:43.77 and in the 3200 (12:35.21). Christine took 3rd in both the 1600 (5:46.68) and the 3200 (12:46.19)
Along with Breanna Leslie's win in the 100 meter hurdles, Valley Christian placed four more girls in the event. Quinn Robertson (Jr.,) took 2nd (16.21); Sydney Tassielli (Fr.,) finished 4th (16.87), Shal Cook (Jr.,) took 5th (17.08) and Stacey Jones (So.,) finished 7th (17.25).
Four athletes finished in the 300 hurdles; Breanna Leslie with the win; Quinn Robertson in 2nd (48.82); Stacey Jones in 3rd (49.50) and Sydney Tassielli in 6th (51.77).
Along with her finished in the 100 and 300 hurdles, Robertson took 3rd in the long jump in 16-10.25 behind State Champion Shanel Smith who jumped 17-07.75. Robinson also placed 3rd in the triple jump (33-01.50) with Sarah Mehan taking 5th ( 32.06.00) and Sydney Tassielli finishing 7th (31-10.00)
In the pole vault Valley Christian placed athletes in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th an 7th. State Champion Sarah Mehan won the event by vaulting 10-3.00; Chandler Fraley (Fr.,) placed 2nd (9-00.00); Justina Durec finished 3rd (9-00.00); Lindsey Brannon took 6th (8-00.00) and Lisette White finished 7th (8-00.00).
The Valley Christian girls won the team title with 216 points Northwest Christian (88.50) and Phoenix Christian (33).
Other State Champions
Freshman Jaszmyne Smith form Phoenix Christian took home the gold in the 100 meter dash (12.80). Northwest Christian teammates Jessie Munoz (Jr.,) won the 800 meter run in 2:25.94 and Courtney Samudio (So.,) won the triple jump in 34-05.50.
The Northwest Christian girls also won the 4x800 in 10:04.07.
Two time State Champ Ashley Klump (Sr., Wilcox) won the shot put (36-01.50) and the discus throw (120-10). Klump won the shot put by 4 feet and the discus by over 16 feet.
Thatcher sophomore Rachel Orr jumped 5-04.00 to win the high jump
Boys
On the boys side Valley Christian took the team title with 116 points over Yuma Catholic (76.50) and Northwest Christian (62). The Valley Christian boys also won the 4x800 meter relay in 8:30.81.
Three time State Champion Matt Holtfrerich (Sr., Northwest Christian, photo on right) had a great night winning the 100 meter dash (10.92), the 200 meter dash (21.64) and the long jump (20-06.75)
Northwest Christian boys also won the 4x100 meter relay.
Cody Rosengarten (Jr., Tombstone) also became a three time State Champion winning three distance events. Rosengarten won the 800 (1:59.61), the 1600 (4:25.45) and the 3200 (9:45.59).
Sam Andresen (Sr., Valley Christian) won the state title in two events wining both the 100 (15.16) and 300 (39.66) meter hurdles.
Senior George Leftrich-Fuller from Tonopah Valley won the 400 meter dash in 50.87.
In the throws, Valley Christian's Davis Voss (Sr.,) won the shot put with a throw of 48-03.50 and Matt Archuleta (Sr., Ray) threw the discus 145-01.
State Champion Brett Miller (Jr., Scottsdale Christian) jumped 6-02.00 to win the high jump event.
Phoenix Christian's Adam Watkins (Sr.,) became a State Champion in the Triple Jump, jumping 42-01.00.
Junior Christian Young (Jr., Bisbee) pole vaulted 14-03.00 to win the State Title.
Yuma Catholic boys won the boys 4x400 meter relay in 3:29.97.