Ciera Jackson throwing the javelin at the Richard Thompson South Mountain Classic on Saturday. She took 2nd in the girls' javelin and won the shot put (US #11).
With 2020 being a leap year, you would think that maybe something special may occur at The Richard Thompson South Mountain Classic on Saturday, February 29th. Right, you would be. Two of the best teams in the state, Chandler High School and North Canyon High School, had many of their top athletes competing and they did not disappoint along with some other fierce competitors from around Arizona.
South Mountain Classic Results
Sprints/Hurdles
Rahni Turner of Westwood High School had quite a day. Ms. Turner ran the US #6 100-meter hurdle time (14.31), which was also a new meet record, took 2nd in the long jump (17-8.75 US #6), and won the 300-meter hurdles in 46.12. Trinity Henderson of Chandler won the 200 meters in 24.81 (US #30), which was a good opening time for her. In the 400-meters girls' race, standout Jadyn Mays of North Canyon High School ran a new PR of 55.26 to take first and US #3 ranking. Mays' teammate, Delphine Dah took 2nd with a time of 57.64. North Canyon and Chandler girls ran one-two in the 4x400 with North Canyon smoking a 3:49.37 (US #4) and Chandler's also impressive 3:53.98 (US #11).
On the boys' side, Jalan Mckeaver of Millennium High School won the 100 meters is 10.77 (US #2), which was also a new PR for Jalan. In the 400 meters, another Millennium athlete, Jaeyden Carpenter, won in 49.15 (US #30), which was also a new PR as well as taking 2nd in the open 200 meters (22.38). The Chandler 4x100 boys' relay team was in a class by themselves as they took first by nearly 3-seconds and US #22 ranking with their 41.79 finish.
800 Meters
Future Texas A&M University Aggie and top-US high school athlete Dominique Mustin of North Canyon left nothing to chance and lead wire-to-wire in a smooth 2:12.49 (US #2). She was also a member of the North Canyon 4x400 winning relay squad as well.
Throws
Makayla Hunter and Ciera Jackson are the center-pieces of the Chandler girls' throwing team. Makayla won both the discus (133-9 US #23) and javelin (129-6 US #3). Ironically, the event she took 2nd in was the shot put (42-1 US #14), which became her new personal best. No surprise, but the athlete who ruined Makayla's three-peat on the field was teammate Ciera Jackson, who landed a 43-4 (US #11) in the dirt as well as taking 2nd in the javelin with a toss of 116-7.
Alexander Ramirez of Mountain Pointe who has been a strong thrower since he was a club kid, threw the early season US #1 throw in the javelin with a mark of 189-8. In the discus final, Andrew Menlove of Chandler (160-1) out threw Davieon Center of McClintock High (150-0) and then did it again in the shot put as Andrew launched 49-11 to Davieon's 49-8.
Jumps
Erika Ordonez of Trevor G. Browne soared to a 37-3.5 1st place triple jump (US #3), which was nearly a 10-foot personal best for her at South Mountain. Cydaisia Miles of Copper Canyon had almost a 2-foot PR in the long jump, as she moved dirt in the pit almost 18 feet away from the board with a US #5 mark of 17-9 to out jump Rahni Turner by 1/4-inch.
Now that the first meets of the outdoor season are completed and some of the rust has been shaken off we will begin to see even greater performances than yesterday's as this spring continues here in sunny Arizona.