By Raymundo Frasquillo
Thatcher’s cross-country runners set meet records during the inaugural Copper Hill Invitational in Morenci on Oct. 5. The Eagles finished ahead of five other varsity teams with 24 points for boys and 31 points for girls.
New Mexico schools, Bayard Cobre and Silver, totaled 89 and 90 points, respectively to place second and third in the boys event. Host Morenci was fourth (91), San Carlos fifth (94) and Tombstone sixth (125). Willcox had three runners and Fort Thomas had two.
The Morenci girls were the runners-up with 67 points, followed by Silver (69), Cobre (73), Willcox (135) and San Carlos (152). Tombstone had two participants and Fort Thomas had one.
Raymundo Frasquillo Photo: Cobre senior Skylar Jones, second from right, was second out of the gate at the start behind Dayana Guardado of Fort Thomas but finished first in a time of 22:15.
Three boys posted personal-best times and five had season-best efforts after completing the run. Four girls turned in personal-best times and eight had season-best markings.
A total of eight schools were represented as 42 boys and 40 girls completed the 5,000-meter course. The winning teams received plaques and the top 15 runners were awarded medals.
One of the visiting coaches said, “It was a beast of a course,” and a participant added, “The hill coming back was a killer.”
Individually, senior Conner Palmer (18:42) outpaced the field in 18:42, sophomore Hunter Stailey was second (18.50), junior Garret Hunt third (18.56), senior Logan Caster eighth (20.01) and sophomore Jaiden Stailey 10th (20.10). Eagles junior Seth Dodge (20.17) and senior McKay Palmer (21.16) were 11th and 23rd, respectively.
The Cobre Indians’ scoring was set by sophomore Rudy Madrid in fifth (19.46), senior Isaiah Soliz in seventh (19.58), sophomore Thomas Gonzales in 22nd (21.31), junior Benito Osuna in 26th (22.24) and Fernando Sedillos in 29th (22.46).
Silver sophomore Evertt Tester ended fourth (18.59), senior Brady Thompson 15th (20.50), sophomore Oscar Lopez 18th (21.05), Everett Tester 21st (21.26) and senior Eddie Misquez 32nd (23.07). Colts’ senior Micah Timmons was 35th (23.23).
Morenci sophomore Vincent Cruz was 14th (20.36), senior Ruben Little 16th (21.00), freshman Dante DeAnda 17th (21.03), senior James Williams 19th (21.06) and sophomore Anthony Chanez 25th (21.55). Wildcats freshman Jordan Mares ended 27th (22.24) and sophomore Matthew Sylvester 31st (22.55).
San Carlos had junior James Talgo finish sixth (19.48), sophomore Anthony Hopkins Jr. 13th (20.32), junior Aloysius Case 23rd (21.50), freshman Jalen Patten 24th (21.55) and junior Michael Antonio 28th (22.34). Braves’ juniors Christian Nosie and James Pike were 30th (22.54) and 40th (26.06), respectively.
Tombstone’s quintet was juniors Deshaun Ricks (9th, 20.08), David Perry (12th, 20.29), Anthony Zazueta (34th, 23.20), sophomore John Mize (37th, 24.58) and freshman Dakota Pierce (38th, 24.59).
A trio of Willcox seniors came in 33rd (Josh Collins, 23.15), 36th (Ian Peterson, 24.27), and 39th (Scott Nuebauer, 25.22).
Fort Thomas’ runners Andreas Robertson and Preston Kenton were timed at 28.07 and 30.35, respectively.
Cobre senior Skylar Jones set the pace in the girls race with a time of 22.15, followed by Thatcher junior Lily Richardson (23.05), Silver senior Sammantha Larisch (23.44), Thatcher freshman Elliana Windsor (23.54) and Morenci junior Paige Morales (24.09).
Thatcher senior Sarah Green was sixth (24.44), Willcox junior Wren Klump seventh (25.20), Morenci sophomore Nizhoni Cepi eighth (25.26), Thatcher freshman Hailey Udall ninth (25.32) and Thatcher senior Brianna McBride 10th (25.34).
Rounding out the top 15 were Dililah Marin (11th, 25.34) and Fatima Jimenez (13th, 25.40) of Cobre, plus juniors Tobie Eagleman (12th, 25.38) of Morenci, (14th, 25.46) and Liesl Griffin (15th, 26.00) of Thatcher.
The seventh Eagle, sophomore Becka Nicholas ended 18th (26.55).
Freshmen Desiree Babb (21st, 27.19) and Desiree Camacho (23rd, 28.03) completed the Wildcats’ scoring. Senior Merissa Mendoza finished 26th (28.32) and junior Alex Chee 33rd (30.46).
Other Colts’ scorers were junior Jade Gutierrez (14th, 25.46), Savanna Gonzales (16th, 26.08), junior Desirea Taylor (17th, 26.22) and senior Kaitlynn Taylor (20th, 27.14). Ava Bjornstand ended 28th (28.03) and Alexis Lopez 29th (28.46).
Cobre had the duo of Cecilia Osuna (22nd, 27.40) and Isabella Zamora (28th, 28.43) round out its quintet.
Juniors Jane Jansen (30th, 29.01), Rebecca Archuleta (34th, 31.41), Danielle Barba (35th, 31.42), and Kristi Webster (37th, 33.47) made up the Willcox scorers. Senior Vanessa Acosta finished 39th (36.41).
San Carlos’ quintet was comprised of sophomores Allison McIntosh (25th, 28.18), Kateri Rambler (27th, 28.43) and Beyonce Cutter (38th, 36.09), along with freshmen Heaven Cosen (31st, 29.24) and Cheridan Gooday (40th, 38.47).
Also competing were Tombstone juniors Holly Mahfoud (19th, 27.09) and Diana Flores (32nd, 30.38) plus Fort Thomas sophomore Dayana Guardado (36th, 33.08).
