Roundup: Corners gets trio of top-6 finishes, Rivas medals
MESA — Mia Corners will have to wait another year for a state title, but Gila Ridge’s star sprinter/ jumper still had yet another impressive state meet this year.
Her most impressive, in fact. After placing second in the Division II girls long jump Wednesday on day one of the Arizona Interscholastic Association Track and Field State Championships, Corners added another medal and two other topeight finishes to her name Saturday at Mesa Community College.
Corners, a junior, again was the runner-up in a jumping event — this time the triple — and ran to fifthand sixth-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter finals, respectively.
Her times in the 100 (12.31) and 200 (25.30) were both personal-bests, and in both events she out-performed her ranking entering the week.
“I’m happy with pretty much everything,” Corners said, adding that she couldn’t be disappointed in not winning the triple jump despite being the top seed entering the day.
Corners led through the first round of finals, but Queen Creek’s Kenashalee Kerr leapt 38 feet, 11 inches on her second-to-last attempt to move into first. Corners took second at 37 feet, 8 inches, while nobody else bettered 36-5.
In three career state meets, Corners has now medaled six times — her highest finishes being three runner-ups — and placed top-eight four others.
Next year, she’ll look for that elusive state title.
“I’m going to definitely train more than I ever have, because usually I only train during track season, so this (next) year I’m going to train all year and see what I can do,” Corners said.
Rivas medals for Kings
Kofa junior Karen Rivas placed one spot higher in the Division I girls 300-meter hurdles Saturday than she did at last year’s state meet, but it felt like a bigger d i f - ference than that. That’s because this year, Rivas earned a spot on the podium and a medal by finishing fourth in 45.75.
“Just making it to state is a big deal and it gets me excited, but I mean, making it on that podium means a lot, especially for me and my family and everyone that’s supporting me,” Rivas said.
Rivas’ time was significantly faster than the 49.38 she clocked in a fifth-place finish at state a year ago.
Three Hawks boys place
Gila Ridge seniors Daniel Marquez, Ryleigh North and Cody Hartman all topeight in their events Saturday.
Marquez medaled in the Division II boys 3,200 meters by taking fourth in 9:27.71, North took sixth in the long jump at 21-9.25 and