Gila Ridge girls win SW Region meet

Led by nine first-place finishes — four from junior Mia Corners — the Gila Ridge girls track and field team took first Thursday at the Southwest Region Championships at Youngker High School.

On the boys side, the Hawks took second out of five teams and won seven events.

Corners was the meet’s only four-event winner, taking first in the four events she’s already automatically qualified for: the Division II state meet in: the 100 meters (12.82), the 200 meters (27.07), the long jump (season-best 18-3.75) and the triple jump (37-4.5).

Other event winners for the Gila Ridge girls were: junior Faith Lopez (300h in 52.03), junior Hanah Sims (pole vault at 8-9), senior Savannah Stewart (discus at 110-5), senior Jennifer Slater (javelin at 115-11, a PR) and the 4x800-meter relay team (in 11:17.61).

The Hawks girls won with 154.5 points as a team, more than 50 points ahead of second-place Estrella Foothills (101.5).

For the Gila Ridge boys, senior Cody Hartman won the 400 meters (51.98) and the 800 meters (2:04.3), senior Ryleigh North won the long jump (22-4) and the triple jump (42-9), and