Meyer-Wills, Estrada runaway victors
Kofa boys capture first yuhsd title since 2007, raiders win 13th straight girls title
A sense of familiarity and some surprise occurred during Wednesday’s Yuma Union High School District cross-country championship at Kofa High School.
Cibola junior Bennett Meyer-Wills continues to prove he’s the best boys cross country runner in town.
The long-legged Meyer-Wills galloped his way around the course at Kofa High School to secure his second Yuma Union High School District boys cross country title in as many years. He finished with a time of 15:52.93.
“It’s a blessing,” Meyer-Wills said. “I didn’t expect for it to happen this year. This year I felt a bit more pressure with everything going on, but it means a lot.”
Meyer-Wills commanded an early lead and never looked back as he won wire-to-wire in back-to-back district championships.
His performance around the course helped him finish 52 seconds faster than second place runner Arath Castro (Kofa).
“That’s getting pretty legit,” Cibola head coach Kris Norton said regarding Meyer-Wills’ finishing time. “That’s definitely putting him up there with some of the faster runs in the state. Today was a pretty big jump.”
While Meyer-Wills cap-tured the boys individual title, the Raiders finished second as a team.
Other performers for the Raiders were Korey Jaime (17:23.37, 4th place), Enrique Gonzalez (17:46.10, 6th), Thomas Gettings (18:04.96, 11th) and Rey Estrada (18:14.86, 12th).
Meyer-Wills is on the cusp of qualifying individually for the Arizona Interscholastic Association state playoffs and the Raiders will compete next week in sectionals in Crossroad Parks, but his attention is focused on getting his team qualified.
“The main goal is getting our entire team at state,” he said.
It also was a big day for the Kofa boys cross country team as they upset the Cibola Raiders in the team event.
The Kings captured the YUHSD cross country team title for the first time since 2007.
“I didn’t know that’s how long it’s been, Kofa head coach Andre Richardson II said. “That’s very cool. Everyone did great...Across the board, we had a lot of personal records. It was excellent all around.”
Kofa had five runners fin
ish inside the top-10 during Wednesday’s meet.
Castro finished second with a time of 16:44.20. Rounding it out for the Kings were runners Matthew Lopez (16:44.98, 3rd), Isaiah Lazaro (17:35.63, 5th), Arturo Anaya (17:48.98, 7th) and Damienn Moreno (17:57.18, 9th).
The Kings ended the regular season on a high note and with sectionals next week, Richardson is excited to see his team perform.
“I think it should help them out (next week) because they know what they can do.”
The top runners for San Luis were: Ismael Conchas Jr. (18:57.99, 13th) and Javier Benavidez (19:01.27, 14th).
Juan Leyva was Yuma High’s only runner. He finished with a time of 24:29.12. Girls
Last season, Angelique Armijo sprang onto the scene late at the YUHSD girls cross-country title for the Gila Ridge Hawks.
On Wednesday, it was junior Hawks runner Jazmin Estrada who finished with a personal record time of 21:51/73 to capture the girls individual title in her first YUHSD championship meet.
“It feels pretty good,” Estrada said of her first place finish.
Estrada is nearing the end of her high school ca
reer and wanted to participate in sports. She spoke with coach Jensen Roseboom before the season and joined the team.
“She wanted to come out and try a sport,” Roseboom said. “She started out the year on our varsity crowd, but towards the bottom of our varsity group. Little improvements all year and putting in the work...She’s really hitting that last season form. I couldn’t be more proud.”
She’s hitting her strides at the right time, as sectionals await next week.
For the 13th consecutive year, however, the Cibola girls team captured the YUHSD cross-country team title.
Jannelle Sanchez led the way for the Raiders with a second place finish a time of 22:20.21. Maria Mendoza
(22:22.24, 3rd), Alaina Tracy (22:36.62, 4th), Ianna Herrra (24:33.23, 8th) and Patricia Lore (24:33.75) rounded out the Raiders’ top performers.
Gila Ridge’s team placed second, but contended until the end, with three Hawks finishing inside the top-seven.
Leading the way for the Hawks were: Taylor Keddy (22:52.95, 5th), Amorette Bueno (23:42.21, 6th), Madelina Macaluso (23:53.37, 8th) and Annalyce Romero (26:18.84, 14th).
San Luis’s top runners were: Jennifer Peralta (24:42.44, 10th) and Hayle Felix (25:49.14, 13th).
Kiarra Herbert was Yuma High’s only participant. She finished 15th with a time of 29:17.43.