The Arizona Republic's top high school girls track and field performances: Week 4
The high school track and field season is finally upon us. The state is coming off a historic year in which seven records were broken. During the 2024 season, The Arizona Republic will be tracking the top performances each week as Arizona’s best athletes compete on the oval and in the field.
Here are the top five girls’ performances from the fourth week of the season.
S’Niyah Cade, Chandler, sprints, Jr.: The former freshman state record holder in the 100 meters — who was No. 14 in The Republic’s Big 50 preseason list — arguably ran her best race in the event since the 2022 season as she won the Rattler Booster Invite held at Phoenix North Canyon High School in a wind-legal time of 11.87 seconds. The time is a new state lead, taking away the top spot from Agua Fria senior Stacey Onyepunuka. Cade is back and ready.
Landen LeBlond, Goodyear Millennium, distance, Sr.: The Oregon commit, No. 1 in The Republic’s Big 50, has started this spring with a bit more caution as she just had her season-opening race at the Rattler Booster Invite, but there’s no sign of any rust as LeBlond ran 10:50.53 to easily win the 3,200 meters. It’s the fastest time in the state by a wide margin and makes her the first athlete to go under 11 minutes in the event this season.
Devyn Henderson, Phoenix North Canyon, sprints, Fr.: She may be a freshman, but Henderson is already a serious contender in the sprints. Henderson ran a personal best and wind-legal 24.70 to win the 200 meters at her home meet, the Rattler Booster Invite, just edging out Waddell Canyon View senior Annaleise Taylor (one of the state’s best hurdlers). After four weeks of the season, Henderson is ranked third in Arizona for the 200 meters and fourth for the 100 meters.
Madison Martinez, Tucson Salpointe Catholic, jumps, Sr.: At a home meet against Tucson Pueblo, Tucson Magnet, Tucson Sabino, Benson, Oro Valley Canyon del Oro and Tucson The Gregory School, Martinez won the long jump with a mark of 37 feet, 4 inches. Martinez, No. 24 in the Big 50, is now ranked fourth in the state for the triple jump.
Imani Galera-Young, Chandler, hurdles, So.: Won the 300-meter hurdles at the Rattler Booster Invite in 44.04. That time moves the sophomore up to No. 2 for the season, adding even more depth to the event with Chandler Hamilton’s Kori Martin, Phoenix Sunnyslope’s Aniyah Martin and Annaleise Taylor from Waddell Canyon View.
Other highlights
Phoenix North Canyon sophomore Rebekah Jhade-Garrett, a transfer from Canyon View, ran 14.20 to win the 100-meter hurdles at the Rattler Booster Invite. That time puts Jhade-Garrett at No. 3 for the season.
Annaleise Taylor continues to show versatility as she added the 400 meters to her arsenal. Taylor ran 57.45 to win (just barely beating her teammate Aniya Smith) at the Rattler Booster Invite, moving into the top six in the state for the event.
Chandler Lincoln Preparatory senior Alexis Ortiz ran a personal best of 2:20.14 to win the 800 meters at the Rattler Booster Invite. Ortiz is now sixth in Arizona for the 800.
Kingman Academy sophomore Sofia Bower threw 37-1 in the shot put to win the 45th Annual Lake Havasu Rotary Invitational. Bower is ranked sixth in the state.
Peoria Liberty junior Mia Kemp went 17-8 in the long jump at the Rattler Booster Invite to come in first. With the jump, Kemp leaps up to third in the state.
Waddell Canyon View’s 4x400-meter relay team snatched away the state lead from Chandler as the Jaguars ran 3:51.68 to win the Rattler Booster Invite. Chandler was the previous leader at 3:52.29.
Big 50: The Republic's top high school girls track and field athletes for 2024
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Top high school girls track and field performances: Week 4
