Big 50: The Republic's top high school boys track and field athletes for 2024
Last year was one of the greatest single track and field seasons in state history at the high school level. Five Arizona athletes broke six state records — including four in one night on a magical evening in Southern California at the 2023 Arcadia Invitational.
Ahead of this 2024 spring season, The Republic has ranked the top high school track and field athletes. We chose 50 athletes on the girls' side and 50 on the boys' side. These lists were made by observations from The Republic staff and input from coaches throughout the state.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association is in its second season of an Open Division for track and field at the state championships, adopting a model that is similar to one that was first used for football. The whole state comes together for one championship meet. Division championships are the first week of May, with qualifying athletes moving on to the state championships in the second week of May at Mesa Community College.
Ahead of the season, The Republic presents its list of the top 50 boys high school athletes in Arizona across the distance, sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws events entering the 2024 track and field season. We start with the Top 10, then we will be updating this list of 10 athletes at a time every day ahead of the first meet of the season, so check back for updates on azcentral.com.
1. Tyler Mathews, distance, Sr., Mesa Red Mountain: The BYU commit enters the 2024 season with the fastest returning time in the United States for the 800 meters at 1:48.72. Mathews is chasing after the national high school record of 1:46.45, set by Michael Granville in 1996.
2. Vance Nilsson, hurdles, Sr., Gilbert: Nilsson burst onto the scene last year, winning AIA Division I state titles in the 110-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles. He is the state’s best hurdler at both distances.
3. Logan Yackley, sprints, Jr., Goodyear Desert Edge: He has massively improved last season at Surprise Shadow Ridge and has become one of the state’s best sprinters. He has since transferred to Desert Edge. He enters 2024 ranked No. 1 in the 100 meters with a wind-aided 10.60 and a wind-legal 10.62 and No. 3 in the 200 meters at 21.68.
4. Bryson Nielsen, distance, Jr., Mesa Eastmark: One of the breakout runners of the 2023 season, Nielsen vaulted himself into state history, running some of the fastest times a sophomore ever has. Nielsen will look to build on his strong cross country season and try to break the 4:10 barrier in the 1,600 meters.
5. Eyitayo Omotinugbon, Sr., throws, Queen Creek: Two-way athlete who plays offensive line on the football team, Omotinugbon committed to Boise State. He is one of the few throwers who is ranked near the top in the state for both the discus and shot put. Omotinugbon is No. 1 in the shot put at 55-10.
6. Josiah Anderson, sprints, Sr., Phoenix Barry Goldwater: Anderson comes into the season as the state leader in the 400 meters at 47.46. He is also No. 2 in the state for the 200 meters with a time of 21.67.
7. Nathan Moreno, jumps, Sr., Glendale Mountain Ridge: With the departure of Prescott’s Jack Mason, now competing at Wagner College, Moreno takes over as the state’s best triple jumper, entering this season with his wind-aided mark of 48-4.5. He’ll try to crack the state’s all-time top-five list with Kingman’s AJ Cornelius at 48-9.5.
8. Jamar Beal-Goines, sprints, Jr., Goodyear Desert Edge: Beal-Goines is a two-way athlete who stood out at cornerback on a run to the 5A state championship game, and he has received a flurry of Division I offers as of late for football. He ran a wind-aided 10.69 in the 100 meters and a wind-legal 10.70, both top five in Arizona. Finished third at last year’s AIA Open state championships.
9. Jaelen Collins, jumps, Sr., Tucson Marana: Collins is a two-way athlete on the football team, making first-team all-5A Southern Region as a cornerback last season. He excels at a high level in both the long jump and triple jump. Ranked No. 1 in the long jump (23-5.75) and No. 2 in the triple jump (46-6.5), the NAU commit tries to win his first state title this season.
10. Taylor Searle, jumps, Sr., ALA Queen Creek: An out-of-state transfer from Montana, Searle also played wide receiver on the football team. He will challenge Paradise Valley Phoenix Country Day School junior Sam Novak for the title as the state’s best pole vaulter – he recently went 17-0.75, which is the top mark heading into the 2024 season.
11. Owen Lee, throws, Sr., Phoenix Desert Vista: Comes into the 2024 season with the state’s best mark in the discus at 176-9. Finished fourth at the AIA Open state championships, making him the highest-placing returning athlete.
12. Marcus Kitna, jumps, Sr., Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor: With the departure of Phoenix Brophy Preparatory’s Brennen McHenry, who eclipsed the 7-foot barrier last season and is now competing collegiately at Texas, Kitna is one of the favorites to take the mantle as the state’s best high jumper with his personal best of 6-6 making him the top returning athlete, tied with the person right below him on this list.
13. Malachi Keller, jumps, Sr., Tombstone: Comes into this season tied with Kitna in the high jump at 6-6. The two should produce some great battles this season from afar with Keller in southern Arizona and Kitna in Phoenix. Won the Division V title before finishing 10th at the AIA Open state championship meet.
14. Matthew Hamilton, distance, Sr., Mesa Red Mountain: It helps when you have the nation’s fastest 800-meter runner as your teammate with Tyler Mathews, but Hamilton has morphed into a top-level runner himself. The GCU commit ran 1:52.49 at last year’s AIA Open state championships to finish in fourth place, which will go down as one of the deepest races in state history.
15. Otis Knapper, sprints, Sr., Chandler: A true dual-threat sprinter, a name to watch in two events. With Phoenix Desert Vista senior sprinter Roan Martinez opting to focus on his football career after committing to the University of San Diego, Knapper is ranked No. 1 in the 200 meters (21.58) and No. 4 in the 400 meters (48.42).
16. Sam Novak, jumps, Jr., Phoenix Country Day School: The defending Open state champion in the pole vault. Will be battling it out with ALA Queen Creek's Taylor Searle. Enters this season as the No. 2 returning athlete in the event at 16-3.
17. Victor Jarrett, sprints, Sr., Surprise Shadow Ridge: Put together a huge spring last year to become one of the best 100-meter sprinters in Arizona. Comes into the season at No. 2 in the state with his wind-aided time of 10.68.
18. Mosese Hala'ufia, throws, Sr., Marana Mountain View: One of the state’s best discus throwers at 173-6, ranked No. 2. Hala'ufia and Phoenix Desert Vista’s Owen Lee are the only returning athletes to have thrown further than 170 feet.
19. Hayden Weaver, throws, Jr., Surprise Shadow Ridge: With Desert Vista senior and state record-holder Hayden Gorovitz missing the season with Tommy John surgery, that makes Weaver the top-returning athlete in the javelin at 182-10. Finished third at last year’s AIA Open state championships.
20. Donovan Bitticks, distance, Sr., Scottsdale Horizon: Became the first Arizona athlete since Gilbert Highland's Leo Daschbach in 2019 (who went on to run a sub-four minute mile as a high schooler) to win the coveted sweepstakes race at the Desert Twilight Festival this past cross country season. One of three athletes in the state who has run faster than 4:20 in the 1,600 meters; also ranked in the top five for the 800 meters and 3,200 meters.
21. Zachary Ripperdan, distance, Sr., Queen Creek: The Utah State commit had a huge season last year to assert himself as one of the top half-milers in Arizona. Comes into 2024 ranked No. 3 at 1:53.77.
22. Maddox Davis, sprints, Jr., Chandler Basha: A true threat in both the 100 meters (10.69) and 200 meters (21.80) who has been working his way up to now be in serious contention for a state title in either event.
23. Myles Floyd, distance, Sr., Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian Academy: The best distance runner in southern Arizona, and one of the best in the whole state. Won his first state championship in cross country this past fall, taking home the crown in Division IV. Enters the season No. 2 in the 3,200 meters (9:22.54) and No. 14 in the 1,600 meters (4:24.44).
24. Royal Haley, sprints, Sr., Laveen Cesar Chavez: A name to watch for in the 400 meters as he finished fourth at last year’s AIA Open state championships. Ranked No. 2 in the state entering the season at 48.03.
25. Emanuel Hernandez, throws, Sr., Phoenix North Canyon: Alongside Queen Creek senior Eyitayo Omotinugbon, the only other athlete in Arizona with a personal best of 55 feet or farther in the shot put. Came in seventh at last year’s AIA Open state championships; also one of the state’s top discus throwers.
26. Julian Campos, throws, Sr., Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor: A top returning athlete in the javelin. Comes into 2024 ranked No. 2 at 177-0.
27. Sylvan Osman, jumps, Sr., Lake Havasu: At 16-1, he is the state’s No. 3 returning pole vaulter from the 2023 season. One of only two athletes to eclipse 16 feet. Finished second at the AIA Open state championships.
28. Lucas Schiermeyer, throws, Jr., Phoenix Desert Vista: His star teammate and the state-record holder, Hayden Gorovitz, is out for the season, which means Schiermeyer is now the top javelin thrower at his school. Ranked No. 3 in the state at 176-11.
29. Michael Young, sprints, Sr., Phoenix South Mountain: Made the AIA Open state championships in both the 100 (10.77) and 200 meters (21.80). Ranked in the top 10 for each event heading in the 2024 season.
30. Jaylen Gillis, jumps, Sr., Phoenix Camelback: Only three athletes in the state have jumped farther than 23 feet in the long jump, and Gillis is one of them. Finished fourth at last year’s AIA Open state championships (23-4).
31. Seth Henry, sprints, Sr., Phoenix Mountain Pointe: One of the top returning athletes in the 100 meters at 10.71. Came in fourth at last year’s AIA Division II state championships.
32. Cole Carpenter, sprints, Sr., Surprise Shadow Ridge: A threat in both the 200 meters (21.91) and 400 meters (48.32). Enters 2024 in the top 8 in the state for each event.
33. Tyler Olsen, distance, Sr., Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor: Part of the deep field of 800-meter runners this season, which should push the event to great heights in the spring. Ranked No. 4 in the state at 1:54.36.
34. Deven Broady, sprints, Sr., Phoenix Sunnyslope: Two-way athlete who has received some college offers for football — plays cornerback. Dealt with injuries last track season, but finished in ninth place at the AIA Division I state championships in the 100 meters in 2022 as a sophomore.
35. Micah Warren, hurdles, Sr., Chandler: A good bet to finish on the podium next to Gilbert’s Vance Nilsson in the 110-and 300-meter hurdles. Ranked No. 2 in both events.
36. Ryan Denhof, distance, sr., Peoria Liberty: Coming off an AIA Division I state title in cross country this past fall. Expect his track times to drop dramatically after a stellar cross country season.
37. Legend Stewart, hurdles, Sr., Mesa Westwood: Will look to battle it out with Gilbert’s Vance Nilsson and Chandler’s Micah Warren in the 300-meter hurdles. Finished third in the event at last year’s AIA Open state championships (38.73).
38. Crewe Resendez, distance, Sr., Gilbert Highland: Helped lead Highland to its second consecutive Division I team title in cross country this past fall. Comes into this season ranked in the top 9 in the state for the 800 meters, 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters.
39. Wyatt Pickering, distance, Sr., Kingman Lee Williams: Put together a huge postseason last track season to shave off nearly four seconds from his personal best in the 800 meters at 1:54.62.
40. Errick Tamplin, sprints, Sr., Chandler Basha: Ran 48.63 in the 400 meters to finish in fourth at last year’s AIA Division I state championships. Ranked No. 5 overall in the state heading into 2024.
41. Diego Herrera-Vendrell, throws, Sr., Scottsdale Notre Dame Preparatory: Competed in the shot put, discus and javelin at last year’s AIA Division II state championships, placing in the top seven for each event. The discus is probably his best event, where he is ranked No. 4 in Arizona at 166-7.
42. Ty Johnston, sprints, Jr., Chandler Hamilton: Seven athletes in the state are returning who have run faster than 49 seconds in the 400 meters – Johnston is the last sprinter on that list (Mesa Red Mountain distance runner Tyler Mathews is the other). Ran 48.70 last season.
43. Trace White, jumps, Jr., Florence ALA Anthem South: One of last year’s most consistent triple-jumpers, won the AIA Division IV title before coming in third at the Open state championships. Ranked No. 3 at 46-5.5.
44. Wyatt Nicholas, jumps, Jr., Thatcher: Started last season hot, recording a personal best of 6-5 in the high jump in the first meet of the spring. Finished in 17th place at the AIA Open state championships. Comes into the season at No. 3 in the state for the event.
45. Diego Aguirre-Stewart, sprints, Sr., Goodyear Millennium: Relatively new to the sport, but has already become a top sprinter. Ranked No. 8 in the state for both the 100 meters (10.75) and the 200 meters (21.93).
46. Darius Alberty, throws, Jr., Phoenix Brophy College Preparatory: Put together a strong summer, competing at high-level meets like Nike Outdoor Nationals and the American JavFest. Enters the season ranked No. 4 in the state in the javelin at 176-3.
47. Darius Wiley, throws, Sr., Buckeye Youngker: One of the top returning discus throwers from last season. Ranked No. 5 in the event at 164-1.
48. Dash Wasson, jumps, So., Queen Creek: One of only four pole vaulters who have eclipsed 15 feet. Won the AIA Division V championship before finishing in fifth at last year’s Open state championships as a freshman.
49. Ashton Miner, distance, Jr., ALA Queen Creek: A rising star in the 800 meters, cracked the all-time top 10 list for sophomores in state history with his time of 1:55.34 last season.
50. Yohanes Van Meerten, distance, Fr., Flagstaff Northland Preparatory Academy: The only freshman on this list. Broke the freshman state record in the 5,000 meters this past cross country season, running 15:18 at Desert Twilight. Has tremendous potential.
*All times and marks are sourced from az.milesplit.com
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Republic's best HS boys track and field athletes in 2024
