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Top high school boys' track and field performances: Week 4

logan stanley, arizona republic
·4 min read

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 boys’ performances from the fourth week of the season.

Jamar Beal-Goines, Goodyear Desert Edge, sprints, Jr.: He’s one of the state’s hottest football recruits, but Beal-Goines is the real deal on the track. Beal-Goines, the No. 8 athlete in The Republic’s Big 50 preseason list, ran a blazing — and wind-legal — 10.59 seconds to take down a loaded 100-meter field at the Rattler Booster Invite held at Phoenix North Canyon High School and set a new state lead in the event. The time is a new personal best for Beal-Goines. Phoenix South Mountain junior De’Mar Coleman, who came into the week as the state leader and is one of the main competitors to Beal-Goines, was in the same race, running 10.68 to come in second. Beal-Goines also ran 21.79 to win the 200 meters, a new personal best as well.

Diego Aguirre-Stewart, Goodyear Millennium, sprints, Sr.: While Jamar Beal-Goines stole the headlines at the Rattler Booster Invite, Aguirre-Stewart had a nice day himself. In the 100 meters, Aguirre-Stewart ran 10.77 to finish in third. That time moves Aguirre-Stewart up to second in the state for the 100. In the 200 meters, Aguirre-Stewart ran 21.81 to come in second. Aguirre-Stewart is now fourth this outdoor season in the 200 meters. His performance over the past weekend shows that Aguirre-Stewart, who was No. 45 in The Republic’s Big 50, should be in serious contention for a podium spot at the Open State Championships.

Elijah Soanes, Chandler Hamilton, jumps, Fr.: The freshman made his debut jump count as he went 22-1.75 to win the Red Mountain Rampage. Simply put, it’s one of the best-ever wind-legal jumps from a freshman in state history. The MileSplit Arizona database puts his mark at third from a freshman. We have a burgeoning star here as he also plays defensive back and wide receiver in football. Soanes is currently fourth overall in the state for the event.

Sylvan Osman, Lake Havasu, jumps, Sr.: Won the pole vault at the 45th Annual Lake Havasu Rotary Invitational, recording a mark of 16 feet. Osman is only the second athlete this season to go over 16 feet in the event (ALA Queen Creek senior Taylor Searle is the other). It puts Osman, who was No. 27 in the Big 50, real close to his lifetime personal best of 16-1.

Darius Haskins, Buckeye Union, jumps, Sr.: Recorded a huge personal best in the triple jump at the Dysart Home Meet against Dysart and Surprise Valley Vista, winning with a mark of 45-8 to come in first place. With the jump, Haskins moves up to fifth in the state for the event and is now less than one inch away from the fourth-ranked athlete.

Red Mountain High School runner Tyler Mathews (5133) finishes first in the boys 800-meter run at the AIA State Track and Field Championships at Mesa Community College in Mesa on May 13, 2023.
Red Mountain High School runner Tyler Mathews (5133) finishes first in the boys 800-meter run at the AIA State Track and Field Championships at Mesa Community College in Mesa on May 13, 2023.

Other highlights

  • Mesa Red Mountain broke the state record in the distance medley relay (1,200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters and 1,600 meters) at the Red Mountain Rampage held at their home track. Red Mountain ran 10:18.85 to take down Desert Vista’s 2022 record of 10:20.34. Matthew Hamilton, Jeremy Anderson, Roman Smith and Tyler Mathews were on the team. It’s the second relay state record for coach Steven Selby, who is stepping down after this season, as the Mountain Lions are also No. 1 all-time in the 4x800-meter relay.

  • How fast was the Rattler Booster Invite? Out of the top 14 fastest 100-meter times this season, 11 of those were run at the Rattler Booster Invite. Some were wind-aided, but still a very quick race.

  • Gilbert senior Vance Nilsson is one of the best hurdlers in the country, but he tried his hand at another event, the 400 meters. Nilsson ran 48.63 to come in first at the Red Mountain Rampage. He is now third in the state for the event.

  • He’s not just an 800-meter runner — Red Mountain senior Tyler Mathews won the 3,200 meters in 9:26.29 at the Red Mountain Rampage.

  • Chandler Basha junior Boston Walseth has made a big jump this spring. Finished runner-up to Mathews in the 3,200 meters, running 9:27.78. Came into this season with a personal best of 10:16.19 in the event.

  • Chandler’s 4x400-meter relay team just barely took the state lead away from Queen Creek with their 3:23.10 at the Rattler Booster Invite. Queen Creek had the old lead at 3:23.53.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Top high school boys track and field performances: Week 4