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Sabino senior thrower Jade Kwinn set personal and state records, taking home a title with her throw of 151 feet 6 inches. Cienega sophomore Ais Martinez-Pompa joined Kwinn, taking home first place in her division with a throw of 130-6.

Competition for all other events begins Wednesday, and while a safety precautions are still in place, this state meet looks much more like a pre-coronavirus championship than last fall’s cross country meet.

In November, with COVID case numbers peaking, only the top one-third of runners were invited to participate, and social distancing guidelines required the event to be held over the course of two days instead of one. Each runner was given two wristbands for guests; no tickets available for sale.

While things are not totally back to normal, it’s a vast improvement.

For the next four days, athletes will make their way to high schools in either Phoenix or Gilbert. Spectator tickets are also available for sale, and Saturday’s finals will webcast starting at 8:30 a.m. on the NFHS Network.

Athletes must wear masks while not in competition, and spectators and coaches must have them on at all times. Enhanced cleaning and sanitation measure are still in place, and all shared implements must be wiped down between throws. Social distancing guidelines continue, with reduced field sizes in heats and ample space provided between starting blocks.

There will be no award presentations for the winners, with results posted online and awards picked up by coaches at the end of the meet.

Despite the changes, the 150 or local competitors are happy to be competing.

Building on experience

Sabino junior Eva Bruce will compete in the Division III preliminaries for the 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump.

In November, Bruce, 16, qualified for the state cross country meet and while she came up short for the title, her performance set a personal record.

It’s been a solid track season for Bruce, even without the trip to state. She won the heptathlon in April’s Olivier Invitational in Phoenix, with her score of 4571 breaking the Brophy Stadium record and placing her fourth in the nation in the event.

Bruce said that she was excited for every opportunity to compete this season, and trained hard to do the best she could at each meet.

“For my team, this has been one of the best seasons we have had in a long time,� she said. “Apart from everyone growing closer as friends, we also grew exponentially in our competitive standpoint and earned team trophies at three invitationals for the first time in several years.�

Bruce said she’s excited for the opportunity to compete against other amazing athletes this week, and is looking forward to the state multis meet held later this month.

“It is exciting that MileSplit ranked us so high in the girls (Division III) division heading into state, which agrees with what our coaches have been telling us all season,� Bruce said.

A new appreciation

Salpointe Catholic junior Paris Mikinski is excited to compete in state, and has her sights set on competing well into college.

Mikinski, 16, said that she gained a better appreciation for school sports after they were cut short last year.

“Coming into this track season I had a lot of confidence. I had just been a part of the state championship soccer team at Salpointe, where we defeated Prescott 2-0,� Mikinski said. “During the pandemic, I made big strides in improving my fitness, working out with my Mom almost every day.�

Mikinski’s mom, Gwen Wentland Mikinski, is a two-time NCAA champion, former world record holder in the pentathlon high jump and former American record holder in the heptathlon who coached in the 2012 Olympics. She also coaches at Salpointe and owns an athletic consulting business.

Paris Mikinski had to miss the first two weeks of the track season because of soccer, then had to deal with a minor injury after getting kicked in the foot during the state championship match. Her track season started off strong, when she won the Nike Chandler elite division high jump event. She cleared 4 inches above her old personal record.

“I really didn’t have a lot of jumping prior to that meet,� Mikinski said.

Mikinski went onto achieve personal records in all her events this year, and hopes to capitalize on that success at state. She said she’s feeling optimistic that she’ll do well in her events — the 100-meter hurdles, high jump and long jump.

“May 14th is my birthday and it would be a great birthday present to win the high jump, and even better for my team to capture the state championship,� Mikinski said. “Our team has worked very hard this year and it would be great for us to win a team state title.�

‘I just want to race’

Palo Verde senior Abraham Valenzuela, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s reigning Division III champion in the 3,200 meters and the fastest returner in the 1,600 meters, said Tuesday he’s excited to defend his title, and hoping to earn another one in a new event.

“The last couple of weeks I’ve been training really hard,� Valenzuela, 18, said.

Valenzuela has a few new goals heading into his final high school meet.

“We’re going to try to make a new PR this season,� he said. “Do our best to break the time.�

But in order for that to happen, Valenzuela needs the weather to cooperate. He struggled this season with some windy days and says he hopes that’s not the case Friday and Saturday. Still, regardless of the weather, he’s just happy to be going back one last time.

“Since freshman year, I’ve been going to state,� Valenzuela said. “And now it’s been two years (away). I just want to race. I’m going to do my best.�

Making the cut

Also making one final trip to state to compete in the pole vault is Santa Rita multisport athlete Candice Pocase. She qualified in the event her freshman and sophomore seasons and was hoping to return as a junior before her dreams were dashed by the coronavirus.

Several schools have upwards of a dozen athletes making the trip to state, and many others have rosters approaching the double digits. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ High is sending eight athletes to state this year, including senior Jenica Bosko. Bosko is competing in the long jump and the 100 and 200-meter dashes.

Fellow senior Vansh Salaria as also having a standout season for the Badgers. Salaria will be competing in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes.

“Having these kids out every day, they follow the protocol, they wear the mask, they work hard and they enjoy each other’s company from a distance of a few feet away,â€� said Bridget Barber, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ High’s assistant girls track coach.

“It really has just been great to see them come out and get a good workout in.�