NORTH
VALLEY – The annual Great Southwest Track and Field
Classic in Albuquerque, N.M., always brings out
some of the best athletes in the country. At this
year’s event, Arizona’s contingent, including
a group from the North Valley, did not disappoint.
A
handful of athletes from Boulder Creek and Sandra
Day O’Connor high schools participated at the prestigious
event at 5,300‑feet elevation.
As
usual, O’Connor’s girls distance runners left their
mark as Camille Olson finished fourth in the 1,500
with a time of 4 minutes, 45.82 seconds. Olson finished
behind two runners from Utah and one from Colorado,
but did top teammate Lindsay Prescott.
Prescott
took sixth with a time of 4:47.47, which put her
two spots ahead of teammate Aleina Eisenhauer, who
finished with a time of 4:50.62.
In
field events, the Eagles sent Nicole Elliott to
the meet, where she finished eighth in the shot
put with a heave of 93 feet, 7 inches.
For
the boys, Boulder Creek senior Daniel Lovell, who
is fresh off a pair of state championships at the
5A‑Division II state meet in mid‑May,
finished 13th in the 3,200 in Albuquerque with a
time of 9:58.22.
While
that time did not beat his state‑championship
winning time, it was still the best mark among all
Arizona runners.
Boulder
Creek coach Andrea Williams said Lovell is still
deciding his college choices between accepting a
scholarship at Paradise Valley Community College
or walking‑on at Arizona State University.
O’Connor’s
girls distance runners, meanwhile, are training
for the Nike Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina
next week. The three‑day meet, held June 14‑16
at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro
is one of the top U.S. high school track meets.
The
relay team of Prescott, Olson, Eisenhauer and Dani
Hunt will compete in three relays at the event–the
4x800, 4x1‑mile and the distance medley, which
is runs of 1,200; 400; 800; and 1,600 meters.
