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May 11, 2008 - 1:54AM
Tempe Prep boys joins girls team as 1A champions
By Cary L. Tyler, For the Tribune
For Tempe Prep, the girls track team has enjoyed a nice run of 1A state titles, including a resounding win in this year’s 1A championships at Mesa High.
This year, the boys got to enjoy the celebration and the title trophy, too, as they captured the school’s first boys state title, nudging out Joseph City in a hard-fought battle from beginning to end.
Michael Begley, who won the 100- and 200-meter dashes for Tempe Prep, called the night “awesome.”
“What a way to end my senior year,” said Begley, who did not place in the sprint events last year.
“I’m just thankful for all the hard work my teammates put in to get a title. It took all of us, but we did it.”
Begley ran an 11.7 in the 100 and a 23.66 in the 200, and also helped the 400 relay team place third.
The Knights’ Aaron Benson was a double winner in the shot put (46 feet, 3 inches) and discus (135-7), and he credited the effort to what happened after the football season.
“We didn’t get it there, so all of us that played football, we pretty much got together and decided that we would get focused, get better and try and get the title,” Benson said.
“We didn’t focus just on individual gains, but on everyone. We were willing to step out of ourselves to get one goal.”
The Knights girls team had no problem capturing its fourth straight title, easily outdistancing Flagstaff Northland Prep 187 to 94.
Robyn Robledo won the long jump (15-7 ½), triple jump (33-9 ½), and high jump (4-8), while Briana Prince, a sophomore, won the 1,600 (61.59) and the 200 (27.45), and also helped her team win the 400 relay.
Prince’s 400-meter title came just a few minutes after she helped her 400-meter relay team place.
“We like to win,” Prince said, laughing.
“Seriously, though, the coaches have motivated us to improve on what we do and not just rest on what we’ve done. We had better workouts, we have stayed close and cheer each other on. It is nice to win again.”
In 3A boys, Safford captured the team title with 104 points, followed by Lakeside Blue Ridge (89) and Sedona Red Rock (68).
In 3A girls, Blue Ridge won with 112 ½ points. Red Rock was second (93) and Fountain Hills finished third with 52 points.
Fountain Hills’ Alexandra Stricklin won the discus with a throw of 109 feet.
Reader comments (1)
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Cassie Bates
Briana Prince did not win the 1600 meter race, she won the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:01:59 and not (61.59) as you have published. Please make this correction and see the official scores at directathletics.com. The information you received was distorted. Suggest removal of this commentMay 13, 2008