NM School for the Deaf Sophomore Devon Thompson wins discus championship

State 1A discus championship to New Mexico School for the Deaf sophomore Devon Thompson in day one of state 1-3A track and field championships at University of New Mexico

Mostly preliminaries Friday, with Saturday bringing the remaining finals

By Arnie Leshin

Devon Thompson’s busy days in the throwing areas began with an impressive first place in the discus at Friday’s opening day of the state A-3A track and field championships at the University of New Mexico.

The New Mexico School for the Deaf sophomore got off a best throw of 127-09 in his best event, the discus. Saturday, he hopes to add the shot put and the Javelin, with his best chance in the shot put.

This was one of the finals in a day where mostly preliminaries were contested.

In the boy’s high jump final, second place went to Santa Fe Prep sophomore Patrick Boyd and Pecos junior Carlos Cordova as both tied at 6-feet. The winner also soared 6 feet, but won on fewer misses. Fifth place at 5-10 belonged to Griffins’ sophomore Sam Sparks.

In the long jump, Sparks took the runner-up spot at 20-07. In fifth place was Academy of Technology and The Classics sophomore Gabe Lopez, who went 19-10.

As for the girls in the 3A long jump, Desert Academy junior Bea Lowe, a transfer from Santa Fe Waldorf, finished fourth with a best of 16-feet, and fifth was ATC junior Lilia Noger-Onstott at 15-10.

In the 3A 1,600, Wildcats’ senior Lia Kane ran fifth in 5:50.35, and right behind in sixth was Prep 8^th grader Chelsea Griscom as the youngster turned in a 5:52.94. The 300 intermediate hurdles had versatile Prep freshman Hayden Colfax third in 48:34 and Sharples was fifth in 49:45.

In the 1A discus, NMSD junior Janell Miller settled for second place by throwing 92-06, with victorious Springer junior, Alicia Arias, setting a 1A state record with her throw of 101-92.

Prep qualified for the Saturday finals of the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200. It ran sixth-best in the shorter baton-pass at 52:36, and had third-fasted time of 1:53.50 in the 4 x 200. Raton was the fastest into the finals by racing 51:02 in the 400 relay and 1:49.35 in the 800.

In the 1,600 sprint medley relay, Prep ran second in 4:38.02 of the prelims. In the day’s final event, the 4 x 400, the Griffins took the fourth spot in 4:19.26 and ATC qualified in 4:31.50 with a ninth-place finish.

In the 110 hurdles, Colfax, led the field into the finals in 16:83, with freshman teammate, Layla Sharples, third-best in 17:18. In the 100 meters, Prep senior Annika Birk made it to the finals with the sixth-fastest clocking of 13:50. In the 200, Birk timed 27:04 for fourth and into the finals.

In the boy’s 110 hurdles, Lopez hurdled sixth-best in 17:91 to advance to Saturday. In the 100 meters, it was Griffins’ senior Patrick Boyd leading the way in 11:31, with Phoenix senior Sean Delica second-best in 11:68. Fifth in the prelims was ATC sophomore, Ahbedoh White Eagle, dashing 11:91, and qualifying in eighth was Desert Academy senior Noa Noa Laget Hudson timed in 12 seconds flat.

Prep also made the finals in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relays. It ran the second-fastest time of 44:08 in the 4 x 100 and fifth-best of 1:39.57 in the 4 x 200. ATC advanced in the 400 relay as fifth-fastest in 45:09, and by running eighth in the 800 relay in 1:35.59.

In the sprint medley, Pecos finished sixth in 3:52.19, with Desert Academy seventh in 3:52.81. In the 4 x 400, Pecos made the final with a fourth-place time of 3:37.83. In fifth was Desert Academy running 3:39.54.

Pecos sophomore Omar Dominguez did the 300 intermediate hurdles prelims in the sixth-best time of 44:56. The 400 prelim found Boyd second in 51:87, with Logan running 52:91 for sixth. Wildcats sophomore Jakob Kaare-Rasmussen just missed making the finals when he placed ninth in 53:70, just behind the last qualifier who ran 53:59.

Boyd was on top the qualifiers into Saturday by racing 23:04 in the 200, and in fifth was Logan in 23:52. Seventh was Pecos senior Isaiah Valdez seventh in 24:05.

The 3,200 went to Panthers’ senior Julian Garcia in 10:16.22 and junior teammate Josh DeHerrera came in fourth and clocked 10:30.34.

Pecos’ defending champions are in second place with 14.50 points. Laguna-Acoma is first with 23, Dexter third with 12, Santa Fe Prep fourth with 11.50, and ATC has scored two points.