Black and Ping produce top overall times at same venue that will host Arizona Interscholastic Association state meet, with Carr and Logan also earning wins; Sage Creek’s Wallace and Arlington’s Loftis impressive in unattached races

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

GILBERT – The deepest girls cross country team in Arizona only appears to be getting stronger entering the postseason, especially with Grace Ping making her anticipated season debut for Desert Vista at the second Phoenix Classic.

Brophy Prep and Highland, the top two Division 1 boys programs, remained on a collision course for a big showdown at the state final, with 10-time champion Desert Vista still hoping to make an impact in November.

And reigning Division 2 boys and girls state champion Flagstaff got one last opportunity to measure itself against top competition in preparation to extend a pair of impressive title streaks when the Eagles return to Crossroads Park in three weeks.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

On a night when Stormy Wallace of Sage Creek High in California and Vincent Lofits of Arlington High in Washington excelled in unattached races, the top athletes and teams in Arizona enjoyed one more regular-season meet under the lights, before shifting their attention to the state qualifying schedule.

Wallace was hoping for more competition in the girls varsity unattached race, but the junior standout still showcased strong fitness by covering the 5-kilometer layout in 17 minutes, 26.1 seconds, her second sub-17:30 performance in three weeks in Arizona, as she waits for the official California season to begin in December.

Loftis made his fall debut in the boys varsity unattached race, with the senior producing a 15:41.6 performance, one of only four athletes at the meet with sub-16 efforts.

The other three came in a competitive Arizona Division 1 and 2 varsity race, with Brophy Prep senior Xander Black prevailing in 15:37.5 to lead the Broncos to a 57-63 victory over Highland.

Black was supported by Jackson Moran (16:18.98) securing sixth, Charlie Fallon (16:30.95) placing ninth, Brody Haar (16:36.66) finishing 15th and Jessie Salinas (17:06.54) taking 26th, holding off reigning Division 1 champion Highland, led by a fourth-place performance from Elijah Poleman (16:02.79) and five athletes in the top 20.

Highland and Desert Vista have combined for eight Division 1 titles in the past decade, with Brophy Prep looking for its first championship since 2003.

Flagstaff, led by runner-up Max Davis (15:47.78) and fifth-place finisher Lance Harris (16:12.45), took third with 96 points. Davis made a late surge to get past Terrence Keyes of Gilbert, who ran 15:48.83 to place third.

Flagstaff is looking to sweep the Division 2 boys and girls titles for the sixth year in a row. Only Page, which has won six straight Division 3 boys championships, has a similar streak of success in Arizona.

Lauren Ping and Katie Sigerud took the top two spots in the Arizona Division 1 and 2 girls varsity race, contributing to Desert Vista placing five scorers in the top 15 in a 40-52 victory over Perry.

Lauren Ping clocked 17:24.24 and Sigerud ran 17:58.32 for Desert Vista, which had support from Brooklyn Hanania (19:30.32) in 11th, Olivia Thatcher (19:32.02) placing 12th and Emily Littlefield (19:35.22) finishing 14th.

Grace Ping, an Oklahoma State commit, won the Arizona Division 1 and 2 girls open section in 19:31.9 in her first race since June after recovering from injury. Lauren Ping and Grace Ping took the top two spots last year for Desert Vista at the Division 1 state final.

Perry produced an impressive effort to challenge Desert Vista, with Taylor Lovell (18:35.67) finishing fourth, Sara Jones (18:40.78) taking fifth and Kylie Miller (18:53.4) securing sixth.

Mia Hall (18:19.81) took third overall for fourth-place Flagstaff, which had 67 points, just one point behind third-place Highland, led by seventh-place Kayla Case (18:58.8).

In the Arizona Division 3 and 4 girls varsity race, American Leadership Academy of Queen Creek sophomore Evelynne Carr prevailed in 18:47.61, but her team was edged by Arizona College Prep by a 49-53 margin after the Knights placed five scorers in the top 16.

Nick Logan of Veritas Prep Academy won the Arizona Division 3 and 4 boys varsity race in 16:14.61, contributing to a runner-up finish for his team with 96 points. Glendale Prep Academy, with five scorers in the top 25, secured the team victory with 73 points.