SRHS Track and Field Athletes Bring Home the Gold

SRHS Track and Field Athletes Bring Home the Gold
Posted on 05/15/2017
2017 Track and Field Champs

Salt River High School earned its first-ever team track and field titles at the Canyon Athletic Association’s Division I championships May 12 and 13.

The boy’s high school team brought home the second-place trophy. In addition, seven athletes earned 12 medals—some even setting state and personal records—on both the men’s and women’s teams, marking the first year the Eagles have ever taken home individual titles in the sport. First-year head coach Katy Wilson qualified 16 athletes for the finals.

Senior Brandon Ventour took the top spot in four events: triple jump, high jump, 110 meter hurdles and the 100 meter dash. He set three CAA state meet records in the process.

On Friday, junior April Wahpeta brought home the Eagles first-ever state track and field gold medal by throwing the shot put 24-7.5, which set a personal record in the process. Wahpeta was ranked No. 7 in state before the finals. Senior Jacob Schurz moved from the No. 4 spot to take first after launching the discus 106-3, which also set a personal record. Late Friday evening, Ventour hit 44-01 in the triple jump, erasing the previous state meet record of 41-10. The golden jump tweaked Ventour’s ankle, which had him sitting out the rest of his events Friday.

Ventour’s ankle was back to normal Saturday morning to help him win the high jump with a recordsetting 6-8, beating the previous CAA state record by 6 inches. Ventour’s jump is the second-highest mark at state championship meets in Arizona this year in all divisions, including the CAA and Arizona Interscholastic Association. From the high jump Ventour hurried to catch the 110 meter hurdles event where he ran 15.75, setting another CAA state meet record. Ventour then went neck-and-neck with senior Jamison Meyerovitz from Paradise Valley Christian Prep to win the 100 meter dash in 11.55, which set another personal record.

Wilson recorded the results of Ventour’s events and sent them to Central Arizona College, which recently offered Venture a track and field scholarship.

To cap the individual championships for the Eagles, freshman Joaquin Suniga set a personal record and won the 300 meter hurdles running 44.27.

“The kids proved to themselves that they had it in them to do it,” said Coach Wilson. “That was the most meaningful part of the experience.”

Other top medal winners for SRHS:
• Fr. Sabin Miguel: 2nd place 3200 meters; 2nd place 1600 meters
• Wahpeta: 2nd place discus
• Schurz: 3rd place long jump
• Fr. Joaquin Suniga: 3rd place 110 meter hurdles

CLICK HERE for more information about the Canyon Athletic Association and state championship results.

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Media Contact:
Taté Walker
Salt River Schools Communications and PR Director
Office: (480) 362-2570
Cell: (480) 692-8159
[email protected]

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