MESA — The smallest and youngest girl on the track stood tallest on the medal stand Saturday afternoon at Mesa Community College, after winning the high school girls Division I state title in the 100 meters.
Chandler freshman S'Niyah Cade, who stands 5 foot 1, outran a fast field with a time of 11.84 seconds. It wasn't her fastest time of the season but fast enough to hold off three others who ran sub-12 seconds.
Former Chandler sprinter Trinity Henderson, who transferred last summer to Phoenix Mountain Pointe, was second at 11.85, followed by Phoenix Pinnacle senior McKenna Watson (11.89) and Gilbert Highland junior Lainey Jones (11.92).
"I just tried to stay calm," Cade said.
But, in the end, Chandler's freshman wasn't able to carry the team to a sixth consecutive state championship and 15th in 16 years.
Gilbert Perry won its first state championship with 87 points. Chandler's dropped baton in the 4x100 relay during preliminaries earlier in the week proved costly. That disqualified the Wolves from the sprint relay final and a possible 10 points.
Cade had the fastest time in the state in the 200 entering the final. But she finished fourth as Watson shocked the field, winning in a personal-record 24.04. Her previous best was in the prelims at 24.59.
"I just wanted it so bad," Watson said. "I love running with those girls. They're awesome. They're amazing. I'm just so happy."
Chandler finished with 74 points for second place, followed by Queen Creek's 70.
Perry was led by senior distance runner Taylor Lovell, a Liberty University commit who pulled an upset in the 3200 with her victory. She scored 36 points just by herself. She anchored the winning 4x800 relay team, was second in the 800 and second in the 1600.
Avery Clark helped Perry's title, as well. She won the 300 hurdles and was second in the 100 hurdles. She also had second-place points earlier in the week in the high jump.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association state high school track and field championships ran all day Saturday at MCC with four divisions on the hottest day of the year to date at 104 degrees.
Phoenix Desert Vista senior Katie Sigerud captured the 1600 title in 5:01, a few seconds below her best.
"I just wanted to give all I had in the mile," Sigerud said. "I have a couple of hours until the 800. I know it's really hot, but I wanted to give it my all."
In the final race of the night, Highland won the 4x400 relay in 3:52.86 with the quartet of Lainey Jones, Kali McEuen, Emma Standifird and Camila Aguilar-Perez. Chandler was second.
Division II
Avondale Agua Fria sophomore Stacey Onyepunuka won the 100 sprint in 11.92 seconds, followed by her sister, Sabatiney, a junior, who ran 12.09.
Stacey came back to claim the 200 title in 24.17 with Phoenix North Canyon's Joy Moorer second at 24.26. Sabatiney took the bronze in 24.84.
North Canyon rolled to the state championship with 123 points, followed by Casteel at 84.
Lea Spindell of Gilbert Campo Verde edged out Glendale Ironwood's Jasmine Haskell for the 400 title in 55.96 seconds. Haskell ran 56.02.
Gilbert Williams Field junior Saira Prince won the 100 hurdles in 13.90 seconds, beating out Moorer, who ran 14.53.
Prince ran a PR in preliminaries at 13.73.
"It's an accomplishment to beat my own score," Prince said. "And just to make a PR.
"It was very hot today, trying to keep cool in the shade. Just tried to stay hydrated."
Moorer bounced back to win the 300 hurdles championship in 41.47 second, the third-fastest all-time mark in Arizona. Prince was second at 43.34.
Prince's time wasn't her fastest but she'll take it on a hot day. She had a personal record earlier in the week in prelims.
"It was an accomplishment to beat my own score and to make a PR," Prince said. "It was very hot, trying to stay cool in the shade and stay hydrated."
Division III
Salpointe Catholic won the state title with 124.50 points, with Queen Creek American Leadership Academy second at 79.50.
Freshman Violet Williams of Prescott won the 100 in 12.41 seconds. Kaydance Sherwood of Empire was second at 12.45.
Snowflake's Lydia Szabo won the 400 in 56.68 seconds.
Division IV
St. Johns won the state title with 89 points, followed by Round Valley (75) and Valley Christian (74).
Valley Christian's Ella Browder, Riley Brown, Gabrielle Dummann and Emma Liberta teamed up to win the 4x100 relay in 49.53 seconds.
Earlier, Brown won the state title in the 100 in 12.43.
