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Canyon del Oro's Jaide Stepter earns Gatorade track and field honors

June 20, 2012 by MaxPreps, AZPreps365


During the high school track and field season, Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.) senior Jaide Stepter hurdled the competition. She is doing the same when it comes to postseason awards.

Stepter was selected the Arizona track and field athlete of the year by Gatorade on Wednesday, after a season is which she won three individual state titles.

"She's a heck of an athlete, and that's saying it mildly," Catalina Foothills coach Steve Carney said in a release announcing the award. "She's pretty awesome. Our schools are about 10 miles apart, and we face off in every sport you can imagine."

At the Division II state meet this spring, the 5-foot-7 Stepter won both the 100- (14.43 seconds) and 300-meter hurdles (42.01), in addition to the long jump (19 feet, 3 inches). Her time in the 300 hurdles was a state record.

Stepter also placed second in the 200 meters, to lead the Dorados to a second-place team finish.

As the state winner, Stepter, who has a track and field scholarship to the University of Southern California, is now eligible for National Player of the Year honors.

Stepter is the second Canyon del Oro athlete to be honored after the spring season. Kayla Bonstrom was selected the state's softball player of the year by Gatorade.