73rd Chandler Rotary Invite shifts to new final-day format

March 21, 2013 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


It's the 73rd running of the Chandler Rotary Track and Field Invitational come Friday (March 22) and Saturday (March 23). And with it an adjusted format to enhance what has become a meet sure to include record-breakers in any number of events. 

The number of schools in Arizona and outside entering athletes is over 100 this year. The meet still covers two days with Friday the Open Session, which allows scores of non-elite athletes to compete. The Saturday session is divided in half -- the morning is the Seeded Session (32-40 athletes per event)  and the afternoon the Elite Session (featuring the very best with 16 to 24 per event). In addition, for the first time in its history the meet will not be scored. Friday's Open Session begins at 12:30 p.m. and runs through the rest of the day. Saturday's seeded session commences at 9 a.m. with the Elite Session set for at 4 p.m. start for field events and 4:45 for lane events.

Events of note in the boys rest with the triple jump, pole vault and distance races. Four vaulters competing have cleared 16 feet -- Desert Vista's Scott Marshall, Brophy's Cole Walsh, Horizon's Grant Sisserson and Basha's Nathan Hiett. The triple jump features last year's winner, Sandra Day O'Connor's Hayden McClain, Valley Vista's Avery Mickens and El Paso Burgess Keandre Bates. Someoneamongst them may hit the 50-foot-mark. In the 1,600, Cibola's Bernie Montoya will be challenged by Salpointe's Andy Trouard, Rincon's Ryan Silva, Corona del Sol's Nate Rodriguez and Ogden (Utah) Jordan Cross (also 3,200). Silva, Montoya, Rodrguez and Cactus Shadows Ethan Homan are also set to run in the 800. Other boys to watch are Brophy's Robert Grant (hurdles), San Manuel's Wayne Newman (110 hurdles),  Mountain Pointe's Paul Lucas (long jump) and Chandler's Dominic Nappe and Desert Vista's Dylan Fischer (throws). With Deer Valley's Trae Armstrong graduated and Brophy's Devon Allen not competing, the sprints and hurdles are open to new champs.

On the girls side,sprints will be the main event. Those to watch in either the 100, 200 or 400 are Chandler's Ky Westbrook and Dominique Jackson, Salpointe's Michaela Cunkleton-Wilson and Diana Gajda, North Canyon's Jasmine Stauffacher-Gray. Outside the state are Long Beach Poly's Arianna Washington and Hollie Harris and Carson (Calif.)  Dierra Harris. The state record may be in sight in the 100 hurdles with Chandler's Sherrelle Jordan, Long Beach Poly's Kymber Payne and Chandler's Makaila Flannigan. Forty-foot throwers are vying  in the shot. Among the top contenders are Deer Valley's Amanda Conlin, Chandler's Westbrook and Mesa Mountain View's Malia Ta'ase. Distance runners to keep an eye on perennial state champ Sarah Fakler (Xavier) and Desert Vista sophomore Dani Jones. Desert Vista vaulter Vanessa Davis, D-I state high jump champ Ashlee Moore (Hamilton) and triple jumpers Lauren Hicks (Gilbert) and Chloe Richardson (Mesa Mtn. View) should garner fans' attention.