Bonanza sprinting toward strong showing

Mike Sims

Friday, May 13, 2005 | 10 a.m.

There has been a lot of excitement this week at the regional track and field meets at Palo Verde High School.

"We have gotten off to a good start," Bonanza coach Chad Robertus said. "We are leading right now over Cimarron, Palo Verde, and Centennial."

Robertus said Western is another team that will be in contention when today's finals start.

"They have great sprinters," Robertus said.

Western's top sprinter, Del Guy, is known to many as "Superman" and will be the one to beat in the 200- and 400- meter dashes. Guy won both qualifying races this week by convincing margins.

Bonanza has its own fleet of runners who are supposed to give a strong showing in the finals. Austin and Devon Hill finished second and third behind Guy in the preliminary races, and the Bengals have Garrett Blizzard in the 200-meter dash and in the 300-meter hurdles.

"We are really strong in the (4x200) relay and the (4x400)," Robertus said. "The glamour events will be the most exciting, but the other events will be the most important when it comes down to the end."

Sierra Vista lacks depth, but has strong individual performers, coach Carrie Faber said.

Zach Ivie and Ricky Loften are two of the top three qualifiers for the 100-meter hurdle finals, and will compete against Mojave's top qualifier, Reshaun Greer. Greer and Ivie will also be contenders in the 300-meter hurdles.

Sierra Vista's Phillip Lee has already qualified for state in the high jump.

Do not count out the Cheyenne girls' team, which is always very strong in the sprints. The Desert Shields have the top qualifier in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes. Valencia Wilson is Cheyenne's top sprinter in the 200 and 400.

They also have the top four qualifiers in the girls' 200-meter dash.

On the Sunrise side, the top teams may be Silverado and Green Valley, but the most intense competition is likely to come between Valley and Basic.

Valley's Capri Knox and Basic's Amber Purdie are the top qualifiers in those events in the 100, 200 and 400. Knox's finished under a minute in the 400-meter qualifier.