Chandler athletic director Dave Shapiro is hoping for just a moment or two come Saturday night.
That's because there is a good chance he might see something that has never been done in the 70 years of the Chandler Rotary Track and Field Invitational.
Not that Shapiro has been around that long; he just feels that way after being meet director of an event that has grown to 107 teams and 2,950 athletes.
"I hope I can sit back and watch the finals, which means four or five events at the most," Shapiro said. "This should be an amazing year with the talent we have in the field."
The Rotary has long been one of the state's best events, but when it gets started Friday (field events start at 12:30 p.m.) and finishes late Saturday (finals for the running evens start at 4:15 p.m.) many records will be challenged if not laid to waste.
There are 52 state event champions from three states (46 from Arizona, three from Colorado, three from New Mexico). Other states represented by state placers are Texas and Idaho with a little British Columbia thrown in.
Top events include: Boys – discus, high hurdles, 200 meter dash, 800 meter dash and the mile. Girls – 300 hurdles, 200, the mile and the pole vault.
KEVIN CRON IS CLOSING IN ON HOME RUN RECORDPhoenix Mountain Pointe senior catcher
Kevin Cron enters Friday's action one home run away from tying the state record for career home runs. He has 43, including 10 this season, to tie Phoenix Desert Vista's Corey Myers (1999) for the Class 5A record. One more long ball would tie the Texas Christian recruit with Eloy Santa Cruz's Tony Espinoza, who finished with the state and 3A record when he graduated in 2004.
HAMILTON AND CHAPARRAL WON'T PLAY EACH OTHER IN FOOTBALLHamilton (Chandler) and
Chaparral (Scottsdale), the Class 5A Division I and II state champions, respectively, tried to find a way to play each other. The two coaches – Hamilton's Steve Belles and Chaparral's Charlie Ragle – came up with the idea of Hamilton dropping Desert Vista and Chaparral dropping Tempe Marcos de Niza, games scheduled by the Arizona Interscholastic Association's computer program, in order to play each other.
In that scenario, Desert Vista and Marcos de Niza would play in place of the schedule hole created, but Desert Vista coach Dan Hinds said the Thunder weren't willing to drop the Huskies.
"We didn't think that was the right fit," said Hinds, who did add Class 4A Division I state champion Scottsdale Saguaro as the ninth game. "With that said it has nothing to do with Marcos, we have great respect for Marcos and (coach) Roy (Lopez). We just felt we didn't want to not play Hamilton."
ON DECK* Scottsdale Distance Classic: This unique one-day event, scheduled for April 1, runs nothing less than the 800 meter run and the shortest relay is a coed 4x400. It is held at
Saguaro (Scottsdale) and annually draws top programs like
Xavier College Prep (Phoenix),
Brophy College Prep (Phoenix),
Desert Mountain (Scottsdale),
Arcadia (Phoenix),
Prescott and
O'Connor (Phoenix).
RECRUITING UPDATEChaparral wide receiver/defensive back
Davonte Neal received three more offers, according to the Arizona Republic, as Michigan State, Memphis and Wisconsin took a shot at the dynamic athlete.
FAB FOUR* Jaide Stepter, Canyon del Oro (Tucson): The junior won three events at the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson as he won the 100 hurdles (15.35), 300 hurdles (43.32) and anchored the 1,600-meter relay team that won in 4 minutes and 1.81 seconds.
* Trevor Wesley, Ironwood Ridge (Tucson): Wesley won the 100 (11:19), helped the 4x400 relay team to the title in 42.65 seconds and finished second in the 200 (23.41).
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Ethan Springston, Chandler Seton Catholic: The senior outfielder found his power stroke, connecting on four home runs over three games with 14 RBIs. Over those three games, he had eight hits in 11 at-bats to push his average to .579.
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Sherrie Irwin, Parker: Apparently the first baseman enjoyed spring break as she started going off at the plate soon thereafter. She went 8-for-10 with seven runs and 10 RBIs to push her average to .714 on the season.
Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothill News staff writer, is a 15-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.
