DIVISION I TRACK: Mack’s ‘perfect’ day helps Green Valley boys to opening-day lead

The field for the boys 400-meter dash at the Division I state track and field meet was billed as the fastest in state history. The lineup for the 200 was pretty stacked, too.

But nobody could catch Green Valley senior Ian Mack.

Mack won both of his individual events and set a meet record in the 400 on Friday to help Green Valley lead the team standings after the first day of the Division I meet at Del Sol.

The Gators scored 50 points, with Centennial and Carson tied for second at 38½. The Division I, I-A, III and IV state meets conclude Saturday at Del Sol with the track events starting at 8 a.m. and the field events scheduled to begin at 9.

“Perfect day,” Mack said.

All eight competitors in the 400 ran less than 49 seconds in qualifying, and the field included defending state champion Corey Reid of Carson and McQueen’s Connor Ross, last year’s state champ in the 800 meters.

Mack stayed relaxed around the final curve and made his move past Ross with about 110 meters remaining. Mack crossed the line in 47.03 seconds, topping the 47.15 Reid posted to win last year’s race.

“I just held my ground and finished really strong,” Mack said. “I felt like I had so much more in that 400. I was smiling at like 10 meters left because I knew I had it. It was such a surprise. I was so happy.”

Mack got off to a strong start in the 200 and pulled away from the pack in the final 50 meters to win in 21.82, though he fell well short of the meet record because of a strong headwind on the homestretch. Mack also ran a leg on the Gators’ 800 relay team that finished second to Las Vegas and will try to top the meet record of 10.39 in the 100 on Saturday.

Brady Williams also scored first-place points for Green Valley, winning the discus with a mark of 164 feet, 8 inches.

Centennial’s Dajour Braxton took the first installment in his three-part battle with McQueen’s Kai Benedict, winning the boys 1,600. Braxton went to the front early and never relinquished the lead, crossing the line in 4:13.45.

Braxton also ran a 1:51.5 anchor leg on Centennial’s 3,200 relay that won in a meet-record time of 7:48.89. Centennial was disqualified in the same event last year when officials ruled Braxton created an “acceleration zone,” costing the Bulldogs the state title.

“Last year we got DQ’d, and ever since then we’ve been thinking we’ve got to get back here and show them who really is the four-by-eight champion,” Braxton said. “This is my last year running for Centennial, and I’m trying to go out with a bang.”

Centennial’s Karina Haymore and Alexis Gourrier finished 1-2 in the girls 800 as the four-time defending girls state champion Bulldogs lead the team standings with 65 points. Coronado is second with 33.

Haymore went wire to wire to win in 2:10.89, knocking more than five seconds off her previous best, while Gourrier came back to win the 3,200 in 11:05.18.

“I was praying before the racing, trying to get my head in the zone and keep joyful thoughts because joy brings energy,” Haymore said. “When the gun went off, I felt I wanted to make the race my own.”

Charleen Jordan of Coronado won the 300 hurdles in 43.93 and finished third in the 100, which was won by Cimarron-Memorial’s Mia Russell in 12.08.

Arbor View won the girls 400 relay in 48.26, upsetting top-seeded Centennial.