Centennial boys shine at Labor Day Classic

Centennial’s boys cross country team found plenty of reasons to be happy Saturday after its first invitational of the season.

The Bulldogs had the top finisher in both the junior-senior race and the freshman-sophomore race at the Labor Day Classic at Palo Verde.

Jackson Carter ran the fastest time of the day, completing the 2.8-mile course in 14 minutes, 27.7 seconds, leading the Bulldogs to the team title in the junior-senior race.

“There is a lot of love with this team,” Carter said. “We are really close. We want to win state. The race went about as I expected today.”

Carter led from the start and won easily over junior Mucuranyana Amon of Clark (14:43.9), who overtook senior Alan Ekanger of Coronado (14:47.1) in the final half-mile to finish second.

Liberty’s Colin Schultz took fourth in 15:02.4, followed by Centennial’s George Espino in 15:04.5.

Centennial claimed the team title with 55 points. Coronado (84) was second, followed by Palo Verde (103), Tech (127) and Green Valley (132).

Dajour Braxton pulled away to win the freshman-sophomore race in 14:56.8, the fourth-fastest overall time Saturday.

“He’s a natural, fluid runner,” Centennial coach Mike McGuire said of Braxton. “He transferred in from Louisiana. He showed up the first day, wanted to come out for the team. He’s tough. Right now he’s our No. 2 runner.”

Palo Verde’s Noah Landers was second in 15:17, with Centennial’s Dominc Roberts grabbing third in 15:22.6. Coronado’s Colin Schaefer (15:26.2) and Clark’s Flimon Fre (15:29.7) rounded out the top five.

Palo Verde won the freshman-sophomore team title with 56 points, 10 better than Centennial. Green Valley was third with 72.

Coronado’s Sara Dort turned in the fastest girls time of the day, finishing in 17:39.7 and helping the Cougars claim the girls junior-senior title.

The Cougar junior, who is the defending Sunrise champion, pulled four of her teammates into a top-11 finish.

“This is my year. I feel like I’m ready to do it,” said Dort. “The race today was fine. I stayed back in the pack at the start and made my move after the first mile.”

Arbor View’s Zanae Jones took second in 17:53.1. Emily Adams of Bonanza was third in 18:09.4, followed by Coronado teammates Kristen Morrill (18:15.3) and Logan Lucas (18:31.3).

The most lopsided outcome of the day came in the girls freshman-sophomore race where Desert Oasis’ Brooke Locey ran away from the field to win in 17:51.2.

Palo Verde’s Bailey Dunlap was second in 19:07.3.

“I really like cross country,” said Locey, who qualified for the state track meet in both the 1,600 and 3,200 last year. “Last year I just did intramural sports, basketball. Track was good for me, but this is where I really feel I belong.”

Palo Verde, which also got a third-place effort from Samantha Reintjes (19:18.3) and a fifth-place showing from Kate Vanderstelt (19:22.5), won the freshman-sophomore team title with 42 points. Arbor View was second with 58 points, followed closely by Coronado (68) and Desert Oasis (74).

Arbor View’s Madison Fletcher was fourth in 19:22.3.