LABOR DAY CLASSIC: Centennial’s boys pick up where they left off, claim title

New season, same old Centennial.

The Bulldog boys, who captured last season’s Division I state meet, picked up Saturday where they left off last season, dominating the junior-senior race at the Labor Day Classic at Palo Verde.

Led by a one-two finish from Jackson Carter and Dajour Braxton, Centennial breezed to victory in the junior-senior event, scoring 29 points to second-place Tech’s 83.

”It was a great start to the season,” said Carter, who won the 3.1-mile race in 16 minutes, 5.9 seconds. “Dajour did all the work for me. I just kicked it in with about 800 (meters) to go. It was a really good race for our team … three out of the top four.”

Centennial took four of the top six spots in the race with George Espino placing fourth (16:44.5) and Spencer Day sixth (17:13).

Arbor View’s Cole Jones was third in 16:30.2, and Tech’s Martin Ponce finished fifth in 17:07.5

The top five battled closely through the first half of the race before starting to string out.

Carter wasn’t alone in winning for Centennial.

Centennial’s Sydney Badger ran away from the field to take the girls junior-senior race in 18:54.5. Arbor View’s Zanae Jones was second in 19:41.5.

Desert Oasis’ Brooke Locey (19:48.2) was third, followed by Coronado’s Sara Dort (19:59.4) and Palo Verde’s Marissa Suan (20:12.1).

Badger took the lead early and was never seriously challenged.

“It was not the time I was looking for, but it was the place I was looking for,” Badger said. “I had hoped to run below 18:30. I know I can do it. I had one of my best weeks of training this week.”

Jones’ second-place effort helped Arbor View claim the team crown with 50 points. Coronado was second with 64, three points better than Palo Verde.

In the freshman-sophomore races, Palo Verde’s Noah Landers pulled away to take the boys race, and Coronado’s Danielle Green nipped Palo Verde’s Kate Vanderstelt by 0.3 seconds to win the girls event.

Landers’ time of 16:39.2 was a personal best and the fourth fastest of the day. Coronado’s Colin Schaefer was second in 17:13.

“I love this course,” Landers said. “I was able to take the lead once I got up on the track. It was a good race for me.”

Greene finished in 21:39.9 to just beat Vanderstelt. Sara Braverman of Green Valley was third in 21:58.5.

Green Valley’s boys won the freshman-sophomore team title with 54 points. Coronado was second with 65. Palo Verde’s girls edged second-place Centennial 58-64 to take the freshman-sophomore girls title.