Foster adds relay mark to resume, Davis produces dynamic triple

Host Wolves lower their own 4x400 standard, with Agoura star setting two meet records and Tolleson's Johnson, Roosevelt's Easter along with Chandler's Bailey and Lee all securing multiple victories

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Morgan Foster is already the Arizona high school record holder in the girls 800 meters.

When the opportunity arrived to be part of another state record in a relay Saturday, the Chandler High sophomore couldn't pass up the chance.

After teammate LaMeyah Charlton endured a fall in the elite 800 meters at the 77th NIKE Chandler Rotary Invitational, Foster took the senior's place in the Wolves' 4x400 lineup and teamed with Armani Harris, Anna Foreman and Anaya Bailey to run 3 minutes, 47.98 seconds at Austin Field.

It was the fourth event for Bailey, along with the third race for Harris and the second for Foreman. Foster ran the third leg on the relay after taking second in the 800 (2:11.59) and third in the Sally Meyerhoff mile (4:55.17).

"Especially with someone who is not supposed to run this. I mean, if these girls had an actual 400 runner in this, they would have destroyed (the record). I did what I could after two other events," Foster said. "I didn't even think I was going to do the triple, but I'm actually really glad that I did it because these ladies are amazing."

Harris, Foreman, Charlton and Bailey had lowered the state record March 10 to 3:48.48 at the Brophy Prep AMDG Invitational. With Foster inserted into the lineup, Chandler improved to No. 12 in the country this year.

"It's tradition for us to finish with a really strong 4x400, so we thought we'd make it a little bit more exciting and unpredictable if we got the state record for a second time," said Foreman, who placed eighth in the elite 800 in 2:17.31.
"Hopefully we'll just keep on repeating that."

Bailey ran with Jai Gruenwald, Jayde Charlton and Zaire Chest on Chandler's 4x100 relay, which prevailed in 46.26, in addition to winning the 200 in 24.07 and taking second in the 100 in a wind-aided 11.90.

Harris was second in the elite 400 in 56.61 and fifth in the 100 in a wind-aided 12.05.

"This is our home. We run here every single day and practice hard hours and we had to just do it and that was really about it," Bailey said. "It was so special. I was so happy. I'm a senior and I grew up running, starting when I was 5. It was crazy. I don't think it's really hit me, but it will hit me (Sunday)."

Agoura CA senior Tara Davis won three events, breaking two meet records, including the long jump with Chandler graduate, former Oregon All-American and Mountain Pointe AZ assistant coach Jasmine Todd in attendance.

Davis had a leap of 20-10, surpassing Todd's mark of 20-1.5 from 2012, but just shy of her national-leading 21-1.

Todd's triple jump record of 41-5 from 2011 survived another year, as Davis won the competition with a first-round effort of 41-4 to improve to No. 3 in the country, besting a field that included four 40-foot jumpers, with Arielle Mack of El Paso Burges TX second at 40-7.50, Chandler's Tiana Poirier-Shelton third at 40-3.50 and Mountain Pointe's Nura Muhammad fourth at 40-0.50.

Davis also ran a national-leading 13.50 in the 100 hurdles, eclipsing the 2014 record of 13.66 set by former George Washington CO star and USC redshirt sophomore Dior Hall.

"It just motivates me to get those records. Those are my goals and that's what I want to do," Davis said. "This is why I'm doing track, so I can get these goals. It just pushes me and motivates me to do my best every meet and leave it all out on the track."

Centennial NV set the meet record and ran the second-fastest time in the country this year in the girls 4x800 relay, with Kayla Roberts, Julia Weaver, Alexis Gourrier and Kennedy Brace clocking 9:24.11 to hold off North Canyon AZ in 9:24.82.

Despite not knowing if he'd be able to run, since he was an alternate on the start lists for the elite session, Tolleson Union AZ senior Trey Johnson made the most of his opportunities in the 100-meter dash and 110 hurdles.

Johnson filled available lanes in the second of three sections in both races and produced the fastest times with wind-legal marks of 10.57 in the 100 and 13.65 in the 110 hurdles.

"Especially since it's my first (hurdles) race of the year, that really surprised me. I didn't think I was going to be able to run that fast, but it felt good and I'm happy about it," Johnson said. "I was ready, I knew I could do it, out of lane 8 or out of any lane. I believed in myself and I got the race done."

North Canyon AZ junior Tyrees Moulton won the boys 400 in 47.15 and took second in the 200 in 21.73. Long Beach Poly CA senior Zion Bowens prevailed in the 200 in 21.41.

Long Beach Poly junior Ariyonna Augustine won the girls 100 in a wind-aided 11.88 and took second to Bailey in the 200 in 24.18. Hamilton AZ junior Morgan Parzych won the girls 400 in 56.54.

Roosevelt CA senior Anthony Easter won the 300 hurdles in 37.15 and anchored the Mustangs to victory in 3:19.23 in the 4x400 relay, joining Jackson Taylor, Roshard Williams and Jalen Johnson. Easter won his section in the 110 hurdles in 14.07, but placed second overall to Trey Johnson.

Roosevelt junior Breanna Bernard-Joseph won the girls 300 hurdles in 42.14 and helped the Mustangs place second to Chandler in the 4x100 relay (47.84) and 4x400 relay (3:52.68).

Imani Lee won the boys triple jump with a leap of 47-11.50 and contributed to Chandler's victory in 41.48 in the 4x100, along with Kendon Walker, Jaheim Brown and Ryan Johnson.

St. Mary's Catholic AZ senior Quintella Johnson repeated in the girls high jump with a clearance of 5-6 and Desert Vista AZ sophomore Sevanna Hanson cleared 12 feet to win the pole vault.

Desert Vista senior Taleb Mudiwa was victorious in the boys long jump with a leap of 24-3.50, Valley Vista AZ senior Cole Riddle cleared 16 feet to win the boys pole vault and Canyon del Oro AZ senior Cameron Crandall prevailed in the boys high jump with a 6-6 clearance.

Shadow Ridge AZ won the boys 4x800 relay, with Kyle Kerr, David Ortiz, Spencer Sylvester and Brendan Kuffel clocking 8:09.54.