Flagstaff High School sophomore Taylor Biggambler on Saturday night found herself pitted in the fastest heat of the elite 1,600 meters against some of the top runners in the Southwest at the Nike Chandler Invitational.
Biggambler, who came in with a seed time of 5:15.32, struggled a bit and finished 23rd in 5:28.44.
Up front in that heat was a battle of three of the nation’s elite prep girl distance runners. Boulder (Colo.) High’s Kiki Vaughn, who signed a letter of intent to run for NAU next year, came into the race as the favorite with the fastest seed time, 4:52.67. But Vaughn, daughter of former University of Colorado elite runner/marthoner Sara Vaughn, was upset by rival Lauren Raley of Cheyanne (Colo.) Mountain High, 4:58.93 to 4:59.67.
Both Raley and Vaughn are seniors, but the two were pushed by a prodigy not even in high school yet. Albuquerque’s Gianna Rahmer, the NXN Southwest Cross Country champion, is only an eighth grader. Saturday, she proved just as dangerous on the track as on the cross country course. She was a strong third in 4:59.85.
Biggambler, meanwhile, was the fifth fastest underclassman in the elite 1,600 field, a result she can build on.
There were several local boys competing in elite distance races in Chandler. In the 1,600, Coconino High’s Nicholas Wolfe finished 28th in 4:27.83, while Flagstaff’s Elijah Talkalai was 42nd in 4:43.98.
In the 800 boys elite meters, Coconino’s Clayton Rhoton and Wolfe each finished with a time of 2:01.84, good for 27th and 28th. Flagstaff’s Talkalai was 37th in 2:03.16, and teammate Alex Bland 2:10.34.
Meanwhile, at a college meet, the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, several former NPA athletes now running unattached competed in the 5,000 meters — an event not offered in high school meets.
Senior Jack Flugstad, running only his second 5,000 meters on the track, ran an 18-second PR at 16:01.17. Junior Harrison Kessenich finished in 18:11.31 and Davis Hayes, fighting illness, in 18:40.19. In the college women’s race, senior Deia Mulligan placed 25th at 20:33.88, two seconds shy of her PR.
Saturday, in Chandler’s earlier seeded division, Flagstaff’s Olivia Baker was the top local girls 1,600 finisher at 5:34.97 (20th). Boys 1,600 top local honors went to Bland, the state Division 2 cross country champion last fall. Bland posted the event’s top time out of heat three at 4:24.70.
In the boys 800 meters, Coconino’s Lane Davis led the local contingent, 17th in 2:03.98. Flagstaff freshman Jacob Medina finished 17th in the seeded 3,200 at 10:34.54.
In Friday’s opening night action in Chandler, Northland Prep senior Abby Short finished fourth in the 3,200 at 12:49.87, followed by NPA’s Laura Drexler at 14:02.08 (24th) and Coconino freshman Scarlett Hargan at 14:11.52 (32nd). The top local boys finisher in the 3,200 was NPA’s Garett Short at 11:21.78.
In Friday’s open 1,600, NPA’s Sarah Drexler placed 49th at 6:22.19 for the girls; NPA’s Hanson sixth for the boys at 4:39.77. NPA also got an eighth place finish in the girls open 800 (Eva Madsen, 2:36.86).
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