The Sedona Red Rock High School girls varsity track and field season gets underway Friday, Feb. 27, away at the Boulder Creek Jaguar Invitational in Anthem.
“We have Sheila Montes de Oca returning,” track Head Coach Sean Eicher said. “Her main event is pole vault — she went to state the last two years and is looking to obviously make state again. It’s going to take a lot of work, but we’re looking forward to what she can do. We’re also really excited to have Mia Palmieri back. Mia is a sophomore who was one place off from making states as a freshman in pole vault, which doesn’t happen a lot. All of us coaches have been impressed with senior Kelley Arias’ work ethic and dedication since she finished volleyball. She’s been out at every single winter and spring track practice.
“She started hurdles last year in the 100 meter hurdles, and we’re having her build upon that this year and looking to make her competitive in that event.”
Senior Aubrie Doyle is transitioning from long distance to mid distance, shifting her focus from the 1,600 to the 800 and 400 meter dash. According to Eicher, the move is aimed at forming a 4×400 relay team, which he expects to be the girls’ most competitive in roughly two years.
“That team is going to consist of Doyle, Juni Spielman, Avery Raczynski, and I’m looking at another freshman, Nitzul Bustos-Landa, who is Ariel Bustos’ sister. There’s a lot of athleticism in that family,” Eicher said. “Ariel was a freshman last year and started on the varsity 4×400 team, so I’m expecting her sister to do just as well.”
Doyle said her personal bests currently are 2:36 in the half mile, 1:10 in the 400.
After high school, “I want to major in nursing, and I’m going to Northern Arizona University it just really appeals to me,” Doyle said. “… I take the CNA courses through [Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education] and that’s given me an intro [to] nursing, and I really like it so far.”
Senior Kelley Arias, who said she is looking to major in agriculture post SRRHS, will be competing in the 100 meter with a personal record 15:87 of and 100 meter hurdle this season.
“Faith Ford, is a freshman, plays volleyball and has been out at winter track,” Eicher said. “We would not be surprised if she ends up on the varsity 4×100 already as a freshman, and she is probably already capable of qualifying for the 100 meter hurdles.”
“A lot of people view running as kind of a punishment but I kind of view it as the opposite. It’s kind of my reward for what I do. I just love to run so much, and I love how I feel when I run,” Spielman said.
Spielman is heading into the track season with a personal record of 5:51 in the mile, set over the winter, and hopes to shave 20 seconds off that event, along with a 2:42 in the 800.
“I’m really impressed with how Juni’s running,” Eicher said. “I’m sure she’ll already make it this year into the mile and 800 for state. Aubrie will make it in state as well. Our 4×100, we’re hoping to be competitive this year. We’re so young and I’m still figuring that out. We haven’t had a very competitive 4×100 in the last two years, but we have some good sprinters this year, so we’re definitely going to rise up from where we’ve been.”
