Arizona baseball had won five of its last seven games, which included three road wins, entering Friday evening’s matchup with Kansas State.
Arizona
Vote for best girls Arizona HS track and field athlete, March 16-21
Here are The Arizona Republic’s picks for the top 10 high school girls track and field athletes from the fourth week of the 2026 (March 16-21). Vote in our poll for the athlete you think had the best week. The poll closes on Friday, March 27, at 6 p.m. Print readers can find the poll online at azcentral.com/sports/high-schools.
Top Arizona girls track and field athletes
1. Ava Davis, Goodyear Millennium, sprints, So.
She won both the 100 (11.80 seconds) and 200 meters (24.02) at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, setting the state lead in both events.
2. Aulani Gleason, Gilbert Mesquite, sprints, Fr.
The burgeoning superstar is beginning to make a name for herself, running 54.70 to win the 400 at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21 to move up to No. 2 in the state. Gleason is now No. 10 all-time in Arizona and becomes only the second freshman in state history to go under 55 seconds, per the MileSplit database. She also came in second in the 200, running 24.23 to move up to No. 2 in the state this season.
3. Brooke Zuluaga, Chandler Seton Catholic, throws, Sr.
She won the javelin at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, throwing 145-10 to set the state lead and move up to No. 3 in the nation.
4. Nicole Ripperdan, Queen Creek, mid-distance, Sr.
She won the 800 at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 2:10.64 to set the state lead. Historically, Ripperdan is tied for No. 10 all-time in Arizona.
5. Taylor Drewry, Chandler Basha, distance, Sr.
She won the 1,600 (4:56.25) and came in second in the 3,200 (10:31.81) at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, setting the state lead in each event She is the first in-state athlete this season to go under 5:00 in the 1,600.
6. Rebekah-Jhade Garrett, Phoenix North Canyon, hurdles, Sr.
She won the 100-hurdles at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 13.52 to retain her top state ranking.
7. Imani Galera-Young, Chandler, hurdles, Sr.
She won the 300-hurdles at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 42.67 to set the state lead and move up to No. 9 in the nation.
8. Kyra Hogarth, Chandler, jumps, Jr.
She won the pole vault at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, clearing 12 feet, 1 inch to set the state lead.
9. Milanni Pedraza, Tucson Catalina Foothills, distance, Jr.
She came in third in the 1,600 at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 4:57.65 to move up to No. 2 in the state.
10. Kylee Blair, Queen Creek, sprints, Sr.
She came in second in the 100 (11.90) and fifth in the 200 (24.40) at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, moving up to No. 3 in the state for both the 100 and 200.
11. Audra Huempfner, Gilbert Highland, distance, Sr.
She came in fourth in the 3,200 at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 11:00.86 to move up to No. 2 in the state.
12. Tatum Lee, Phoenix Desert Vista, throws, Sr.
She won both the shot put (38-3) and discus (134-3) at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, moving up to No. 3 in the state for the shot put.
13. Jaiden Ware, Chandler, jumps, Sr.
She won the long jump at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, hitting 18-6 to move to No. 5 in the state.
14. Christina Keller, Scottsdale Christian Academy, jumps, Sr.
She won the high jump at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, clearing 5-6.
15. Nora Fincher, Tempe McClintock, throws, So.
She came in fourth in the javelin at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, throwing 131-3 to move up No. 4 in the state and No. 2 in the nation for sophomores.
16. Lizzy Gannon, Phoenix Desert Vista, jumps, Sr.
She came in third in the triple jump at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, hitting 37-1 (+3.5 wind) to move up to No. 2 in the state for all-conditions.
17. Victoria Williams, Vail Cienega, throws, Sr.
She won the discus at the Thomas Meixner Lancer Invitational on March 20, throwing 130-11 to move up to No. 3 in the state.
18. Ella Bonnette, Gilbert Highland, distance, So.
She came in fourth in the 1,600 at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 5:04.58 to move up to No. 3 in the state.
19. Kennedy Frakes, Phoenix Xavier Prep, distance, Sr.
She came in sixth in the 3,200 at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 5:04.58 to move up to No. 3 in the state.
20. Maclane Clark, Gilbert Perry, hurdles, Sr.
She came in second in the 300-hurdles at the Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on March 21, running 44.05 to move up to No. 4 in the state.
Vote: Who’s No. 1?
Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, college and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at logan.stanley@usatodayco.com or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe.
In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
In the first game of the series, Arizona (14-23, 5-11 Big 12) battled in a low-scoring affair but fell short in a 2-1 loss to Kansas State (24-12, 8-8 Big 12). The Wildcats from Tucson held the Wildcats from Manhattan at bay for a good majority of the night.
Given that Kansas State leads the Big 12 in conference play in batting, on-base percentage, and slugging, Arizona had a rather good performance, but it was not enough.
Owen Kramkowski pitched seven scoreless innings before allowing the first Kansas State run in the top of the eight. He finished with six strikeouts and kept the high octane Wildcats at bay.
“I thought the defense played well behind him too,” said head coach Chip Hale. “There’s a lot of ground balls, and we made plays where we were positioned in good places, and he was pitching in the eighth inning. That’s unbelievable.”
Garrett Hicks (3-1) came in to try and stop the bleeding for the Wildcats and did so by not allowing Kansas State to take the lead in the eighth. It was in the ninth when the lead was surrendered.
It took until the sixth inning but the first run was scored by Arizona. Andrew Cain singled to left field and after Maddox Mihalakis flew out, it was Beau Sylvester bringing Cain home with a triple through right center field.
Sylvester extended his hitting streak to eight games and it proved to be not enough to get Arizona to the finish line.
Kansas State tied the game at the top of the eight when back to back singles got runners on at first and third. Then a passed ball allowed the third base runner to come home.
Arizona had a chance to retake the lead in the bottom of the ninth after Cain singled to deep right field. With Sylvester back at the plate, it seemed like it was a perfect set up.
A wild pitch nearly got past Kansas State and Cain tried to take advantage of it and steal home. However, Kansas State was able to corral the pitch and get Cain out at home.
AJ Evasco started the ninth inning with a double for Kansas State and back to back fly outs eventually got him home to give Kansas State the lead and the win.
With eight players being left on base, Arizona will need to bring those runners in more often than not if they want to tie the series Saturday afternoon.
As a young team, the Wildcats have had to walk a very tight line between disappointment and dejection and will need to continue handling these losses with grace if it wants to turn a corner.
“It’s the way it goes, it’s baseball,” said Hale. “If we don’t handle it, we will come out tomorrow and won’t be ready to go, so hopefully they handle it.”
-
Atlanta, GA4 minutes agoNew York hosts Atlanta with 1-0 series lead
-
Minneapolis, MN10 minutes agoFatal Minneapolis crash sentencing: Teniki Steward sentenced to more than 12 years
-
Indianapolis, IN16 minutes agoPirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win
-
Pittsburg, PA22 minutes agoMcCorkle: Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Mock Draft (Final Version)
-
Augusta, GA28 minutes agoAugusta nonprofit hosts family financial literacy day
-
Washington, D.C34 minutes agoStorm Team4 Forecast: A chilly, gusty Sunday before a cool start to the week
-
Cleveland, OH40 minutes agoWinners and Losers From Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Playoffs Game 1
-
Austin, TX46 minutes agoStorms dump small hail throughout Austin area Saturday