Senior Alphonso Mejia and sophomore Grecia Castillo were the two top local performers at the DIII state meet this past weekend in Mesa.

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Castillo finished second in the triple jump with a jump of 35’7” while Mejia took second in the 300-intermediate hurdles in what DHS track coach Donna Savill described as a “photo finish”.

Mejia recorded a time of 39.35 finishing just behind Chris Oestmann of Sedona Red Rock who recorded a 39.28. Mejia's time was also a new school record breaking the old record of 39.6 set in 2001 by Chris Moulinet.

Mejia also placed 10th in the 100-meters turning in a time of 11.30.

Coach Savill said she took six girls and one boy to state this year and all seven athletes really did well. Two of the athletes Mejia and Marilyn Grijalva, were the lone seniors, showing Savill something about her younger talent.

“There were a lot of quality performances at state,” she said. “For us to have several athletes in the top 10 says a lot.”

The Bulldogs finished 26th out of 33 teams scoring just eight points. Higley won the state title followed by Sedona Red Rock and Williams Field.

The Lady Bulldogs finished 16th out of 26 teams scoring just 11 points. Mingus was first, Show Low second and Higley third.

Barbara Jordan finished 16th in the 100-meters with a time of 13.30 seconds and she was 22nd in the 200 finishing with a 28.45.

Kayla Fields finished ninth in the 300-meter low hurdles with a time of 50.80 seconds. Coach Savill said her time would have been faster had Fields not collided with the last hurdle.

Castillo also wound up seventh in the long jump with a jump of 16’2”.

Douglas’ 4x100 relay team of Zeneida Parra, Jordan, Fields and Melissa Rodrguez placed ninth with a time of 52.88.

The Lady Bulldogs 4x400 relay team of Marilyn Grijalva, Rodriguez, Jordan and Fields finished 13th posting a time of 4:29.

Coach Savill wanted to recognize her hurdle coach Kim Esquer and her jumps coach Daniel Ellsworth for the work they did getting the local hurdlers and jumpers ready for state.

“We have a very bright future with this program,” she said. “I was very pleased with our performances this past weekend.”

The DHS track teams will be honored May 22 with a year end awards banquet at the Douglas Aquatic Center. The ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m.