The Safford boys track and field team was certainly favored to win regionals, and the Bulldogs came through in emphatic fashion.

Safford (263.5) more than doubled the score of runner-up Empire (122.5) at the 3A South regional meet in Safford on Friday.

The boys won nine individual events and the 4X400 relay (3:30.71). Individual winners included Derek Vriezelaar in the 400 (50.50); Nathan Ball in the 800 (2:06.41) and 1,600 (4:44.01); Justin Smith in the 110- (15.29) and 300-meter hurdles (39.62); Rylan Sturm in the high jump (6-2); Dalen McRae in the pole vault (12-6), Oscar Valadez in the triple jump (41-0.75) and Darryl Thomas in the shot put (48-0.5).

Oscar Valadez of Safford runs his leg of the 4X100 relay earlier this season. Valadez won the 3A South regional title in the triple jump Friday with a distance of 41-0.75. Photo by Preston Lindsey

The Lady Bulldogs (171) finished 40 points ahead of runner-up Fountain Hills to win the girls regional title.

Junior Annalisa Loevenguth won regional titles in the 800 (2:32.77) and 1,600 (5:44.25); Breanna Kempton won the 100 hurdles (17.48); Eddy Soto took the title in the high jump (5-0); Jennifer Patzke won the pole vault (8-3), and senior Lauren Wilson (30-5.5) finished first in the triple jump. Patzke and Wilson had season-best results in victory.

In the 2A East regional meet, the Thatcher boys finished fourth, and the girls took third place.

Benson won the girls meet by one point (148-147) over Morenci, and Canyon State Academy (187) won the boys meet handily over runner-up Tombstone (102).

The Lady Eagles had two individual regional champions in Abby Bolting-house and Rachel Orr. Boltinghouse won the 1,600 with a time of 6:04.78 and Orr finished first in the high jump with a leap of 5-0.

A.J. Peete was the lone regional champion for the Thatcher boys, but he brought home first place in two events — the long jump (20-8) and the triple jump (40-10.5).

In the 1A meet, Pima’s boys and girls teams finished second. St. Augustine won the boys and girls meets.

Elliot Smith (100-meter dash, high jump and long jump) Dillon Goodman (110-meter hurdles, 300 hurdles and triple jump) and Porter Beus (shot put, discus) all won multiple events for the Roughrid-ers.

Individual winners for the Lady ‘Riders included senior Brooke Bingham in the 200 (29.98), Jessica Stiles-Culver in the 1,600 (6:17.01) and the pole vault (7-9) and Laurissa Beus in the 100 hurdles (18.71).