Tohatchi girls dominate relays, finish second at District 1-3A meet

Tohatchi did not just win the relay races at District 1-3A. It owned them, taking gold in the 4x200, 4x400, sprint medley and 4x800 to turn a single meet into a statement about the Lady Cougars’ depth, discipline and late-season momentum.

At Kirtland Central High School in Kirtland, the Tohatchi girls delivered a relay sweep that stood out even in a crowded championship setting. The Cougars won the 4x200 in 2:02.84, the 4x400 in 4:33.96, the sprint medley in 4:47.84 and the 4x800 in 11:02.33. The 4x800 carried the kind of weight that often shapes a team race, but the full sweep showed a program that could score in every relay format, not just one specialty.

That relay strength was the backbone of Tohatchi’s second-place finish with 87 team points. Chase Allison added two more first-place finishes to deepen the impact, winning the 800 meters in 2:40.12 and the 1600 meters in 5:44.26. Her double victory gave Tohatchi a front-line scorer who could match the relay points with individual wins, a combination that can separate a contender from the rest of the field.

Tohatchi also placed third in the 4x100 relay in 58.49, adding another score to a day already built on speed and exchange efficiency. Beyond the headline relay sweep, the official results showed scoring contributions from Markaylynn Redhair, Pursha Rattling Leaf, Arika Becenti, Kali Tahe, Brooke Danny, Kaililah Mitchell, Tashawna Begay, Laylene Lee, Autumn Badonie, Hayden Skeet and Summerlynn Mcreeves, evidence that the Cougars were not leaning on one or two stars alone.

The meet was officially listed as the NMAA 3A District 01 championship and was hosted by Navajo Prep High School. For Tohatchi, the result offered more than medals. A four-relay sweep at this stage signals a team with baton confidence, race balance and enough depth to matter when postseason stakes rise, and it gives McKinley County a program worth tracking into the next round.