Kirtland Central’s Bahazhoni Crosby finishes second in Class 4A discus

Bahazhoni Crosby waited until her fifth discus throw to change the shape of the Class 4A final, and the Kirtland Central senior made it count. Entering the last round in sixth place, Crosby launched a personal-best 109-09 at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex in Albuquerque and vaulted all the way to state runner-up.

The throw was more than a late surge. Crosby said she had been coming to the state meet for three years, and the result carried the feel of a breakthrough earned over time rather than a one-day surprise. After a season of steady work in Kirtland, the senior finally put everything together when the meet was on the line.

Coach Blaine Irwin pointed to a technical change that helped unlock the finish. Crosby had spent much of the season using the South African throw, but in the final weeks she had been working on the full throw. That adjustment showed up at the biggest moment, when the extra rotation and timing gave her the personal record she needed to reach the podium.

Crosby’s silver medal was part of a strong all-around day in the throws. She also placed in the shot put with a best of 31-06.50, adding another state-meet mark to a season that already hinted at her ceiling. At the Penny McKnight Invite on April 2, she won the girls discus with 106-4 and took third in the shot put at 29-9, and at the Marilyn Sepulveda Meet of Champions on April 13 she was listed with a 91-5 discus mark. The state meet breakthrough showed how much she had progressed by the end of May.

Kirtland Central’s throwing group also left its mark on the standings. Junior Kamryn Kee placed eighth in the same discus flight with 96-06, and the girls team finished 16th in the state with 5 points. The Broncos’ boys tied for 13th with 6 points. For a school in San Juan County that has long measured success in hard-earned state points, Crosby’s runner-up finish stood out as proof that small improvements, repeated over a season, can turn into results on the biggest stage.