Only two track and field athletes in Yuma to qualify for newly formatted open state meet both head to Mesa Saturday

Ketch Sulpizio and Rori Hoffmeyer representing Yuma County in track and field

YUMA, Ariz., (KYMA, KECY) - The Arizona Open State Championship meet for track and field is underway and with a new open format that allows less athletes to qualify, just two stars from Yuma made the cut and will take the trip to Mesa Community College.

Starting at Veteran's Memorial Stadium at Gila Ridge, the lone boy to qualify for state was Ketch Sulpizio in pole vault.

Ketch was one of the 12 qualifiers from the divisional meet last week - and with the Gila Ridge pole vault record sitting at 13'6" Ketch is chasing that record in his senior season, hoping to do it on Saturday.

But most of all he and coach Jensen Roseboom are excited to represent his school and yuma on the big stage after a confident boosting final practice Friday.

"I think representing my school feels like a little better to me. They're both like really important obviously but I don't know it just feels cool because people have gone in a while for track, like all-region and state," said Sulpizio. "So, I think it's really cool."

"Between last season and this season, it's just been awesome to see how much growth there's been and uh, it's just tough to think of a kid more deserving of the recognition of finally hitting those goals after all the work he's put in," said Roseboom. "We're just excited to go up and remind the big dogs in Phoenix that we still have athletes down here and we're going to keep coming for them. The better we do in Yuma, the better everyone in Yuma does."

Meanwhile over at Cibola High School stands the lone girl across all of Yuma to qualify for the open state championships - and that is Rori Hoffmeyer. After balling out on both the volleyball and basketball court, she qualified at five feet for girls high jump. 

Rori was just barely on the outside looking in last year after being the last one to be booted from state, so she reflected on getting over that hump to make it this time with the help of her coach Kyle Sautter, who's very proud of her given the change in format that make it harder to reach this level. 

"At first, I didn't know if I would even make it to state, and the fact that I'm the only girl it means a lot. Not just to be there but to represent Cibola and Yuma County, try to make them proud," said Rori. "I'm not just doing it for myself, I'm doing it for my coach Kyle. He's been through ups and downs and he's seen me fail and seen me succeed but my only goal tomorrow is just to make him proud, whether that's just 5'4" or just getting there."

Sautter also excited to see what she can do considering how tough it was to make it into this new format.

"For her to make it to the big show is a huge accomplishment because she'll be the first one in Yuma County, a girl to make it," said Sautter. "For her to jump five feet, her PR on that day and battle it out with other big schools from Phoenix just shows how long she's been working hard every day and that accomplishment is bigger than she understands right now."