By Dan McCarthy
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Jada O’Leary recently led Queen Creek’s American Leadership Academy’s girls cross country team to its third consecutive title, but the runner and her coach said the program goes much deeper than honors and medals.

“These girls genuinely love racing for each other,” head coach Duerk Brewer said. “The way they communicate, push and support one another is what keeps this program moving forward.”

O’Leary finished third in the 2024 AIA Division III State Championship, one of seven varsity runners who, their coach said, produced one of their most balanced performances of the season.

“Everyone showed up and gave their 100 percent, and at the end of the season that's what you hope for as a team,” O’Leary said.

“It's pretty special what we're doing."

What the Patriots did at the recent state meet was tally 80 points to win comfortably over Pusch Ridge Christian and Salpointe Catholic.

All five scoring runners placed inside the top 35.

The title comes on the heels of the team’s showing at the East Section Championships, where ALA Queen Creek earned its seventh straight sectional title.

O’Leary won the individual crown, leading a sweep that placed four athletes in the top seven and the entire varsity squad inside the top 17.

“This group prepared all summer, and it showed when the pressure was highest,” Brewer said. “They’ve built a standard of competing with confidence, staying composed and responding when the moment calls for it.”

Added O’Leary: "Helping the team win a third consecutive championship has felt amazing, and I was so glad to be able to contribute to it and see our hard work pay off."

Here is how the Patriots finished in the state championship:

• Jada O’Leary, Gilbert – 19:23.50 (3rd)
• Tally Call, Queen Creek – 19:28.60 (4th)
• Brynlee Johnson, San Tan Valley – 20:12.60 (17th)
• Evelyn Klomp, Queen Creek – 20:23.10 (22nd)
• Trinley Workman, San Tan Valley – 21:07.70 (34th)
• Brooklyn Haymore, San Tan Valley – 21:20.70 (41st)
• Addison Johnson, Queen Creek – 21:43.40 (49th)

Six of seven varsity athletes are returning in 2025, and the coach said the team is entering the offseason with “momentum and an opportunity to extend one of the strongest runs in Arizona high school distance running.”

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Dan McCarthy
Web content

dmccarthy@iniusa.org

Meet Dan
Dan McCarthy joined Independent Newsmedia as web content editor after a 40-plus year career as a reporter and editor in New Jersey and Arizona. During his time in Arizona, he has been an editor of daily and weekly papers in Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Ahwatukee, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1984, when he was hired to be assistant city editor at the Tempe Daily News, he covered regional police/fire news, municipal, county and state governments in New Jersey, the latter as bureau chief at the state Capitol.

Community: He has served on several boards over the years, including the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Tempe Leadership and Scottsdale Leadership programs, serving as media adviser for subsequent classes of Tempe Leadership.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. 

Random Fact: Set winter/summer track records in the 60-, 100- and 220-yard dashes at his high school in New Jersey. 

Hobbies: Tai chi, cooking, dining at his must-eat-once places around the U.S. and the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite team since 1961.