Hoover’s Casillas Makes Commitment to Arizona

Margarito Casillas of Hoover High, the 1992 State Division I cross-country champion, said Thursday he will attend Arizona next fall.

Casillas, fifth in the 1991 Kinney national cross-country championships as a junior, made recruiting trips to Arizona, UCLA and Arkansas before accepting a full scholarship from the Wildcats.

“It was a real tough choice between Arizona and UCLA,” Casillas said. “But I wanted to go out of state and they have a real good program.”

Casillas, who has personal bests of 4 minutes 18.30 seconds in the mile and 9:05.79 in the 3,200 meters, placed seventh in the 3,200 in last year’s state championships.

Adam Naftalin of Birmingham has accepted a partial scholarship to Rhode Island. Naftalin, fifth in the 800 in last year’s City Section championships, has a best of 1:59.1.