Carson girls track wins meet

The Carson boys and girls track teams made a statement on Saturday in a meet with several teams at Damonte Ranch.

Carson's girls beat Northern 4A power Reno High in the process of winning the meet, finishing with 180.5 points. Reno took second with 158.

Despite not being at full strength, Carson also finished a close second to Reno in the boys meet. Reno won with 168 points while the Senators finished with 144.

Among the athletes the Senators were without was Tilor Smith, one of the state's top returning long and triple jumpers. Smith had a family commitment.

The Senators also fared well on the cold and windy day without their top two hurdlers - Matt Moore and Kayla Sanchez - competing in the 300 hurdles. Sanchez has already established herself as one of the state's top athletes in the 300 hurdles.

"I think they're down a little," said Carson coach Todd Ackerman about the Reno girls. "Not taking anything away from our kids at all. We did a lot of good things.

"Just our depth, I think really got to them a little bit. We're going to be a pretty good team. Once we get everybody where we think we'll have them, we'll be decent."

For the boys, Carson went one-two in the 100 meters with Josh Heilman winning in 11.6 seconds and Sam Pincock taking second in 11.7.

Pincock won the 200 in 24.7 while Jake Jeffers was third in 24.8 and Scott Witter was fourth in 24.8. Heilman, one of the state's top returners in the 200, didn't compete in the event.

Moore won the 110 high hurdles in 15.4 while Seth Carter was third in 17.3. Carter won the 300 hurdles in 42.2.

Carson's team of Flody Hernandez, Jason Dittenber, Heilman and Witter won the 400 relay in 45.9. Adam Houghton, Witter, Carter and Moore also won the 1,600 relay in 3:39.9 and the 800 relay in 1:32.2.

Stephen Waicul took second in the discus at 146 feet, 5 inches behind Fallon's Josh Mauga, who will be a favorite to win the state title. Eric Walthers took third at 143-4. Other top placers for Carson were:

Houghton, 400, third, 54.2; Chad Shroy, 3,200, third, 11:14. Shot put - Walthers, third, 44-5; Waicul, fourth, 44-4. Pole vault - Jon Christensen, second, 12-0.

For the girls, Sanchez won the 100 in 13.2 and the 200 in 27.5. Kelli Brothers was fourth in the 100 and Sinead McSweeney was fourth in the 200. Lindsay Ford, McSweeney, Andrea Keirstead and Amanda Benson won the 800 relay in 1:52.8 and Ford, Sanchez, Christy Works and Benson won the 1,600 relay in 4:19.

Ashley Terry won the high jump at 5-0, took third in the long jump and second in the triple jump at 32-3. Sandra McAlman was third in the triple jump at 31-10 1/2. Alex McAlman also won the discus at 113-0 and took fourth in the shot put at 32-2.

Other top finishers for Carson were: 400 - Julisa Gonzalez, fourth; 1,600 - Works, second, 5:57.3; 3,200 - Gloria Sosa, second, 13:43; 100 hurdles - Keirstead, second, 166.7; Ford, third, 18.2; Sanchez, fourth, 18.2. 300 hurdles - Ford, second, 50.2; Keirstead, third, 51.2; 400 relay - second, 53.9; pole vault - Amber Whitworth, second, 7-6.

"I think we'll push the Reno boys, too," Ackerman said. "It was a good day. We competed real well with the cold weather."