Carson High's 3200 relay quartet of Tyler Bradshaw, Corey Reid, Dexter Cummings and Zach Heinz have two things on their mind entering this week's NIAA 4A State Track & Field Championships.
The quartet wants to break the school record of 8:01 and bring home a gold medal.
It's quite an undertaking, considering the Senators are going up against Centennial, which ran a 7:44 earlier this year thanks to superstar distance runners Nick Hartle and Jackson Carter, both sub-2-minute runners.
Carson had the state's best regional qualifying mark with its 8:11.28, while Centennial logged an 8:12.47 and Green Valley 8:12.26. Carson has the second-fastest time in Nevada this year.
Cummings ran a 2:03.6, Heintz a 2:03.5, Reid 2:02.3 and Bradshaw ran a 2:01.
"We had Corey and Taylor pull off a little bit," Carson coach Robert Maw said last Saturday after the Senators opened the meet with the win. "I think we can go 8:04 or 8:05 next week. Taylor is capable of running a 1:57 or 1:58.
"Hartle qualified in all four of his open events (400, 800, 1600 and 3200), so we might not even see the same guys that ran the 7:44. Corey has improved. We've moved him to anchor because of his ability to run under pressure."
The Senators' new line-up has Bradshaw leading off followed by Heinz, Cummings and Reid, who is a freshman. Reid anchors both the 1600 and 3200 teams.
The only thing Reid is concerned about is that he has to high jump right after the 3200 relay.
"The 4x4 is Saturday, so that's my only event of the day," he said. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to run my own race."
Reid passed three runners down the backstretch to give Carson the 1600 title. The Senators are hoping for a little magic this weekend, too.
Bradshaw would prefer to run anchor, but is comfortable leading off, too. He believes he's capable of running a 1:56 or 1:57 which would get Carson off to a great start.
"We were talking about it today, and if we all run our best, we could be at 8 minutes and down where Cenetennial runs.
"Last week I had three events that day. This time I only have one event so I should just be able to take off."
Cummings is suffering from a blister on his right foot, but he thinks he'll be ready to roll on Friday.
"It happened last week when I went to run my opening 800," Cummings said. "It's not too bad now. The track gets hot and it tends to burn when that happens.
"We're going for the school record If we get 8 or 8:01 we'll win. Taylor can run under 200, and so can Corey. If Zach and I run about 2:01 or 2:02 we should be fine. If we go out dedicated and run hard, I think we can win it."
Heinz admitted that it might be easier to win the gold than get to 8:01.
"Both are very important, but it would be bigger to win," he said. " We're each going to have to take a second or two off our times. I think we can do it."
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Reid and Bradshaw will be teaming with Dakota Baker and Clint Page in the 1600. Reid ran a 50.5 last leg to give the Senators the victory. He passed three runners in the last 10 meters of the race.
The Senators come in with a PR of 3:27, fourth-fastest among the qualifiers. Arbor View ran a 3:22 last week and two other schools ran in the 3:24s.
Page knows it will be a tough road ahead.
"We're excited to run," he said. "We're all going to have to take a second off our times. The coaches have prepared us to peak right now. We all need to run the times we're supposed to run."
