Senator athletes safely into regional finals

Asa Carter, Ian Schulz, Ian Van Rensselaer, Abby Pradere and Athena Favero have been the big producers for Carson High’s track program, and the group didn’t disappoint at Saturday’s Northern Division I Track & Field trials Saturday at the Jim Frank Track & Field Complex.

All five qualified for next Saturday’s regional finals in two or more events on a rainy afternoon. Action gets under way at 9:30 a.m. next weekend.

Schulz was the No. 1 qualifier in both the shot and discus, throwing 56-2 1/4 and 162-3, respectively,

In both events, body balance was the key because of wet throwing surfaces. Schulz had two throws over 55 feet in the shot, and he had a couple of fouls before uncorking his 162-foot effort in the discus.

“I was real careful on my first throw (in the shot),” Schulz said. “I just wanted to make sure that I got a mark.”

Schulz threw 50-4, and then followed with his best effort of the day. In the discus, he won it on his fifth throw. He had a couple of fouls, and he said he had trouble holding onto the disc.

“I used chalk last week because it was hot in Sacramento,” Schulz said. “Today, it (the discus) was really slippery. All my throws were low. When I get it up in the air, I’m OK.”

Pradere was the top qualifier in the 800, clocking a 2:20.55 en route to an easy heat win over Reed’s Samantha King-Shaw. Reno’s Mikayla Shults won the second heat in 2:22.80.

Pradere set a pretty easy pace much of the way.

“Abby did what we wanted her to do,” coach Robert Maw said. “We wanted to make sure she didn’t get herself boxed in and run well to advance. That was all today was about for Abby and everybody else.”

In the 1600, Pradere and Reno’s Kyra Hunsberger led the pack. Toward the end of the third lap Hunsberger grabbed the lead and managed to hold off Pradere down the stretch. Pradere ran a 5:18,62, a scant .04 behind Hunsberger.

“I was just trying to qualify,” Pradere said. “The race was slow to start. Nobody really wanted to take it out.”

Favero qualified first in the 300 hurdles (47.55) and she grabbed the ninth and final qualifying spot in the 200 (28.13). She was 11th in the 100 hurdles (17.93). The longer the race the better Favero seems to be. Favero won her heat easily, but did have trouble with two hurdles, one early in the race and the next-to-last one. She didn’t appear to be happy with her time.

“I felt fast,” she said. “I wanted to get a 45. Coach Maw wants me to run a 44.79 by state. I think I can do that. At 150 (meters), I seem to let up a little. I also have to work on snapping my trail leg (over the hurdle).”

Carter started the day by qualifying seventh in the long jump at 20-feet 2 3/4 inches, and he followed that up by qualifying second in the triple jump (43-2 3/4) behind Hug’s Gerald Roscom, who went 45-6 1/2.

“I moved my mark back, so I wouldn’t scratch,” Carter said. “It’s all about moving on to next week.”

Van Rensselaer was coming off a 1:58 at the Meet of Champions, and while he was happy about moving on in both the 800 (2:03.12) and the 1600 (4:35.97), he wasn’t pleased with his times.

“They weren’t the times I wanted,” he said. “I run faster when people pull me along. I’m not that good when I’m running from the front.”

The CHS standout knows he has his work cut out for him next weekend if he’s going to make state in either event.

“I’m going to have to run faster,” Van Rensselaer said. “In one of the heats (today) somebody (Logan Spodobalski) ran 1:59 and there were a bunch of guys right behind him. I’m going to have to run like I did in Sacramento. I was trying to run a 4:30 (in the 1600).”

Also moving on for Carson:

• The 400 and 800-meter relay squad of Abigail Cowan, Katelyn Morse, Abby Paulson and Erica Basa who ran a 54.56 and 1:56.14, respectively. The Senators were helped by disqualifications handed out to Galena and Wooster in the 800 relay. The Grizzlies were DQ’d for improper check-in and the Colts were nailed for an acceleration zone violation.

• The boys 800-meter relay group of Brandon Basa, Greg Wallace, Caulin Bartley and Carter posted a 1:31.78, which was good for third in the heat and sixth overall.

• Hector Gomez-Barrios was second in his 400-meter heat with a 51.45. McQueen’s Randall Jubilee ran a 49.65 for the top qualifying time.

• Greg Wallace was one of nine competitors to clear 5-6 and move on.

• Paulson jumped 32-11 1/2 in the triple, placing fifth.

• Logan Menzel, after barely missing moving on in the shot put, grabbed the final qualifying spot in the discus with a toss of 131 feet.

• The boys’ 1600 relay quartet of Brandon Basa, Gomez-Barrios, Carter and Van Rensselaer won the event in 3:26.55.

• The girls’ 1600 relay quartet of Favero, Pradere, Cowan and Blanca Sosa were eighth in 4:19.28.

“The 800 boys relay ran well,” Maw said. “I’m happy with that group. We decided to put Asa at anchor and not run him in the 300 hurdles.

“Can’t complain about that (1600 boys) can we? At Carson, we take a lot of pride in our relay teams. I’m proud of them. Athena has a sore foot, and she was limping badly after her open 200. We may have to re-evaluate things next week and just have her run the 300 hurdles and the relay.”