STATE MEET: Centennial aims to sweep 4A titles

Centennial enters this weekend’s Class 4A state track and field meet with a realistic goal of sweeping boys and girls team titles.

The Bulldogs will see stiff competition from Silverado and defending champion McQueen on the boys side, but the girls appear to have a wide edge to reclaim the championship from McQueen.

“We have set ourselves up in good position going into the state finals,” Centennial coach Jessica Scobell said. “McQueen is our biggest competition. Reed and Legacy have some big individual competitors that will make our job more difficult than it was at region.”

The 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A boys and girls state meets will be held Friday and Saturday at Del Sol. Friday’s events begin at 3 p.m. The meet continues at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Centennial’s boys will be paced by junior Nick Hartle, who led the Bulldogs to the Sunset Region championship last week with titles in the 400-meter dash, the 800 and the 1,600, and he ran the anchor leg on the winning 1,600 relay team.

Blocking Hartle’s way is a dynamic duo of seniors from Sunrise Region champion Silverado. Ladale Jackson won the 100, 200 and 400 at last week’s Sunrise meet, while Dante Carter took the 800 and 1,600.

“We need some solid performances in the field events and relays if we are going to bring home the title,” Silverado coach Jerry Oliver said.

Centennial has a strong supporting cast led by hurdlers Jayson Matlock and Keith Lewis, thrower Jared Cody and distance runners Kyle Merritt and Dominic Lopez.

The girls meet shouldn’t be as close. Centennial’s girls dominated the Sunset meet and qualified athletes for state in 13 of 18 events.

Centennial’s girls have four athletes who have qualified in multiple events: senior Karli Johonnot in both hurdles, the 200 and the high jump; freshman Sydney Badger in the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 3,200 relay; sophomore Tamera Williams in the 100, 200 and 800 relay; and freshman Tiana Bonds in both hurdles and the 1,600 relay.

Legacy’s Candice McFarland and Avione Allgood are ranked among the best in the nation and favored to win all of their events: McFarland in both hurdles and Allgood in the shot put and discus.

Class 3A competition could be close between Churchill County, Elko, Boulder City and Moapa Valley on the boys side. Elko, Fernley and Boulder City are the leading contenders for the 3A girls title.

Top 3A boys include Boulder City sprinter and hurdler Joe Woodbury, Boulder City thrower James Morgan, Moapa Valley 400 and 800 runner Chase Witter and 1,600 and 3,200 runner Josh Thompson.

Boulder City’s Jessica Tobler won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at last week’s 3A Southern League meet, and Tasja Toumasis took the 200 and 400.

The 2A boys meet should be close between White Pine, Rite of Passage and Whittell. Incline and Laughlin are the leading contenders in the girls meet.

The 1A boys meet will showcase Sierra Lutheran and Spring Mountain, while Beatty and Wells are the leading contenders for the girls title.