2014 Track Preseason Capsules
BOYS
ARBOR VIEW
Head coach: Tyrel Cooper, eighth season
Top athletes: Ivy Dobson (Sr.), D.J. Williams (Sr.), Davariz Swanson (Sr.), Cole Jones (Sr.), Howard Wade (Sr.)
Outlook: The Aggies bring back some talented athletes, including Dobson, who qualified for the state meet in the 100 and 200, and Swanson, the Sunset Region triple jump champion last year.
“We will need younger athletes to step up and fill in the gaps for the overall team to be competitive,” Cooper said. “The team’s strength will be in sprints and hurdles.
“Ivy has had a great off-season, and we are expecting big things from him. D.J. and Davariz also have been working hard to earn a trip to state. Cole had a great cross country season, and we are hoping to continue that success on the track.”
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BONANZA
Head coach: Chad Robertus, 17th season
Top athletes: Jayveon Taylor (Sr.), Cameron Wong (Sr.), Carlos Soto (Sr.)
Outlook: Taylor won the state title in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes last season.
Wong and Soto, both sprinters, were state qualifiers in relays.
“The boys team should be strong in the sprints and hurdles, but will need to develop depth in the field events,” Robertus said.
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FAITH LUTHERAN
Head coach: Dan Kober, first season
Returning lettermen: 11
Top athletes: Mark Rubalcaba (Jr.)
Outlook: Rubalcaba won the Division I-A state title in the long jump and triple jump last season.
“We lost most of our individual scorers, but return with a team that should be deeper in more events than we have been in the past,” Kober said. “If we are able to get more points out of our throws and relays than we have in the past, we hope to compete for the region title and maybe even a state title.
“In addition to Mark, we expect Keith Nagel, Chase Wood and Chase Carey to have big seasons for us, as well as a number of new athletes who should step in and contribute immediately.”
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FOOTHILL
Head coach: Tim Simonis, second season
Top athletes: Dylan Weasa (Sr.)
Outlook: Weasa placed fifth in the Sunrise Region in the shot put and seventh in the region in the district last season.
He’s expected to be among the leaders on a team that hopes to show improvement.
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GREEN VALLEY
Head coach: Blaine Thompson, 18th season
Returning lettermen: 17
Top athletes: Alex Hicks (Sr.), Brady Williams (Jr.), Tyrell Crosby (Sr.), David Berg (So.), Ian Mack (Jr.), Austin Rogers (So.), Lenny Rubi (Fr.), Ben Stock (Jr.)
Outlook: Hicks, the Sunrise Region runnerup in all three jumps, leads a list of 17 returnees.
Mack was the region runnerup in the 200 and placed third in the region in the 100, and Crosby was a state qualifier in the discus.
“We have good depth, though a little young,” Thompson said. “We should contend for the Sunrise Region championship.”
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LAS VEGAS
Head coach: Gregory Sellers
Top athletes: Aaron Zanin-Banks (Sr.), Jordan Jones (Sr.), Hector Ortega-Torres (Sr.), Kode Mwirgi (Jr.), Tyshon Raybon (Jr.)
Outlook: Zanin-Banks and Jones lead a talented crew of sprinters, and Sellers also is excited about his jumpers, let by Mwrigi and Raybon.
“The Wildcats will look to improve in both the region and state meets,” Sellers said.
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THE MEADOWS
Head coach: Tony Stephens, first season
Top athletes: Mark Woodson (Jr.), Sam Mason (Fr.), Andrew McCall (Jr.), Bryson Navarro (Jr.), Gabe Adamson (Fr.), Robbie Netzorg (Jr.)
Outlook: Woodson won the state title in the shot put and finished second in the state in the discus to help the Mustangs finish second in the state in the team competition.
“The Meadows is building upon its new, young hidden talent, is working on developing more top-level performers, and expanding its competitive depth in both the boys and girls teams.”
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MOJAVE
Head coach: Shenoa Davis, second season
Top athletes: Tyrone Hall (Sr.), DeRoderick Kilgore (Sr.)
Outlook: The Rattlers won the state title last season and are hoping for more success this year.
Hall ran a leg on Mojave’s state winning 800 relay team and the runnerup 1600 relay team. Kilgore was sixth in the state in the high jump.
“After winning state with five boys, we are looking to replace the three seniors we lost,” Davis said.
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PAHRUMP VALLEY
Head coach: Ed Kirkwood, second year
Returning lettermen: 15
Top athletes: Devon Montgomery (Sr.), Mike Carlson (Sr.), Keenen Harris (Jr.), Nick Nelson (Jr.), Nolan Toomer (So.), Isaac Davis (So.), Brandan Dirrigi (Jr.), Nico Cipollini (So.)
Outlook: Montgomery is the defending Division I-A state champion in the 110-meter hurdles and leads a list of 15 returnees.
“Graduation hit hard, but we have a few good upperclassmen along with a sophomore class that will put us in the hunt for a title,” Kirkwood said.
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PALO VERDE
Head coach: Frank Messina, second season
Top athletes: Noah Landers (So.), Jarod Swafford (Jr.), Za’Kee Washington (So.)
Outlook: Landers is expected to be one of the team’s best distance runners, and Swafford should be among the leaders in the throws.
Messina said Washington had the fifth-best time in the nation as a freshman in the 400-meter run last year.
“The majority of the team is quite young and it will be a building process,” Messina said.
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SHADOW RIDGE
Head coach: Don Kimura, fifth season
Top athletes: Nick Oberdin (Sr.), Cody Alfar (Sr.)
Outlook: Alfar finished second in the state in the 300-meter hurdles and third in the 110 hurdles after winning the 110 hurdles in the Sunset Region meet. Oberdin won the region title and finished fourth in the state in the 800.
“It never hurts to have kids who competed at the state level,” Kimura said. “Our expectations are to be competitive with the top teams in the area and get our team to the state championships this year.”
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SIERRA VISTA
Head coach: Ryan Quinn, second season
Top athletes: Octavius Payne (Sr.), Maliek Broady (Jr.), Andrew Peterson (Jr.)
Outlook: The Mountain Lions are hoping to improve as the season progresses.
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SUNRISE MOUNTAIN
Head coach: Cooper Harris, first season
Top athletes: Darnell Calahan (Sr.), Wanya Calahan (Jr.), Daquwan Doyle (Sr.), Manuel Hernandez (Sr.), A.T. Sanders (Sr.), Romello Tatum (Sr.)
Outlook: Hernandez won the state title in the 800 and joined Doyle as a part of the state championship 1600 relay team.
“The men’s team will contend for a state championship,” Harris said. “We are well-rounded with strengths in distance, sprints, relays, jumps and pole vault.
“Manuel Hernandez has potential to win the 800 and 1600 individual championship.”
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GIRLS
ARBOR VIEW
Head coach: Tyrel Cooper, eighth season
Top athletes: Kennidi Jones (Jr.), Janae Strode (Jr.), Zanae Jones (Sr.), Brianna Arvizo (Jr.), Ariona Gill (Jr.), Jocelyn Jordan (Sr.)
Outlook: The Aggies return three state qualifiers, including Zanae Jones, who qualified in the 800, 1600 and 3200. Gill was a state qualifier in the high jump and triple jump, and Jordan competed at state in the triple jump and long jump.
“The girls team will be led by our jumpers and distance runners,” Cooper said. “The sprinters also will be solid contributers.
“Zanae had a great cross country season and should be very competitive on the track. The sprinters will need their teammates to step up for our relays to be strong.”
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BONANZA
Head coach: Bruce Eubank, ninth season
Top athletes: Sianna Nelson (Sr.), Esmerelda Hinojos (So.)
Outlook: Nelson was a state qualifier last season.
“The girls team will be led by Esmerelda Hinojos and Sianna Nelson, but will need to rely on younger athletes to develop team depth,” Eubank said.
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FAITH LUTHERAN
Head coach: Dan Kober, first season
Returning letter winners: 17
Top athletes: Clarissa Maxey (Jr.), Cayla Nikodemus (Jr.)
Outlook: Maxey won the Division I-A state title in the 100 and finished second in the 200 and third in the 400 at state. Nikodemus won the state title in the long jump and was second in the high jump and third in the 100 at state.
“We return most of our top athletes from last year, so we expect big things from them this year,” Kober said. “We hope to contend for a region and state title again this year. Our ability to do this will most likely depend on our ability to put together competitive relays as well as having some athletes step up in the field events and distance events.
“In addition to Clarissa and Cayla, we also are expecting big seasons from Hannah Pavlov, Brenna Rohnkohl and Jessica Scamman.”
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FOOTHILL
Head coach: Natalie Thomas, 14th season
Top athletes: Drea Austin (Sr.), Alyse Vanek (Sr.), Rachel Oehler (Jr.), Tabitha Winward (Sr.)
Outlook: Austin was second in the 100-meter dash in the Sunrise Region meet last year.
Vanek took fourth in the region in the 3,200, and Oehler was fourth in the region in the pole vault.
With key returners back, the Falcons are hoping for a successful season.
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GREEN VALLEY
Head coach: Blaine Thompson, 18th season
Returning letter winners: 26
Top athletes: Jenna Landman (Sr.), Kalli Fisher (Sr.), Rachel Buck (Sr.), Lindy Eskin (Sr.), Sara Braverman (So.), Miranda Bradley (So.), Kayla Anderson (Sr.), Sydney Eastwood (So.), Amani Salih (So.)
Outlook: The Gators return 26 athletes, including Buck, the Sunrise Region pole vault champion, and region runnerups Landman (high jump) and Bradley (300 hurdles).
“We have very good seniors and very good depth,” Thompson said. “We should contend for the Sunrise Region championship.”
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THE MEADOWS
Head coach: Tony Stephens, first season
Top athletes: Dani Chami (Jr.), Anjali Daulat (Sr.), Mary McCall (Jr.), Hana Resch (Fr.), Aly Bailey (Jr.), Jeneke Heerema (Jr.), Cassidy Gosse (Jr.), Delaney Gosse (Jr.), Bailey Gosse (Jr.), Dione Giang (Jr.)
Outlook: Heerema won state titles in four events (800-meter run, 1600, 1600 relay and 3200 relay), and Chami (pole vault) and Bailey Gosse (3200) also won individual events as the Mustangs placed second as a team.
“We’re looking toward a positive season with returning championship-level peformers,” Stephens said.
MOJAVE
Head coach: Shenoa Davis, second season
Top athletes: Kationa Baughman (Jr.), Janay Lewis (Sr.), Tamara Frezzell (So.)
Outlook: Baughman was the state champion in the 300 hurdles and is joined by a pair of state qualifiers in Lewis and Frezzell.
“The numbers on the girls team look to increase as we add a number of talented freshmen,” Davis said.
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PAHRUMP VALLEY
Head coach: Ed Kirkwood, second season
Returning letter winners: 16
Top athletes: Sydney Sladek (Sr.), Mikayla Davis (Sr.), Kelbie Middleton (Jr.), Cassie Clark (Sr.), Stephanie Thelaner (Sr.), Meghan McDermott (So.), Andi Bishop (So.), Ashlyn DiBlasi (Jr.)
Outlook: Sladek won the Division I-A state title in the 800 meters last season.
“Graduation hit hard, but a solid group returning will contend,” Kirkwood said.
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PALO VERDE
Head coach: Frank Messina, second season
Top athletes: Marissa Suan (Sr.), Shakiya Hollis (Jr.)
Outlook: Suan should be among the leaders in the distance events, and Hollis should be one of the team’s top throwers.
The Panthers, though, are young and will need inexperienced athletes to learn quickly.
“As many (newcomers) find their niche, the program should flourish,” Messina said. “We expect our athletes to compete with intensity at many competitions as we progress toward region and state.”
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SHADOW RIDGE
Head coach: Don Kimura, fifth season
Top athletes: Ashley Pierce (Sr.)
Outlook: Pierce was the Sunset Region champion and placed fifth in the state in the discus last year.
“We have a young team that is working hard and eager to compete,” Kimura said.
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SIERRA VISTA
Head coach: Ryan Quinn, second season
Top athletes: Morgan O’Neal (Jr.), Sydney Land (Jr.), Amirah Rahman (So.)
Outlook: The Mountain Lions are hoping to continue the success they experienced last season when a pair of relay teams finished second in the state meet. All four members of those relays are back.
“We are looking to build upon some of last season’s success and try to qualify as many athletes for regionals as possible,” Quinn said. “We are also looking to win a state title in the 400 and 800 relays.”
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SUNRISE MOUNTAIN
Head coach: Cooper Harris, first season
Top athletes: Ebonique Diaz (Sr.), Brittany Veal (Sr.), Deanna Manning (Sr.), Rochell Daniels (Sr.)
Outlook: Diaz, a multi-event state qualifier, is one of the top distance runners in Division I-A.
Veal, Manning and Daniels also gained valuable state-meet experience last year.
“The women’s team has doubled in numbers since last season, and is looking to challenge for a league championship and finish in the top four at regionals,” Harris said. “Diaz’s potential is limitless, and she could contend for three state championships.”