2018 Boys Track Capsule Previews
(as submitted by coaches)
BISHOP GORMAN
Head coach: Scott Cooley, eighth season
Returning lettermen: Twenty-two
Top athletes: Cam Hunterton (So.), Kylen Uley (Sr.), Spencer Howard (Sr.), Kyu Kelley (Jr.), Jake Phillips (Sr.), Jalen Nailor (Sr.)
Outlook: Hunterton (triple jump) and Uley (shot put) both competed in the Class 4A state meet, and Howard (fourth in discus), Kelley (100-meter dash) and Phillips (110 and 300 hurdles) all were Sunset Region finalists.
They’re among 22 returning lettermen for the Gaels, who took second in the Sunset Region meet for the second straight year.
“The men’s team returns a lot of quality athletes with regional experience,” Cooley said. “In addition, we have a number of underclassmen in the mix and some new faces to the program adding much-needed depth in the sprint group.”
— —
BONANZA
Head coach: Chad Robertus, 21st season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top athletes: Joey Fox, Bryant Troupe, Alan Epperson, Hans Tanael
Outlook: Fox (sprints), Troupe (sprints) and Tansel (pole vault) all were Sunset Region meet qualifiers last year. They’re among only four returning lettermen for the Bengals.
“We graduated numerous letter winners,” Robertus said. “We will need inexperienced athletes to replace those kids.”
— —
BOULDER CITY
Head coach: Staci Selinger, second season
Returning lettermen: Ten
Top athletes: Zach Trone (Sr.), Buddy Boggs (Sr.), Briggs Huxford (Sr.)
Outlook: Trone was third in the Class 3A state meet in the long jump and fourth in both the triple jump and 100-meter dash.
Boggs was fifth and Huxford sixth in the pole vault at state. They lead a group of 10 returnees for the Eagles.
“We are excited to have some strong seniors returning and a solid core of underclassmen who are looking really good in practice,” Selinger said. “We also have quite a few new faces with talent who are excited about the track season.
“It looks to be an successful season for Boulder City.”
— —
CENTENNIAL
Head coach: Roy Session, 10th season
Returning lettermen: Ten
Top athletes: Tre Harley, Donovan Joseph, Alex Miller, Christian Jackson
Outlook: The Bulldogs have won four consecutive state titles, but will need athletes to step up and fill some gaps if the streak is to continue.
Harley leads the list of returnees after running a leg on the state record setting 800-meter relay team and winning another state title in the 1,600 relay. He also finished second in the state in both the 200 and 400.
— —
CHAPARRAL
Head coach: Uvette Francis, first season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Christian Cayetano (Jr.), Tristan Baker (Sr.), Jonathan Raffta (So.), Victor Sanchez (Sr.)
Outlook: Raffta was a Class 3A Southern Region qualifier in four events last year, and Cayetano (110-meter hurdles), Baker (pole vault) and Sanchez (shot put) also qualified for the region meet.
They’re among six returning lettermen for the Cowboys.
“Our overall team goal is to improve in our team scoring at the regional meet,” Francis said. “We have a young, inexperienced team with a great deal of talent that can help us achieve our goal.
“We anticipate returning to the state championship in the 400 and 800 relays and hopefully individual performances from Jonathan Raffta in the 400 and Christian Cayetano in the hurdles.”
— —
CORONADO
Head coach: Tyrel Cooper, first season
Top athletes: Teddy Edwards (Sr.), Andrew Burdalski (Jr.), Dillon Stewart (Jr.)
Outlook: Edwards in the defending Class 4A state champion in the pole vault.
Burdalski was a Sunrise Region qualifier in the long jump and triple jump, and Stewart was a region qualifier in the 100 and 200.
“The team returns a lot of great athletes with regional experience and a handful with state experience,” Cooper said. “The team graduated a lot of great athletes but has been working hard with the new coaching staff to replace the regional points lost to graduation.”
“The athletes have been responding well to a new coaching staff and training system. Our goal is to build a balanced roster that is competitive in each event on the track and in the field.”
— —
DEL SOL
Head coach: Darrel Brown, first season
Top athletes: Jaylen Flenaugh (Sr.), Precieux Moundzieho (Jr.), Anton Villarta (Sr.)
Outlook: Flenaugh was the Class 3A state runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles and finished fourth in the state in the 300 hurdles. Moundzieho was sixth in the 110 hurdles at state last year.
Villarta finished seventh in the state in the high jump.
“This season our goal as a team is to win a state title,” Brown said. “Our athletes are expected to be prepared to achieve this goal.”
— —
DESERT PINES
Head coach: Dwayne Walker, seventh season
Returning lettermen: Eleven
Top athletes: Jovan Ibarra (Sr.), Chosen Howse (Sr.), JayVone Bradford (Sr.), Devin McGee (Jr.)
Outlook: Ibarra, who finished sixth in the 800-meter run in last year’s Class 3A state meet, is one of 11 returning lettermen for the Jaguars.
“The Jaguar boys have a good mix of young and veteran talent,” Walker said. “We are looking forward to a successful season.”
— —
DURANGO
Head coach: Doug Anderson, fifth season
Returning lettermen: Twelve
Top athletes: Peter Grema (Sr.), Dagim Seme (Jr.), William McMahon (So.), Justin Johnson (Fr.)
Outlook: Grema, Seme and McMahon all are distance runners who were Sunset Region meet qualifiers last season.
“We are young this year,” Anderson said. “We have a large group of freshmen and sophomore sprinters that are promising. We hope to have them ready to step up by regionals. Our goal is to move up in the standings at that time.”
— —
ELDORADO
Head coach: Devin Mecham, third season
Returning lettermen: Seven
Top athletes: Johan Gaytan (Sr.), Brandon Gibbs, Lelenn Ross (Jr.)
Outlook: Gaytan ran on the Sundevils’ sixth-place 3,200-meter relay team in last year’s Sunrise Region meet. Gibbs ran on the sprint relays at the region meet.
They’re among seven returning lettermen for Eldorado.
“Each of the last two years we have seen our top point scorer go to state, and then graduate,” Mecham said. “Our boys look to rebuild this year around several athletes who have contributed in the sprints and all relays the last couple of years. We will also look to Julio Perez and Marlon Taylor to continue their improvement in the field events.
“We have several new faces who will look to contribute right away in the sprints, distance, and throwing events.”
— —
FAITH LUTHERAN
Head coach: Dan Kober, fifth season
Returning lettermen: Eighteen
Top athletes: Jack Gordon (Jr.), Zach Fung (Jr.), Micheal Peck (Sr.), Austin Hunter
Outlook: Gordon won the Sunset Region title in the pole vault and finished fourth in the event at the Class 4A state meet.
Fung also qualified for state in the pole vault. Peck was sixth in the region in the long jump, and Hunter was a region finalist in the 100-meter dash.
They’re among 18 returning lettermen for the Crusaders.
“We bring back a good strong core of upperclassmen we will lean on early in the season, but also bring in a lot of talented newcomers we hope to see develop into contributors as the season progresses,” Kober said. “We hope to compete for a top-five finish at the region meets.”
— —
FOOTHILL
Head coach: Andrew Risheg, first season
Outlook: Risheg has spent the last several springs on Foothill’s softball staff, but brings a fresh perspective to a team that hopes to show improvement.
“We are a young team and are hoping to be able to compete,” Risheg said.
— —
GREEN VALLEY
Head coach: Vanessa Pike, third season
Top athletes: J’vonni Sanchez (Sr.), Milton Amezcua (Sr.)
Outlook: Sanchez (long jump) and Amezcua (3,200-meter run) both finished second in the Sunrise Region meet.
They’ll be among the leaders on a team that hopes to contend for a top spot in the region meet.
“We hope to have a great year, work hard and have fun every day,” Pike said. “We want each student athlete to excel in the classroom.
“May this sport give each athlete some motivation and confidence.”
— —
LAKE MEAD
Head coach: Jeff Newton, first season
Returning lettermen: One
Top athletes: Shay Rutledge (Sr.)
Outlook: Rutledge, who placed third in the 1,600-meter run in last year’s Class 2A state meet, is the lone returnee for the Eagles, who hope to continue to build their program.
— —
LAS VEGAS
Head coach: Jimmy Brimmer, first season
Top athletes: Miles Davis (So.), Rashaad Hines (Sr.), Elijah Hicks (Sr.), Jordan Murrel (Sr.), Cameron Fullow (Sr.), Marlon Harrison (Sr.)
Outlook: The Wildcats have a talented crew of sprinters, led by Davis, Hines, Hicks and Murrel. Fullow and Harrison return to spearhead the Wildcat jumpers.
“We expect to return to regionals and state,” Brimmer said. “This is a development year with a lot of young talent.”
— —
LIBERTY
Head coach: Geoff Walker, fourth season
Top athletes: Teddy Gosselin (Sr.), Tyeese Blackman (Sr.), Corey Moore (Jr.), Ronnie Britt (Jr.)
Outlook: The Patriots have had some of the state’s top throwers in the past decade. Moore is the most recent addition to the list.
“He is nationally ranked in the discus, has interest from numerous Division I schools and looks to compete for the state championship in both throws,” Walker said.
Gosselin and Britt both ran on the 1,600 relay team that advanced to the Class 4A state meet. Blackman ran a leg on both the 400 and 800 relay teams that were region finalists.
“Our distance crew looks much improved this season, and our sprints lack a marquee name, but should be much improved and deeper,” Walker said. “The team looks to compete for the Sunrise Region championship.”
— —
THE MEADOWS
Head coach: Elbert Gray, first season
Returning lettermen: Eight
Top athletes: Shahzaib Akbar (Sr.), Adam Cohen (Sr.), Ian Cook (Jr.)
Outlook: Akbar is the defending Class 2A state champion in the shot put.
Cook finished second in the 3,200-meter run and fourth in the 1,600 at the state meet.
They’re among eight returning lettermen for the Mustangs.
“We have a small team but should be very competitive in our individual events,” Gray said.
— —
MOAPA VALLEY
Head coach: Brandon Jones, first season
Returning lettermen: Fifteen
Top athletes: Josh Lee (Sr.), Jerrick Stastny (Jr.)
Outlook: Lee was the Class 3A state runner-up and Southern Region champion in the pole vault last year. Stastny finished seventh in 3,200 and eighth in the 1,600 and was part of the fifth-place 3,200 relay team in last year’s region meet.
“We should be good in the pole vault,” Jones said. “We hope to improve on last year’s results and become more competitive.”
— —
MOJAVE
Head coach: Shenoa Davis, seventh season
Top athletes: Noah Thompson (Jr.), Jordan McRae (Sr.), James Fincher (Sr.), David Warren (Jr.)
Outlook: Thompson set the Class 3A state record in the 100-meter dash at last year’s state meet and also won the 200 state title.
McRae (300 hurdles), Fincher (3,200) and Warren (400 relay) all qualified for the state meet, and Warren narrowly missed qualifying in both the long jump and triple jump
“We are looking to keep building on the success of the boys program, while welcoming a new group of underclassmen,” Davis said.
— —
PAHRUMP VALLEY
Head coach: Fred Schmidt, first season
Returning letter winners: Nineteen
Top athletes: Bryce Odegard, Layron Sonerholm, Michael Sonerholm, Jacob Sawin, Chance Farnsworth, Ethan Whittle, Jeremy Albertson, Morgan White, Dylan Coffman, David Roundy, DeAngelo Brown
Outlook: The defending Southern Region champion Trojans bring back a boatload of Class 3A state meet qualifiers, led by Odegard, who placed second in both the 800-meter and 1,600 and fourth in the 3,200. Odegard also joined both Sonerholms on the 3,200 relay team that finished third at state.
Albertson (second in discus), White (sixth in shot put), Farnsworth (fifth in high jump), Whittle (seventh in high jump) and Layron Sonerholm (eighth in 1,600 and 3,200) also helped contribute as Pahrump took third in the team standings at state.
“Having only graduated two seniors from that team, we are working towards bettering our performances where we can,” Schmidt said. “We expect a strong performance from our boys team at the time when it matters the most.”
— —
PALO VERDE
Head coach: Nick Meis, first season
Returning lettermen: Twelve
Top athletes: Chamere Thomas (Sr.), Kyle Cole (Sr.), Sawyer Epstein (Sr.), Trey Kirkpatrick (Sr.)
Outlook: Thomas and Cole both ran on the Panthers’ 400-meter relay team that took second at last year’s state meet. Epstein and Kirkpatrick were members of the 3,200 relay team that finished third at state.
They’re among 12 returning lettermen for Palo Verde.
“We will be looking at getting better each day with the goal of peaking at the end of the season,” Meis said.
— —
SIERRA VISTA
Head coach: Ryan Quinn, sixth season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Devin Brice (Sr.), Devon Faison (Sr.), Ronald Stephenson (Jr.), Jordan Clayton (Jr.), Ralph Perez (Sr.), Allen Tyes (Sr.), Edgar Molina (Jr.)
Outlook: Clayton, Molina, Stephenson and Tyes all qualified for the Sunset Region meet in sprint events, giving the Mountain Lions a solid crew around which to build. Perez returns to help the middle distance runners, with Brice (high jump) and Faison (throws) helping to anchor the field events.
“We are looking to build upon our success last year, and send more competing athletes to the state track meet,” Quinn said.
— —
SILVERADO
Head coach: Jerry Oliver, 14th season
Returning lettermen: Fifteen
Top athletes: Omar Aguilar (Sr.), Benjamin McDonald (Sr.), Ryan Wurtz (Jr.), Carson Loosbrock (Sr.)
Outlook: Aguilar finished fourth in the 3,200-meter run and McDonald seventh in the pole vault in last year’s Class 4A state meet.
Wurtz (400) and Loosbrock (shot put) qualified for the Sunrise Region meet last year.
They lead a group of 15 returnees for Silverado.
“We have a group of young guys who are ready to step up and contribute this year,” Oliver said. “We look to be competitive at the region meet.”
— —
SOMERSET-LOSEE
Head coach: Anthony Brown, second season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Taje Woody (Sr.), Liam Baird (So.)
Outlook: Still a year away from joining Class 3A as full members, the Lions will use this season to prepare for the jump.
Woody (jumps) and Baird (distance) will be among the leaders on the team.
“Somerset-Losee expects to continue to grow and improve as a team,” Brown said. “We want to set regional qualification marks to set us up for next year when we are a part of the Class 3A in the NIAA.”
— —
SPRING MOUNTAIN
Head coach: Mike Drost, fifth season
Outlook: The Golden Eagles have won three straight Class 1A state titles, but as always, start with a new squad.
“We do not get returning kids so we start at zero and not even sure we know what we have,” Drost said. “But we are expecting to win the 1A state championship again for the fourth year in a row and fifth out of six years.”
— —
VALLEY
Head coach: Sergio Segura, third season
Top athletes: Christian Franklin (So.)
Outlook: Franklin was a Sunrise Region finalist in both the 1,600-meter run and the 3,200.
He is expected to be among the leaders on a squad that hopes to be more competitive in the region meet.
— —
VIRGIN VALLEY
Head coach: Gary Hartman, fifth season
Returning lettermen: Seven
Top athletes: Brogan Bingham, Justin Danh, Victor Colmenero, Tau Fiso
Outlook: Bingham finished seventh in the pole vault in last year’s Class 3A state meet, but he is one of only seven returning lettermen for the Bulldogs.
“The team has good numbers but limited experience,” Hartman said.
— —
WESTERN
Head coach: Wesley Stephens, first season
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Jorge Gonzalez (Sr.), Te’Sioun Diggs (Jr.), Cevin Clark (Jr.)
Outlook: The Warriors return five lettermen and should benefit greatly from the addition of a handful of athletes who ran for Desert Pines last year.
Gonzalez ran on Western’s state champion 800-meter relay team and was seventh in the 400-meter dash in the Class 3A Southern Region meet last year.
Diggs finished eighth in the 800 at the state meet and joined Clark on the 3,200-meter relay team that finished fourth at state.
“The Warriors will look to find success this season through depth in the mid-distance and long sprints,” Stephens said. “Our focus is to protect our home track and to be running our best track and field in May.
“The trio of Gonzalez, Diggs and Clark bring national and state championship experience to a young but talented Western team looking to make some noise this spring.”
