4A STATE: Hartle’s sweep fuels Centennial victory

RENO — Nick Hartle’s brilliant track career at Centennial was filled with records, individual state titles and plenty of memories.

But the senior distance runner saved perhaps his finest hour for last.

Hartle won the 800- and 3,200-meter runs Saturday at Damonte Ranch High School to wrap up the Class 4A state meet with a rare quad. The UCLA signee won state titles in the 400 and 1,600 on Friday.

More important, Hartle’s dominance helped the Bulldogs achieve their season-long goal: the first 4A boys track state title in program history.

“The goal was to come to the state meet so we could win the team title,” Hartle said. “For me to just go out with the four individual events was a means to the end. I’m most proud of being the captain of this team. It’s been an amazing journey of four years. It’s very emotional for me.”

Hartle won the 800 in 1 minute, 52.53 seconds, and the 3,200 in 9:28.27 in the meet’s final event. On Friday, he took the 400 in 47.79 and the 1,600 in 4:18.03.

Centennial’s boys won with 79 points, topping Reno (61) and McQueen (45).

Centennial’s girls won their second straight state title with 100 points, ahead of McQueen (90) and Reed (66).

“We did it!” Bulldogs coach Roy Sessions said after knowing the boys had won. “It really was a team thing. Jackson (Carter) said, 'Coach, I’ll give up (an event) if it means more points for the team.’ ”

The boys meet belonged to Hartle and his sophomore sidekick, Carter. They combined for 68 of Centennial’s 79 points, with Carter taking second in the 800 (1:55.47).

“Nick Hartle is such a great person. Running with him, he’s been my second coach,” Carter said.

Centennial’s Tamera Williams won the 200 in 24.65 seconds to clinch the girls title.

“My girls are all about team,” Sessions said. “We had a couple of things we wanted as a team, and they changed spots to do that. I’m very happy with all their performances.”

The first major upset of the second day was when Silverado’s girls 800 relay team, the No. 7 seed, won in 1:41.82, upsetting favored Canyon Springs, which was second in 1:42.41.

Liberty sophomore Ashlie Blake completed the throwers double by winning the girls discus at 152 feet, 3 inches, topping Avione Allgood of Legacy (139-11).

Bishop Gorman senior and UNLV basketball signee Demetris Morant won the boys triple jump at 46-0¼. He won the high jump at 6-10 on Friday.

Bonanza sophomore Jayveon Taylor won the boys 100 in 10.65 after taking the 200 in 21.27 on Friday.

Las Vegas High’s Tony Verdugo won the boys shot put at 53-3½.

Cheyenne’s Jasper Gray took the girls 400 in 56.95.

Reed sophomore Gabby Williams stole the show in 4A girls, setting state meet records in the 100 hurdles (14.11) and high jump (5-11).

In 2A, The Meadows captured the girls team title with 120 points, topping second-place Incline, which had 95.

The Meadows benefited from individual wins on the final day by senior Lauren Henry in the 200 (25.91), freshman Jinks Heerema in the 1,600 (5:36.08), senior Taylor O’Neal in the 100 hurdles (16.51), along with the 3,200 relay (10:57.97).

Northern Nevada teams dominated most of the small-school meets. Elko won the 3A girls and Sierra Lutheran the 1A girls. In the boys meets, Churchill County won in 3A, Rite of Passage in 2A and Sierra Lutheran in 1A.