SMALL SCHOOLS: Boulder City’s boys shoot for 18th state crown
Boulder City’s boys are well aware of the state track titles the school has won.
They can see the list, posted by the track, every day at practice.
Seventeen championships, including the 2008 title.
The Eagles are hoping to make room for No. 18 this weekend when they defend their crown in the Class 3A state meet at Del Sol.
The meet begins Friday at 3 p.m. and concludes Saturday. The Class 1A, 2A and 4A meets also will be held at Del Sol.
“We don’t push the history (of the program),” said Boulder City coach Joe Ringen. “They know we have a place on the track that lists the titles we’ve won, but we don’t talk about that. We talk about preparation and being ready to compete.”
Seniors Jake Phillips and Danny Raddant and junior Matt Lundgren are expected to lead the Eagles, who will face stiff competition from Northern League winner Spring Creek, Dayton, Fernley and Faith Lutheran.
Lundgren is the defending champion in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. Phillips won the 800 last season.
Raddant won the 1,600 and was a part of two winning relay teams at the league meet.
“They’re the heart of our team,” Ringen said.
But the Eagles, who had younger runners in the sprint events, most of whom did not qualify for state, will need to be at their best this weekend.
“Any one of five teams can win it,” Ringen said. “We’ve got a good bunch of kids who will compete."
Faith Lutheran’s girls ran away with the 3A Southern League title over runner-up Moapa Valley (262-156), but could be tested by Northern League winner Spring Creek.
Both schools have entries in multiple events, and the seedings suggest that Spring Creek is the favorite to come out on top.
In Class 2A, the top two seeded boys teams are Southern League winner White Pine and Northern champ Rite of Passage.
Calvary Chapel’s girls won the 2A Southern League meet. Defending state champion Whittell took the Northern League title.
Silver Stage junior Mariah Gramolini is worth keeping an eye on in the 2A meet.
Silver Stage junior Mariah Gramolini is worth keeping an eye on in the 2A meet.
Gramolini won the 400, 800 and triple jump and finished second in the long jump at state last year. She has bettered her qualifying times and distances in all four of those events with marks that compare with the best 4A times and distances.
The 1A competition among the boys features two outstanding athletes who led their teams to league titles: Spring Mountain sophomore Dominic Jones and Sierra Lutheran junior Wade Meddles. Each is top-seeded in three individual events: Jones in the 100, 200 and long jump, and Meddles in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.
Meddles has run the fastest 3,200 in Nevada this season, 9 minutes, 16.07 seconds, at the Sacramento (Calif.) Meet of Champions.
The two 1A girls teams who won league titles are Beatty in the South and Wells in the North. With defending 1A champion Laughlin competing as an independent in track this year, the title appears up for grabs.
