SUNSET REGION: Centennial boys, girls sweep titles

Karli Johonnot won her third event of the meet by taking the girls 100-meter hurdles in 15.13 seconds after having won the long jump and pole vault last week.

Then the Bulldogs boys picked up 10 points in the 110 hurdles when Jayson Matlock took third, qualifying for state.

Centennial coach Roy Sessions was confident of both teams going in, saying: “We feel really good about today’s meet. We had a good week at practice.”

And when the last baton had been passed and the last runner had crossed the finish line, it was double win for the Bulldogs.

The boys prevailed over runner-up Palo Verde, 115-92½. Centennial’s girls scored 95.58 points, edging Cheyenne (90) and Western (87).

Western’s girls dominated the sprints and relays, with Tierra Tyler and Loren Jackson finishing 1-2 in the 100.

In the 200, Antionette Garrett, Jackson and Tyler went 1-2-3 in a near-blanket finish, all three within seven-hundredths of a second (25.12 for first, 25.14 for second and 25.19 for third).

All three qualified for state. Paradise Sanders of Western won the 400 in 56.38.
Western’s girls won all three relays: the 400 (47.59), 800 (1:44.03) and 1,600 (3:55.49).

The individual highlight of the girls meet was Johonnot winning the 300 hurdles after her win in the 100 hurdles. Her winning time in the 300 of 44.85 was almost two seconds faster than the top Sunrise time and, more important, was her fourth win of the meet.

No other girl ever had won four individual events at a zone or regional meet, according to meet director John Dixon.
Johonnot said she was “super excited.”

“I tripped a bit in the 100s and stumbled, but I liked the competition,” she said. “In the 300s, my steps were off a bit, but it was good to win. I’m looking forward to state.”

One of the best races was the girls 1,600. Pahrump Valley’s Ashley Lindgren and Cheyenne’s J’Myah White traded the lead throughout the first three laps before Lindgren took the lead for good coming off the first turn on the final lap and won in 5:14.17 to White’s 5:19.27. Palo Verde’s Kelsi Koch placed third in 5:29.26 and also qualified for state, ahead of the third-place Sunrise time.

Centennial’s boys picked up a crucial 10 points in the 1,600 early. Centennial’s Nick Hartle led wire to wire, winning in 4.22.78.

The boys 400 was special for Faith Lutheran’s John Cartier. The reigning Class 3A state champ in the 100, 200 and 400 has found the competition much tougher in 4A. He failed to qualify for state in the 100 and 200 but was not denied in the 400.

He and Cheyenne’s Jordan Butler were neck and neck with 20 meters to go, but Cartier took first in 48.38, just ahead of Butler’s 48.46.

“This was the one I was going for,” Cartier said. “My goal now is to break 48 at state and win.”

Both Faith Lutheran teams did well, finishing fifth each.

For Centennial, the clinching win for the team titles was the 800. Travis McDonough won the boys 800, running the fastest time of the day (1:57.87). Teammates Dominic Lopez and Kyle Merritt finished third and fourth, giving the Bulldogs 21 points for the event.

Lopez’s time of 2:00.06 qualified him for state.

Sessions feels good about both teams heading to state. “We have a solid deck of cards to play at state,” he said. “We’ll do very well.”