DIVISION I GIRLS TRACK: Centennial girls breeze to Sunset Region title

By PHIL LAWTON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

12 years ago

Centennial junior Tiana Bonds clears a hurdle on her way to victory in the 100-meter hurdles ... — Centennial junior Tiana Bonds clears a hurdle on her way to victory in the 100-meter hurdles during the Sunset Region girls track and field championships Friday at Silverado High. The Bulldogs swept the top three spots in the event and costed to the team title over runner-up Arbor View.

Centennial’s Tamera Williams crosses the finish line as the Bulldogs win the 800-meter relay on Friday in the Sunset Region championships. Centennial won nine of 10 contested events on Friday to cruise to the championship.

Centennial’s Tiana Bonds starts in the 800-meter relay Friday at Silverado. Bonds helped the Bulldogs win the event, and also took the 100- and 300-meter hurdles to help Centennial to the team title.

Canyon Springs’ Courtney Robinson take the lead in the Sunrise Region girls 100-meter hurdles on Friday at Silverado. Robinson won the event, and also took the 300 hurdles and 100-meter dash.

In a totally dominating performance, the Centennial girls won nine of the 10 contested races on the track on Friday at Silverado to easily capture the Sunset Region team title.

The Bulldogs topped second-place Arbor View 195-110.

Centennial got off to a fast start, going 1-2-3 in the 100 meter hurdles, giving the team a quick 24 points.

Tiana Bonds won the race in 14.43 seconds, and later won the 300 hurdles (43.57), making her the first of three Centennial runners to capture multiple events. She also ran on the winning 800 relay team.

“I was a little tired and my legs felt a bit heavy,” Bonds said after the 300 hurdles, her third event of the day.
“I just didn’t want to fall. But I’m excited about winning the events.”

Bonds picked up her fourth win when she ran the first leg on the Bulldogs’ winning 1,600 relay.

Tamera Williams, also had a busy day and played a key role in Centennial’s win. The senior won the 100 (11.97), 200 (24.98) and anchored the winning 800 relay team, which set a region record of 1 minute, 39.28 seconds.

Asked which was the best part of the day, Williams had a three-word answer.

“All of it,” Williams said. “But my best race was the 200. I got a good start and I had a better finish than last year when I faded at the end.”

Sydney Badger was the Bulldogs’ third multiple winner, claiming wins in the 800 (2:15.0) and 1,600 (4:55.9) to go along with last week’s victory in the 3,200. She set all time Zone/Region meet marks in both of Friday’s events.

“I was happy I got (the record),” Badger said of the 1,600. “I did what I needed to do. I have hoping to break five (minutes).”

Badger won by a huge margin over Arbor’s Zanae Jones (5:13.85) and Palo Verde’s Marissa Suan (5:14.78), but all three girls had faster times than the winning time in the Sunrise race.

“All the girls ran well today,” Centennial coach Roy Session said. “We ran well as a team, ahead of expectations.”

Coronado also had a relatively easy time of clinching its region title.

The Cougars entered the day with a slim lead over Valley, but pulled away to win the team title convincingly with 145 points, scoring points in every event.

Canyon Springs was second with 98½.

Coronado’s Sara Dort won the 1,600 and the 800 to go with her win in the 3,200 last week.

Dort led from the start of the second lap in the 1,600, winning in 5:16.46. She had a tougher time in the 800, running third after the first of two laps.

“I was worried,” Dort said after the 800. “But it was my last race. I did what I had to do. I’m happy for our team.”

Dort took the lead from Demi White of Foothill and Aryn Maxwell of Rancho at the 300-meter mark, and ran strong to the finish to win in 2:18.04.

Canyon Springs’ Courtney Robinson had a monster day, almost single-handedly elevating her team to the second-place finish. Robinson won the 100 (11.89), and both hurdle races, taking 100 meter hurdles in 14.44 and the 300 hurdles in 45.31.

She would have set records in the 100 and 100 hurdles if not for a tail wind. She also anchored Canyon Springs’ winning 400 relay team.

“I was worried about the 300s,” Robinson said. “I tripped on the fourth hurdle, but I managed to finish it out . I was really happy to win the 100. I never ran it before this year. It’s becoming my favorite event… well almost. I still like the 300s best.”

Las Vegas High’s Creshonda Carter also had an outstanding day. The senior sprinter set a pair of Sunrise records, capturing the 200 in 24.77 seconds and the 400 in 56.54.