Small-school girls: Ashlyn Western guides Moapa Valley to first region title

Ashlyn Western won two individual events to help host Moapa Valley’s girls track team capture its first Class 3A Southern Region title Saturday.

Western won the 800-meter run in 2 minutes, 26.03 seconds and the 1,600 in 5:37.26 and helped the Pirates to a team total of 109 points. Sunrise Mountain was second with 95 points. Mojave led a tight group for third with 77 points, followed by Virgin Valley with 70 and Pahrump Valley with 68.

The Pirates were region runners-up in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and last captured a state title in 1999 when they ended a run of three titles in four years.

Del Sol’s Charleyanse Howard had four top-three finishes in individual events. She won the 200 in 26.65 and won the triple jump with a distance of 36 feet, 2½ inches. She also finished second in the 100 and third in the high jump.

Sunrise Mountain’s Kapua Pulotu won the shot put (37-5¾) and the discus (121-10), and teammate Dalayna Bolin won the 300 hurdles (47.29) and was second in the 100 hurdles.

Virgin Valley’s Julia Ramirez won the 400 in 62.33 and was second in the 300 hurdles.

Chaparral’s Naja Muhammad won the 100 in 12.52 and was second in the 200.

Desert Pines’ Jazmin Felix won the 3,200 in 11:43.01 and was second in the 1,600.

The top five finishers in each event advance to the state meet, which begins Friday in Carson City.

Class 2A

The Meadows’ Ellen Hirsberg will wrap up a stellar high school running career next week. She’s hoping to add a few more state titles to an already large collection.

Hirsberg, who won the 400, 800 and 1,600 in last year’s Class 2A state meet easily won all three events Saturday at the Class 2A Southern Region meet.

Hirsberg won the 400 in 59.67, and took the 800 in 2:21.94 and the 1,600 in 5:43.27. She won the 800 by more than 14 seconds over the second-place finisher and was 31 seconds ahead of the field in the 1,600.

Hirsberg is the three-time defending Class 2A state champion in the 800 and has won six individual state titles.

The rest of the meet belonged to White Pine, which racked up 291 points and easily captured the team crown. Laughlin was second with 72 points. Democracy Prep took third with 62, and The Meadows was fourth with 56.

White Pine’s Lily Fullmer won the 100 hurdles in 16.64, the 300 hurdles in 47.83 and the triple jump (33-11½). She was second in the 400.

The Bobcats’ Madison Rick won the 100 in 12.96 and the 200 in 27.53 and was second in the high jump, and teammate Emma Boren won the discus (95-2) and was second in the shot put.

Democracy Prep’s Azalia Pitts won the long jump with a mark of 16-0½ and was second in the triple jump.

Lincoln County’s Brooklyn Hafen cleared 5-0 to win the high jump and placed second in the long jump.

The top four finishers in each event advance to the state meet, which begins Friday in Carson City.

Class 1A

Trista Merrian and Emma Jemmerigbe each won two individual events, and Tonopah had a first-place finish in 13 of the 17 contested events on its way to an easy win in the Class 1A Southern Region meet.

Merriam won the 100 hurdles in 20.48 and the 300 hurdles in 54.42, and Jemmeribe won the 100 in 13.51 and the 200 in 29.02.

Tonopah finished with 274 points. Beatty and Pahranagat Valley tied for second with 57. Indian Springs and Round Mountain tied for fourth with 37.

Pahranagat Valley’s McKenzie Poulsen won the long jump (15-4) and triple jump (31-4) and was second in the 100 hurdles.

Indian Springs’ Kristina Belt won the discus (87-3) and shot put (27-2¾).

The top four finishers in each event advance to the state meet, which begins Friday in Carson City.