Girls and boys track medal at state
Tonopah’s girls team took third at the Class 3A Nevada Track and Field Championships at Foothill High School in Henderson May 19-20 with 77 points.
A tough Sierra Lutheran team finished in first (144) and Wells came in second (83).
“Our ladies fought really hard,” Muckers coach Steve Stringer said. “We went up against Sierra Lutheran, a private school and it is hard to compete against those schools. They have athletes who go to that school that just go there for one sport. So, I knew by looking at their times that they would be tough to beat. I was happy to take third.”
The Tonopah Muckers sent 14 girls to the state meet: Delaney Friel, Mandy Katzenbach, Elle Snyder, Aimee Thompson, Katelyn Maurer, Emily Girardin, Emily Allen, Annie Fossett, Victoria Fitch, Keli Fossett, Jessie Vaculin, Isabel Arias, Alayna Palmieri and Daniela Arias.
In order to medal at state, girls had to take fourth place or better, and two girls medaled. Delaney Friel took fourth in the 400-meter run (1 minute, 5.01 seconds) and Aimee Thompson took fourth in the discus (79-feet, 09-inches).
“I was really proud of all of the girls,” Stringer said. “Perhaps we could have taken second place if we had Kayla Campos.”
Stringer said their sprinter had injured her knee during basketball but said they would have her back next season.
Boys track
The boys track team finished seventh (70). First place was taken by Spring Mountain (192), second Sierra Lutheran (121), third Excel Christian (67) and fourth Whittell (57). Beatty came in fifth place (50).
Boys track sent eight boys to state: Brandon Jemerigbe, Kade Bunker, Tyler Kirkland, Gage Allen, Chris McCollugh, Derek Eason, Bryan Fossett and Dillan Otteson.
Kirkland was the only individual to win a medal. He took the state title in the high jump (see front-page story).
The Tonopah 4x100-meter relay team medaled, winning third place (46.55). The team is composed of Bunker, Kirkland, Allen and Jermerigbe.
The Muckers coach can’t wait until next season.
“The track team next season will be just as tough,” the coach said. “We have a good crop of eighth-grade girls and boys coming up to the high school next season.”
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com
