The Pahrump Valley High School track team was at the Boulder City High School Small Schools Invite on Friday and the boys finished in sixth place out of 15 schools (49 points). The girls also finished in sixth place out 15 schools (39).
Coach Wes Icard said he believes both of his teams are peaking at the right time.
“I think Alicia Quiroz, Bryce Odegard and Layron Sonerholm for sure are peaking at the right time,” he said. “Even Meghan McDermott is coming off a good meet and so is Kelbie Middleton.”
When asked about who on the team has really improved and had a good work ethic, Icard replied, “Layron works hard and is one of the most improved on the team,” Icard said.
Another male athlete that is improving, according to the coach, is freshman Danny Washum.
“Here is a freshman that shows up every day for practice and just tries hard,” Icard said. “Washum will be our alternate on the 4×100 relay team for the regionals.”
Sophomore Dylan Montgomery did well at Boulder in the hurdles.
He took third in the 110 hurdles (16.79 seconds) and fourth in the triple jump (41-1 ).
“Montgomery is a natural in the triple jump,” Icard said.
Montgomery was feeling a lot better at Boulder City. He said this year has been hard because of a knee injury sustained earlier in the season.
“My goal for next year is I want my times to come down in the 110 hurdles to 14 or 15 next year,” he said. “I really didn’t improve that much this year because I hurt my knee this year, but the knee definitely feels better.”
For the boys, freshman Bryce Odegard was the high point of the meet, scoring a fourth place in the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 7 seconds), a second place in the 1,600 (4:46.18), and second place in the 3,200 (10:14.72).
His teammate, freshman Layron Sonerholm, helped him out and took fifth in the 1,600 (4:57.17), and sixth in the 3,200 (11:05.54).
Sonerholm likes like distance running and doesn’t mind the pain of working out.
“My goal is to bring my 3,200 time down to 10:40,” he said. “If I can do that, it will put me in the top 15 runners in the state.”
The freshman runner says he will be working hard to improve this summer by attending the Brigham Young University cross-country camp and the Southern Utah University cross-country camp.
In the pole vault, Nico Cipollini captured fourth place (11-0) at Boulder and says he is ready for the regional meet.
He said he is consistent and that is what is important in the pole vault.
“College recruiters look at consistency of a vaulter,” he explained. “Even though I did 11-6 last year, I am better this year because I have vaulted consistently around 11-3.”
Cipollini said consistency is better than height.
A pole vaulter knows he is doing well by the amount of poles he goes through.
“I am a better vaulter this year,” Cipollini said. “I went through two poles last year and this year I went through six.”
Longer poles means a vaulter vaults higher.
The girls also had a decent day in Boulder. Senior sprinter Kelbie Middleton (12.28) beat rival senior Cayla Nikodemus of Faith Lutheran (12.39).
Icard said Middleton beat her rival, Cayla Nikodemus for the second time this year.
“She had beat her on Friday in the 100-meter run and beat her once before in the 200,” Icard said.
Hurdler and jumper McDermott said she definitely is peaking now.
“I think I did really well at Boulder,” she said. “I had sprained my ankle earlier and now it’s feeling much better.”
McDermott said she is looking forward to competing against her rival Ayla Diaz from Moapa Valley High School. The two are about a tenth of a second off and will meet up at Boulder City at the regional.
In the triple jump, McDermott will go for around 34 feet. Her best this year is 33 feet, 9 inches.
McDermott took third in the triple jump (33-04) and fourth in the long jump (15-03.50) at Boulder.
Trojans sophomore sprinter Kelsey Souza helped her teammate out with a sixth place finish (13.74). The girls 4×100 relay took first (50.73).
Sophomore discus thrower Madison Shay took fifth place (92-01).
The Southern Nevada Division I-A Regionals are at Boulder City and start on Friday and continue on to Saturday. All athletes that finish in the top four will compete at state.