Runners aim for state title

There are about as many subplots to today's NIAA/U.S. Bank Cross Country Championships as there are entrants in the race.

More than 300 runners representing 48 teams from across Nevada, as well as the state's top individuals, will be participating in the six races at Reed High. Included are both Carson High School teams and the Dayton boys' team.

The schedule of races this morning includes: 1A/2A boys at 8:30 a.m., 1A/2A girls at 9:15 a.m., 3A boys at 10 a.m., 3A girls at 10:30 a.m., 4A boys at 11 a.m., and 4A girls at 11:30 a.m.

Awards will be distributed at noon.

Both the Senator boys and girls teams finished third in the Northern 4A Zone meet last week, and with a stellar performance today, Carson coach Mike Longero believes the Senators can come close to duplicating those places once again this week.

"Last year, we were too high emotionally for zone and then were down when the state meet came around," Longero said. "This year, we have trained through zone and have kept our emotions in check.

"I think we still have something left for state. We will have to run aggressively, but if we do everything right, we should do well against the Vegas teams and be right in there at the finish."

The Carson boys who will toe the line today are: Daryl Nourse, Evan Fischer, Blake Baldwin, Josh Branco, Paul Capistrant, Ryan Costella and Justin Barber.

The Senator girls team will be comprised of: Shanna Sparks, Caitlin Prunty, Katy Hoffman, Carrie Stair, Megan Zahnter, Amy Martin and Heather Beaudette.

The favored teams in the boys 4A race are South Tahoe and Reno from the North along with Bonanza and Durango from the South. In the girls race, McQueen is the top team from the North and Green Valley, led by three-time state champ Abby Miller, is the top Southern team.

The Dayton boys team qualified second to state from Division II. Running for the Dust Devils today are: Travis Thompson, Nick Pribila, Tony Piersanti, Ron Laird, Brandon Essman and Ryan Wolfram.

Virginia City does not have a team in the 1A/2A race, but Mucker Kenny Rondeau is one of the top individuals in the state, having qualified second overall at the 2A Division I meet on Oct. 30 in Carlin.