Carson has strong day on the track

While the Senators would have obviously liked to have qualified a few more athletes for this Saturday's finals at Reno, all of the athletes expected to advance were able to do so.

"It could have been better," Carson coach Todd Ackerman said. "I was hoping we might get a couple others.

"For the most part the kids ran really well. The ones we thought were going to make it through got through."

For the girls, Kayla Sanchez set two stadium records, qualifying with the fastest time in the 100 meters at 12.07 seconds and the 300 hurdles at 45.04. Right behind her was Andrea Keirstead, who qualified second in the 100 in 12.76 and second in the 300 hurdles in a personal best 46.93.

Keirstead also set a personal best with the fastest qualifying time of 15.25 in the 100 hurdles. While Sanchez didn't have her best race, she still safely made it through to the finals with the sixth fastest time of 16.63.

Carson had the top three qualifiers in the 200. With the computerized timing system going down, Sanchez qualified first in a hand time 25.5.

Keirstead and Christy Works tied for second at 26.2. Works also had the second fastest time in the 400 in 1:00.48 despite being the only runner in her heat.

Alex McAlman qualified first in the shot put and the discus, setting the stadium record in the discus at 133 feet, 11 inches and finishing with a mark of 38-10 in the shot.

Despite feeling under the weather, Gloria Sosa safely qualified in the 800, finishing 11th in 2:31. Annie Brinson also qualified 12th in the 1,600 in 5:48.

Yvette Hollett, Sinead McSweeney, Sosa and Works ran a season beste of 4:07.82 to qualify third in the 4x400 relay and Crista Dixon, Hollett, McSweeney and Works qualified second in the 4x200 in 1:47.82.

For the boys, Jeremy Gray qualified first in two events, running 11.22 in the 100 and 22.5 in the 1,600. Eric Walther qualified second in the discus and the shot put, shattering his personal best of 156-8 in the discus and finishing with a mark of 50-7 in the shot.

Also for Carson, Chad Shroy qualified fourth in the 1,600 in 4:38.22, Adam Houghton was one of nine athletes to clear 5-10 to advance in the high jump, Caleb Kondor qualified sixth in the discus at 43-9 1/2 and Donald Foster qualified eighth in the discus.

In addition, Floyd Hernandez, Caleb Carter, Shroy and Gray qualified third in a season best 3:31.21 in the 4x400.