LAS VEGAS - The Carson High girls track team can now consider itself the could've, would've, should've NIAA 4A State champions.
For the second straight year, Carson just didn't have enough firepower and settled for second at state on Saturday at Del Sol High. And after losing by just eight points to Reno High - 78-70 - the Senators might be tempted to think about what could have been.
Carson coach Todd Ackerman knows the meet for Carson wasn't lost on Saturday, but in the last two weeks at the Northern 4A qualifier and Northern 4A finals.
"To win it, we had to win it last week and two weeks ago," Ackerman said. "We've just got to get more people (to state)."
For the second straight year, Carson found out how hard it is to win a meet with seven or eight athletes. Carson had just seven girls at this meet.
And while those seven girls weren't perfect, they were nearly perfect. They just had to be perfect to win.
Like Kayla Sanchez, who came as close to perfection as possible. Sanchez, a junior, won three more state titles, giving her nine overall. Sanchez nearly won a 10th in the long jump, but was edged by one inch.
Maybe the most impressive title for Sanchez was in the 200 meters. Sanchez won the event right after making six leaps in the long jump.
Sanchez was able to hold off Cheyenne's Gloria Roberts, who had skipped the 400 shortly before the 200. Sanchez was timed in 25.38 while Roberts was second in 25.41. Carson's Andrea Keirstead also had an outstanding effort, finishing third in 25.92.
Keirstead was an example of Carson's trouble and success. Keirstead, the defending champion in the 100 hurdles, ran a not-so-bad 15.53, but well below her personal best of 15.05. She settled for fifth.
But looking at what Keirstead did in her four events, she gave Carson about she should have.
"She had a great time," said Ackerman about Keirstead in the 200. "She ran well. For her to run like that with the group she was with, she ran great."
Sanchez was ready to settle for fourth in the long jump after three leaps so she could focus on the 200. However, assistant coach Jim Bean and Louie Sanchez, her father, were able to convince her to take one more jump. She uncorked a personal best 17 feet, 6 inches, putting her in a tie for first with Valley's Capri Knox.
Sanchez also had a 17-5 on her last jump, but couldn't overcome the 17-7 unleashed by Cox.
Also for Carson, Christy Works took fourth in the 400 with a solid effort considering she had run the 4x800 earlier. Works, Gloria Sosa, Yvonne Hollett and Katarina Vonrumpf turned in a solid effort to take fifth in 10:07.49.
"They did well," said Ackerman about his team. "The 4x800 ran well. There are no complaints. The kids did a great job."
Also for Carson in the boys 4x400 relay, Floyd Hernandez, Matt Mattoon, Caleb Carter and Chad Shroy finished seventh.
• Contact Charles Whisnand at cwhisnand@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1214