Carson, DHS grab track titles

Carson and Douglas high schools flexed their respective muscles at Saturday's 7th annual CHS-Kiwanis Track & Field Invitational.

Carson's boys squad, thanks to a double individual win by James Simmons (100, 300 hurdles) and wins by Robby Barlow (800), Cameron Childers (pole vault), Luke Carter (long jump) and Blake McCoy (discus) won with 186 points. The Senators also won the 3200 relay in 8:33.07.

Douglas was second with 137.5 and Rite of Passage was third with 116.8.

On the girls' side, Douglas rolled to an easy win with 275 points. Carson was second with 136 and Dayton was third at 95.

"Our depth carried us through," Carson coach Robert Maw said. "The kids did a good job. James Simmons had a good day on the track. He came in over 17 and won in 16.75. Both him and Luke are in the 16s,

"Cameron (Childers) finally got over 12-6 in a meet (finished at 13 feet). Josh Peacock PR'd in both the high jump (5-10) and the long jump (19-5)."

Barlow ran a solid 800 race, dispatching Dayton's Logan Ingersoll by nearly two seconds. Ingersoll led for a bit on the second lap before being reeled back in and passed by Barlow.

"I ran a very good first lap," Barlow said. "I felt good. Ingersoll passed me at the beginning of the second lap. I let him go. I put on the jets toward the end.

"I saw the seeding and knew it was going to be pretty tough. How I run depends on who is running."

Simmons showed some pretty good endurance in the 300 in holding off Douglas' Ryan Ake (42.25-42.63) and Carter, who was third and second in the hurdle events.

Douglas' Jordan Cruz won the 100 and 200, clocking times of 11.34 and 23.03, respectively.

"My start was pretty good in the 100," Cruz said. "I changed it. Coach Dry was working with me on getting a quicker start. I'm lower to the ground and getting my butt higher up and looking behind my legs. It was one of my fastest times this year."

Cruz was fourth in the 200 prelims, but came back to win in the finals over Rite of Passage's Michael Victorian and Jeremiah Wright.

Another double winner was Sierra Lutheran distance specialist Wade Meddles, who won the 1600 and 3200, easily knocking of Carson's Richard Shroy in both races. Meddles was timed in 4:31.72 and 9:54.6.

In the 1600, Shroy trailed Meddles by just a couple of yards. As the race went along, Meddles increased his lead substantially. By the third and fourth laps, Meddles had built a 15-yard lead on his rival.

"It's fine," Meddles said. "When you are running in a big event, the pack pulls you through. When Richard and I are running, I can usually hear him behind me. After a while, I didn't hear him."

"My time was fine," said Shroy, who ran a 4:39.96. "I was a little tired. He has more speed than I do."

The duo hooked up in the 3200, and the race was a carbon copy of the 1600. Shroy maintained pretty close contact for the first five laps before Meddles found another gear and raced to an approximate 14-second victory.

Douglas' victory on the girls wasn't surprising. The margin of victory was, however.

"We expected it," said Jim Abbott, Douglas head coach. "Us, Carson and North Valleys were the only 4A schools here."

Douglas's Kyra Barth won the 100 and 300 hurdles (16.79 and 49.7) and tied for first in the high jump at 5-feet and ran a leg on the winning 1600 relay team.

Freshman Cara Dunkelman in 2:30.35 and ran a leg on the winning 3200 relay quartet which was timed in a personal best of 10:05.

"She ran a 63 leg on the 1600 relay team which was a PR for her," Abbott said.

Douglas also got victories from Jessica Waggoner in the discus (144-7), Elizabeth Nickles in the long jump (15-11 1/2), Natasha Brown in the triple jump (34-3 1/2), Tia Lyons in the 1600 (5:44) and Taylor Biaggi in the 3200 (12:46.51).

Douglas also 1600 and 3200 relay events.

Dayton's Kathie Arias upset Waggoner in the shot put with a mark of 39-3 1/4.