Cross country does it wrong

The cross country coaches need to figure out a new way to decide who makes the all-region teams.

As far as I can tell, it's based on where runners finish at the regional meet which is ridiculous. You can't base a whole season of work on one race.

Case in point: Carson High's April Shonnard was left off the regional squad, and that wasn't right. Shonnard only ran one race in the last three-plus weeks of the season because of shin splints.

She probably shouldn't have run at state. but she limped through and was Carson's sixth-finisher. She wanted to be out there; wanted to be part of a state championship team.

Why can't cross country be like the other sports who take into account an entire body of work when all-star teams are selected?

Shonnard deserved a spot. According to coach Pete Sinnott, Shonnard had the fastest time among Northern 4A runners at 18:20, a feat accomplished at the prestigious Stanford Invitational.

The snub ruined a year's worth of good performances by Shonnard.

Come on coaches, use your heads and make the change.

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Natalie Trejo has the distinction of being the first Carson High senior to sign a national letter of intent this year.

In case you don't know who Trejo is, there is good reason. Trejo competes in gymnastics, and there are no high school gymnastics teams in Northern Nevada, only club teams.

Trejo, who competes for Deltchev Gymnastics in Reno, signed a scholarship offer from Southern Utah University, located in Cedar City.

Trejo has been involved in gymnastics since the age of 3, and has been competing competitively since the age of 7.

Trejo, a Level 10 gymnast, won first place in floor and finished 15th in all-around at the NIT Nationals in Long Beach in 2011. In 2010, she was eighth on the beam and 23rd all-around.

Trejo carries a 4.0 GPA.

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Erika Garcia, who prepped at Dayton High School, is off to a fast start with the Harvard University soccer team.

Garcia has played in all 17 of her team's games thus far. She scored off a header against Hofstra on Sept. 16, added a goal in a win over New Hampshire on Sept. 25 and assisted on a goal in a key win over Dartmouth on Oct. 29.

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The name of Ricky McDonald is synonymous with wrestling in the Carson Valley. McDonald, who was in the Carson Bulldogs program for several years, opted to attend Bishop Manogue where he excelled.

McDonald is now wrestling at Brown University. He's wrestling at 174 pounds, and was edged out 3-0 and 5-2 in his first two collegiate matches at the Binghampton Tournament.

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Former Carson High defensive back Josh Peacock has wrapped up his second season of football at Hiram University. Hiram finished with a 1-9 record this year.

Peacock finished with 84 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. He had an interception and two fumble recoveries.