Running track for first time since eighth grade, Senators' Quilling makes state meet

If Chance Quilling wasn't the best athlete at Carson High before the 2011-12 school year, he certainly solidified it with his performance on the track this spring.

Quilling has been known more for his exploits on the football field, basketball court and baseball diamond his first three years at Carson.

Unfortunately, he missed the latter part of basketball and baseball because we was academically ineligible.

Baseball's loss was track's gain. Since becoming eligible, Quilling has established himself as one of the top jumpers, hurdlers and relay runners in Northern Nevada despite not really concentrating on the sport since his middle school days.

"I had to do something," said Quilling, who qualified for Saturday's state 300-meter hurdle finals. "I couldn't sit around the house like I did during basketball (after I was ineligible). I did track sixth through eighth grade. I did the 100, 200 and triple jump. I actually threw the discus in eighth grade."

Quilling long jumped, triple jumped, ran the 100 and 200, and ran on the 400, 800 and 1,600 relay squads at one time or another. Coach Robert Maw and his staff kept him busy, and Quilling enjoyed a lot of success.

"It's been amazing," said assistant coach Bob Johnson, who coaches the sprinters and relay teams. "He's such a competitor. He wants to win; to be the best he can be. I thought going into regionals he would have a chance to make state and he did."

"He's such a good athlete, so it's not that surprising," assistant coach Jim Reid said. "Athlete-wise, I knew he could do this (track). I wish we'd known sooner that he ran the hurdles. He wanted to do it for fun the first time, and he ends up third in Northern Nevada."

Quilling qualified third in the 300 hurdles at least week's regional finals, which qualified him for this weekend's state meet. He ran a 41.23, and he'll be in lane 8 when the race starts on Saturday. He's been bothered by shin splints, but says he'll be ready to go.

"Joey (Thurman) didn't want to run it one day, so I asked the coaches if I could run it for them," Quilling said. "I didn't even run it full speed. I did it a couple of times in middle school.

"I haven't run a race without hitting a hurdle. I think I could be in the 39s if I didn't hit the hurdles. I've beaten the No. 2 guy in the north three times this year. Anything can happen, so I'm not too worried about it.''

Quilling knows, however, that to place in the top four he'll have to shave at least 1.5 seconds off his previous best. Three runners in the finals come in with state qualifying times of less than 40 seconds.

Despite his success this year, this will be the last race Quilling runs.

He'll be turning his attention to baseball. He's going to play for the Sun Devils this summer, and he's hoping to play well enough so that he can go to Western Nevada College and play baseball for D.J. Whittemore.

"I missed it (baseball)," Quilling said. "It was so bad, so hard to be out there. Sometimes I'd go into the triple jump (area) and watch them practice.

"I've talked to coach Whittemore a couple of times. He's seen me play. I just have to get back into it."

Quilling said he has a batting cage at his house, and he's been working on his swing. He also throws a couple of times a week. In addition to being one of Carson's best hitters as a junior, he played a great center field and showed a knack for running balls down in the gaps.

Many may have expected Quilling to play football, but past injuries to his knee and hip made him choose baseball.

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Quilling wasn't the only Carson athlete to qualify for this week's meet as an individual.

Tiana McAllister-Daggs threw a career-best 35-1 1/4 to qualify second in the north. Coach Mike Louisiana said that McAllister-Daggs will definitely have to achieve a new PR if she expects to finish in the top four.

McAllister-Daggs is the first thrower to make state in five years. Thurman also PR'd last year at 34-11 1/2, and like McAllister-Daggs, she'll have to improve by at least a foot to get in the top three or four.

"She has the capability of going 36 feet," Maw said.

INDIVIDUAL EVENT STATE QUALIFIERS

Douglas boys

Nick Maestretti: Pole vault

Justin Seyfried: Pole vault

Dylan Neilsen: 400

Douglas girls

Katie Dry: 100

Olivia Abbott: 400

Amanda Brazeau: Pole vault

Lindsey Adams: 1600, 3200

Dayton boys

Cameron McGifford: 110 high hurdles

Dallon Mendoza: High jump

Joshua Koch: Discus

Jesse May: Discus

Dayton girls

Lettie Lynch: 100, 200

Katrina Breithaupt: 800, 1600, 3200

Madison Foley: 100 hurdles, Triple jump, high jump

D.J. Ply: Pole vault

Kaylee Turner: Shot put, discus

Sierra Lutheran boys

Bradley Goins: 100, 200

Jonny Harms: 200, 400

Nathanael Williams: 800, 1600, 3200

Donovan Harrison: 1600, 3200

Kody Miller: 400

Jusdan Mondragon: 110 and 300 hurdles

Conner Love: Pole vault, 300 hurdles

Hunter Waterson: Triple jump, pole vault

Ben Sever: High jump

Alex Borgman: Shot put, discus

Chase Johnson: Shot put, discus

Sierra Lutheran girls

Sierra Stulac: 100, 200, 400

Camille Cassidy: 100, 200, 400

Erin Hunt: 800, 1600, 3200

Becky Grabow: 800, 1600, 3200

Katy Cobb: 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, triple jump

Cali Benton: 100 hurdles, high jump, discus

McKinze Tynes: Discus

* Does not include relays and individuals on relay teams