Pete Sinnott has high hopes for his 2017 Carson High cross-country squads.
“We have no real superstars, but these might be the best teams we’ve had here in a few years,” said Sinnott. “We have six or seven real strong runners (boys and girls). In cross country, you need five strong runners. In other sports (baseball and basketball) you can have three or four good players.”
The Senators open their season Friday for the annual Douglas Class Races. Action gets underway at 3 p.m. at Lampe Park. Runners only compete against runners of their own grade level regardless of ability. Expect the times to be fast on the flat Lampe Park course.
The Senators have some good, young talent in Gaby Fernandez, who ran a 5:31 mile in track. Fernandez was 18th in the region meet last year. Other varsity returners are Rheanna Jackson (34th in region) and Blanca Sosa (25th). Sophomore Ava Covington, who made some varsity appearances, also returns. She was 69th in the region.
A familiar face — Josefina Ortiz-Osty — is back after a year off. Osty made state as a sophomore. Emily Richardson also returns to the program. Newcomers are Jeanne Anderson, a transfer from Fallon, and Ashley Britt, the top hurdler on the track team.
“It will take Josefina about a month to round back into top form,” Sinnott said. “She was our top girl as a sophomore.
“Ava made varsity as a freshman last year. She has had some knee problems. Emily is a lot more committed and a lot stronger. Jeanne is getting stronger and has potential. Ashley has good speed and good technique, and she is very coachable.”
Sosa and Jackson are the anchors of the team. Both are very dependable point scorers.
The Carson boys have four runners who ran in last year’s regional varsity meet — sophomore Zach Sever was 43rd, junior Ethan Byasse was 55th, junior Hunter Rauh was 61st and senior Jayson Legott was 63rd.
“All are real close together,” Sinnott said. “All should be within a minute of each other. Jayson was the top miler in track and Ethan ran an 11:42 in the two-mile. Zach was the second-fastest freshman in the north last year, and he was second at the JV championship. Rauh ran a 4:58 mile and 2:08 half-mile.”
Freshman Parker Lehmann is recovering from a stress fracture that caused him to miss time in track last spring. He ran a 5:13 mile as a seventh-grader. Sophomore Mark Ramirez is a strong miler as is Trinity Medina.
Senior Jared Cartier, Andrew Ingram and Paxton Spence round out the squad. Spence was 97th in the JV championship meet at Golden Eagle last year.
NOTES: Both the regional and state meet will be held at Rancho San Rafael Park. The regional meet is on Saturday of Nevada Day weekend, and the state meet is the following weekend … The regional meet was held in Sparks last year because of maintenance at Rancho San Rafael.