HENDERSON – Dayton High’s JJ Ply had to go overtime to notch his third title of the 2017 state track & field meet, but he didn’t mind a bit.
Ply, who opened the day with an impressive win in the 110-meter high hurdles, capped a three-win weekend by winning a jump-off in the high jump with Elko rival Kyrin Allen on Saturday at Foothill High in Henderson.
In Ply’s eyes, the high-jump win was bittersweet. Allen had injured his left knee while attempting a 7-foot attempt at Carson during the regional meet, and the length of the event took its toll on the talented Elko senior.
The jump-off started where both ended at 6-10. Both jumpers missed at 6-10, 6-9, 6-8 and 6-7 before Ply ended the marathon event by clearing 6-6.
Simply put, it was a battle of attrition, and the healthiest guy won. Allen continued to gut it out, but he was having trouble getting any lift with his bad knee.
“I feel pretty good ( about the weekend)” Ply said. “All four years have been really great.
“I didn’t want to win this way with Kyrin being injured. He is such a great competitor.”
Ply ran a 14.63 in the 110 high, outracing Del Sol’s Jaylen Flenaugh to the finish line. Flenaugh was timed in 14.90.
“I feel like I did get a good start,” Ply said.
Ply made state all four years. He made it three times in the high jump, three times in the 110 high hurdles, twice in the 300 hurdles and three times in the pole vault.
Dayton senior Carson Crosby capped his career with a fourth-place finish in the 400 (51.85). He was waging a battle with Mojave’s Devon Flowers down the stretch for the third spot.
1A: Falcons 2nd; Hess wins again
Sierra Lutheran, led by Jared Marchegger’s win in the 1600 plus a win by the 3200-meter squad, took second to Spring Mountain.
Marchegger, Ricky McNeely, Caleb Contreras and Craig Moe ran a 9:00.50 to win the 3200 event, the first of the morning. Whittell was a distant second, 12 seconds behind.
Marchegger, a sophomore, kept the individual winning streak alive in the family when he won the 3200 on Friday and the 1600 (4:43.10) on Saturday.
His win in the 1600 was no walk in the park. He was pushed hard by Beatty freshman Jose Granados.
“Jose put pressure on me,” Marchegger said. “The first 100 meters of the last lap I started to get a little bit of a lead and ended up winning. I’m very happy with it (the weekend).”
McNeely finished third at 4:51.97.
Discus thrower Jeremy Hellwinkel placed second with a 122-2 and teammate Peyton Hedwall also grabbed a fourth-place medal with a throw of 114-2. Sophomore Grant Goins PRd to take second in the high jump at 6-feet.
Virginia City’s Colt Hess won the 400 with an impressive 50.20, nosing out Greggory Gilbert from Word of Life Christian Academy by .27. Teammate Sam Strahan nabbed a medal by finishing third in 53.07.
The Muckers’ relay quartet of Strahan, Evan Breckenridge, Tristan McInttier and Hess ran an impressive 1:35.65 to finish second to Excel Christian in the 800 relay.
4A: Wallace ties for fourth in HJ
Carson’s Greg Wallace tied for fourth in the high jump with Reed star Michael Spivack.
The news wasn’t so good for Douglas stars John Munyan and Cade Pankey, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
Munyan ran a 4:32.48 and Pankey went 21-1 in the long jump.
Wallace cleared 5-10, 6-feet and 6-2 without a miss, ensuring him of a medal. He missed all three of his attempts at 6-4.
“I was expecting a PR (6-7),” Wallace said. “The last attempt at 6-4 was the best. I hit it with the back of my thigh.”
“All in all he did a good job,” CHS assistant coach Julie Reid said. “A medal at state is nothing to be disappointed about.”