Darrell Moody: Driving key to Carson High fund drive

A big fundraiser for the Carson High athletic program has been its relationship with Capital Ford.

The local car dealership is again slating its popular Drive 4UR School event in the Carson High parking lot on May 5.

This year, all proceeds go toward the boys basketball program. The school is looking for 500 drivers to come out and test drive any of the new Ford cars that are being brought over for the event. If 300 drivers come and test drive, Ford will donate $6,000 to the basketball program.

It’s a non-pressure situation, and I urge local residents to come out and support local high school sports.

Also on tap that day at Carson High is a chance to watch a season-ending softball doubleheader between Carson and Douglas. Both teams have enjoyed good seasons, and both teams are headed for the upcoming regional playoffs.

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Abbey Paulson, three-sport athlete, is going to attend Cal-State San Marcos as a preferred walk-on to the track program.

Paulson was second in the regional triple jump last year with a leap of 35-5 3/4, her personal best. Her best jump this season is 34-0 1/2. Obviously she’s hoping for some late-season magic.

Paulson, who also played basketball and volleyball at Carson, still works with former coach Robert Maw every morning. She also travels to Reno frequently to work with ex-Fallon great Aarik Wilson, who went onto star at the University of Indiana. Wilson has also come out to Carson a few times lately to work with all of Carson’s jumpers.

Weather has been a big issue for all spring athletes this year. Obviously it’s a little hard to run and jump when it’s snowing or raining outside, and Carson has seen its share of both this season.

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And, while we’re on the subject of track, the Sierra and High Desert trials are slated for May 5 at Reed High School, and the finals are set for May 12 at Carson.

When are the track coaches going to come to their senses? The trials and finals should be on back-to-back days, or at the very least both in the same week. Why can’t Northern Nevada run on Thursday and Saturday or Friday and Saturday?

I’ve covered track in various sections in California, and the North Coast Section was usually on back-to-back days. The Sac-Joaquin Section would usually have a day of rest between trials and finals.

I remember the old days of the state meet in California, you had to run back-to-back 1600s. The lone finals-only running event was the 3200. It often stopped athletes from doubling in the 1600 and 3200.

I still vividly remember the 1974 California State Track & Field Championships. Rich Kimball of De La Salle ran a 4:06.6 mile and an 8:46.8 2-mile with less than 40 minutes of rest between events. It was one of the most sensational track feats I’ve witnessed.

Kimball was two years behind me at De La Salle, and our baseball team used to watch him dominate local runners during home meets, even to the extent of getting yelled at by an assistant coach for not paying attention to the game.