By DAVE BELCHER
The Progress
The Moapa Valley High School boys track and field team won its 13th state team title when they narrowly beat Spring Creek 123 -119.5 in the state championship meet last weekend at Liberty High School in Las Vegas.
It was a battle throughout for the Pirates. Spring Creek was a favorite by ten points if the results from the regional meets stood and carried over to the state meet.
Even so, Moapa Valley made up ground over the two day event and held only a 9.5 point lead heading into the final two events.
Moapa Valley’s 4X400 meter relay team was seeded sixth while Spring Creek was seeded second. The Pirates relay team of Degan Jones, Trevor Witter, Ethan Witter and Lucus Sandberg finished third beating Spring Creek for that 9.5 point advantage.
The final event was the boys long jump. Moapa Valley had no athletes involved to compete. Spring Creek had one, Michael Dorame, the longest jumper in the state. His win would earn the Spartan not only his individual state title in the event, but also the team title by just half a point.
But in an incredible upset, Malikia Miller of Durango High School and Jamare Lynch of Eldorado out jumped Dorame to place first and second, dropping Dorame to third. All three jumpers set personal career records.
Even so, it was strong performance by Moapa team members in the trenches that got the Pirates in range for the team win. “We were ten down heading into the meet and needed some outstanding performances to win this,” said MVHS Head Coach Shane Hickman. “We got that! I am so proud of the hard work these kids put in during the season.”
Moapa Valley had some great individual finishes at the meet. Degan Jones won the 100 meters with a time of 11.13. He placed 6th in the high jump. He was a member of the second place 4X4 team and also a member of the state champion 4X100 meter team.
Ethan Witter won the 800 meters for the second year in a row with a time of 2:00.21. He placed 4th in the 400 meters and was a member of the second placed 4X800 relay team and the third place 4X4.
Mordechai Yadegar won the 1600 meters, placed second in the 3200 and 6th in the 800. He was a member of the 4X8 team.
Marcus Shambaugh placed fourth in the 3200, sixth in the 1600 and 7th in both the 800 and pole vault.
Isaac Thompson placed 8th in the 3200.
Brody Redd placed 8th in the 110 hurdles.
Tanner Hammons placed second in the high jump and 4th in the triple jump. He was also a member of the 4X100 team.
Tyson Redd was a member of the 4X100 team.
Gavin Hendrick placed 8th in the pole vault and was a member of the 4X800 team.
Trevor Witter was a member of the 4X800 team and 4X4 team.
Nicholas Leavitt placed 9th in the pole vault..
Logan Stewart placed second in the discus and 4th in the shot put.
Gavyn Fredricks placed 4th in the shot put and 6th in the discus.
The MVHS girls team placed 9th overall in the meet.
They were led by Talli Fairchild who placed 3rd in the 800 and 5th in the 400. She was a member of the 4X800 team which placed 5th and the 4X400 who also placed 5th.
Paige Fairchild placed 8th in the 800 and was a member of both relays.
Brooke Sherwood placed 8th in the 800 and was a member of the relays.
Allison Mills placed 7th in the 100 meter hurdles and was a member of the 4X4 team.
Miriam Werner was a member of the 4X8 team.
Claire Cox and Hailey Western placed 5th in the high jump.
Aubrey Wolfley finished 5th in the pole vault and Daphnee Auger placed 8th in the event.
The Virgin Valley girls track and field team was led by state champion Audrey Fiso who won the discus with a throw of 111-04. She placed 4th in the shot put.
Hailey Vellinga placed 6th in the pole vault.
Mattea Wahl placed 8th in the high jump and ran in the 4X400 relay team; along with Logan Cude, Jasmine Agular and Sophie Tobler; which placed 7th. Wahl also placed 8th in the triple jump.
There were three members of the boys Virgin Valley team who qualified. Dylan Vellinga placed 5th in the pole vault. Jeremy Gossett took 6th in the shot put. Owen Rappleye took 7th in the 3200 and 8th in the 1600.
