Canyon Springs edged for title

RENO -- Canyon Springs' quest for the Class 4A boys state track championship fell short Saturday at Damonte Ranch High School.

The Pioneers, who led by five points after the first day, finished second to McQueen, 65 points to 61. Spanish Springs was third with 47 points, followed by Centennial with 45.

Southern athletes won four of seven individual events and both relays, a day after losing seven of nine events to Northern athletes. They did it on a chilly day with snow flurries but not the winds that plagued them Friday.

By the end of the day, several meet and stadium records were set.

Records were set in both relays. Centennial set a state record in the 3,200-meter relay, winning in 7:53.94 to break the mark of 7:56.31 set by Elko in 2007. Nick Hartle ran the second leg for the Bulldogs and opened a lead that never was seriously challenged. McQueen finished second in 8:01.69.

Canyon Springs set a stadium record in the 800 relay, finishing in 1:28.37. The Pioneers also won the 400 relay and finished second in the 1,600 relay.

"This was the best we've run this year," Pioneers senior Paul Woodward said. "We ran faster at Mt. SAC (California), but not in these conditions."

Valley senior Garic Wharton was one of three double winners. Wharton, who has signed with Arizona to play football and run track, breezed to victory in the 200 after winning the 100 on Friday. He finished in 21.44, with Canyon Springs' Daveon Collins second in 22.01.

The victory capped a brilliant four-year career for Wharton, who won five individual state titles, including four in the 100 and 200.

"(Wharton) is a true champion in all kinds of weather, hot or cold." Valley coach Mark Salzman said. "He likes to compete and does a great job at that. I consider the way he has handled the pressure his greatest asset. It's a shame the weather didn't cooperate this weekend. He was set to run really fast."

Other double winners were Elko's Zach Stetler (shot put, discus) and Carson's Richard Shroy (1,600, 3,200).

Stetler's winning throw in the discus of 181 feet, 6 inches was 25 feet farther than the second-place throw by Green Valley's Allen Maddox.

Shroy won the 1,600 in a stadium-record time of 4:18.80. Galena's Bryan Jordan (4:21.98) and Del Sol's Colin Smith (4:28.98) finished a distant second and third.

Shroy's time wasn't the fastest of the day, though. Wade Meddles of Class 1A Sierra Lutheran finished in 4:16.88, the fastest time in Nevada this year.