Southern teams play catch-up

Like a trio of distance runners 200 yards back from the clear-cut leaders, three area boys track teams have a bit of catching up to do.

With two Northern Nevada teams a cut above the south -- Reno, which won the 2007 Class 4A state championship, followed by second-place Hug -- Silverado, Cimarron-Memorial and Cheyenne are trying to discover how to gain ground.

The Skyhawks, under coach Mike Bashay, finished third at the state meet last season. With several state placers graduated -- including state champion Sean Zurko (800-meter run) and multiple-event qualifier Solomon Bennett -- Bashay said he will rely on unknown quantities to close the gap.

"There's no Sean Zurko here this year," Bashay said. "Other than (girls discus state champion Amanda Bingson), we don't have the returning state champions that we've had (in the past). We don't have those premier athletes who are leading the way. So what we're asking for is those athletes who maybe in the past were in the shadows to now step up and take ownership of their team."

Bashay, in his fifth season at Silverado, doesn't exactly need to search the depths of the Skyhawks' lineup for talent. Kolton Villa placed sixth at state in the discus, and Silverado had much success in relays.

But with Zurko and Bennett gone -- along with two more Division I athletes -- the Skyhawks have to rebuild those relay units.

While Bashay and his assistants explore the back of his lineup, looking for stars in the making, first-year Cimarron-Memorial coach Nikole Szczepanski is learning about the front, middle and back of her team.

The Spartans' boys team finished five points behind Silverado at state.

With several talented athletes returning -- including sophomore state 100-meter dash champion Stephen Nixon and junior state qualifier Terrance Jones -- Szczepanski doesn't have much of a learning curve.

But she said her squad is not just about the veterans, but the new blood, as well.

"(Assistant coach) Mike Howard and I have a great start with a bunch of new rookies," Szczepanski said. "Yeah, we have returnees, but it's not necessarily all about what we've been given before."

With a team full of experienced athletes, ones who learned under former coach Howard Vaughn, who is now at Liberty, Szczepanski's introduction to the team has been a bit rocky.

"The hardest part for me and the athletes is that they're used to a different coaching style," Szczepanski said. "You have to get those kids to buy into what we're doing here.

"It's been a struggle. We're sticking to our beliefs. And they're starting to believe in what we do. Each student is different -- and each coach is different."

Terrence Brison will again join Marcus Sullivan and Khyriece Campbell for Cheyenne's relays, looking to follow up state championships in the 800 and 1,600 relays.

On the girls side, Cheyenne and Western look to repeat their recent success.

The Warriors boast an impressive 1-2 punch in returning state 400-meter champion Unique Conner and 100 hurdles state qualifier Iiesha Coleman. The Desert Shields will rely on seniors Brittney Washington and Sharonte Marshall.

Washington placed second at state in the 800, and Marshall scored points for Cheyenne in several events, including the 100 and the long jump.

Contact reporter Jon Gold at jgold@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-4587.