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Lady Tigers looking to end 13-year drought
By Joe Warren
Nevada Daily Mail
NEVADA, Mo. -- Looking to end a 13-year drought, Nevada track coach Robert Watts thinks the Lady Tigers could be the favorites for the district title this Saturday -- he just won't say so.
"They've got a good shot," he said. "They're going to finish high."
With a talented group of sprinters and jumpers leading the way, Nevada will try to nab their first girls district championship since 1994.
Watts struggled to come up with a clear-cut team to beat at the Class 3, District 6 meet in Carl Junction, which leads you to believe he likes his chances.
"The Branson girls aren't bad, it's really kind of up for grabs," Watts finally said after pausing to come up with a school not named Nevada.
Nevada is coming off a second place finish at the Southwest Conference meet Friday, where Neosho's sheer numbers were too formidable for the Lady Tigers to overcome. But Neosho isn't in Class 3, and the district competition limits schools to two entries per event. While Nevada isn't as deep in some areas as Watts would like, he said the lineup is at least filled.
"Not having a lot of distance girls hurts, but we've got everything covered," he said.
The Lady Tigers will be competing against 14 other schools in Carl Junction, which puts points at a premium. Rarely will a school run away with the title with each event watered down so heavily with athletes. That means if Nevada can take some of the sprints, relays and jumping categories, then at least earn a few points elsewhere, they will have a shot at that elusive title.
Watts said the possibility of a title has his athletes focused.
"You can tell, as a whole, there's a little more determination, a little more intensity this week," he said.
While the girls are expected to compete for a championship, the boys have to be considered a long shot. Although the Tigers did open some eyes by finishing second in the conference last week.
"That was a surprise," Watts admitted. "They really came out and competed."
The problem for the Nevada boys is the conference title went to Carthage, and they won it handily. The blue Tigers will also be at districts Saturday, along with a perennially tough Branson squad.
"It would be a pretty big upset," Watts allowed when talking about the possibility of the boys winning district for the first time since 2003.
While teams will be angling for a banner to hang on their gym wall, it is individuals that make things happen in track and field.
Nevada has more than a few individuals that will have a shot at moving on to sectionals, by placing in the top four Saturday.
Starting with the sprints, the girls have Brittany Pettibon and Taylor Means running the 100 meters. Pettibon has been the Lady Tigers' most consistent performer in the shortest of the races, and her best time was 12.80 seconds in Paola, Kan., on April 5. Means was clocked at 13.00 in that same race, giving NHS a shot at two high placings in the district event.
On the boys' side, Aaron Dade and Gary Smith will be competing in the 100. Dade ran an 11.80 Friday at the conference meet, while Smith has a 12.00 to his credit in Paola.
The girls will also have a shot to earn points in the 200 meters, with Mariah Mock running a 27.07 during a JV meet this season. Emma Dreyer will also race, with a 28.32 at Fort Scott on April 20.
The boys have Smith (24.87) and Cole Ogle (25.01) going in the 200.
In the 400 the girls have Jordan Bell and Vanessa Hancock competing. Bell ran a 1:03.07 at the conference meet, and Hancock hasn't competed in the event yet this season.
The boys have a legitimate shot at winning the 400 with Mark Reed turning in a time of 52.98 Friday. Justin Goolsby (56.67) is also running.
"That's a wide open race," Watts said about the boys' 400.
Bell (2:38.09) and Lauren Klinksick (2:43.82) will run the 800 for the girls.
Trevor Hinkle, who won the conference title in the boys 800, will be a favorite with a season best time of 2:05.35. Tyler Lero (2:18.00) is also competing.
Hinkle (4:45.00) will also run the 1,600, along with Jacob Query (5:21.35).
On the girls' side, Kadee Hughes (6:21.75) will look to score points in the mile.
Query will run the 3,200 for the boys for the first time this season, while the girls do not have anybody in the event.
In the hurdles Nevada has a strong chance to score with Dan Lovinger running both the 110 meters (15.50) and the 300 (41.45). Lovinger placed in the top three in both events at conference. Dustin Houghkirk (17.64 and 56.67) will also run in the boys' events.
Megan Smith (16.46 in the 100 and 50.98 in the 300) is Nevada's best chance for a victory in the girls' hurdles. Although LeeAnn Stone (17.70 and 51.16) gives the Lady Tigers a second formidable threat.
In the relay events, Nevada's girls have to be favorites in the 4x100 and 4x200 races. The Lady Tigers won the conference 4x100 with a team of Afton Baldwin, Katelyn Brier, Pettibon and Means, and they look to repeat at districts.
Meanwhile the team of Baldwin, Pettibon, Means and Mock dominated the 4x200 at the conference meet, but was disqualified by a bad handoff. The ladies are working on handoffs tirelessly this week, so if they can iron out their baton passes, they should be strong at districts.
The boys have Pat Barnett, Jacob Cherry, Trevor Foreman and Dade in the 4x100, and will have to top their best time of 46.60 to have a chance to catch Carthage.
The 4x200 team of Cherry, Dade, Foreman and Ogle seems to be peaking, finishing within two seconds of Carthage at conference. If they can continue to improve, they might have a shot to surprise people Saturday.
The boys' 4x400 team of Reed, Lovinger, Hinkle and Goolsby is pretty strong, and the girls' team of Baldwin, Stone, Bethany Moore and Caedran Audley looks to earn some points.
Neither squad has a 4x800 team.
In the jumps the Nevada girls have Bell and Kristen Kitsmiller leading the way in the long jump. The pair finished 1-2, with Kitsmiller leading the way at conference with a PR of 15-feet, 8.5 inches. Although Bell has jumped 16-1 this season at Paola.
Melanie Messick (32-3.75) and Erica Becker (31-2) will compete in the triple jump, with both considered true threats in the district event.
Jacob Cherry was first in conference in the long jump (20-3.5) and second in the triple jump, and with a PR of 42-3 in the latter, he looks to earn the boys some key points.
Lovinger is also a darkhorse in the high jump, clearing 5-8 at conference, while Foreman topped 5-6. The pair should give the Tigers a chance.
Molly Ferree is coming along quickly in the girls' high jump, with a PR of 4-10 at conference. Stephanie Mosbrucker (4-6) is also competing.
In the pole vault, Nevada has a duo of Tyler Werner (13-0) and Mitch Pent (12-6) who both should place high.
The girls will try to get some points with Elizabeth Burlingame and Felicia Keller, who have both topped 6-6 this season.
Ethan Fast is the only hope for the Nevada boys in the throws. Fast has a PR of 103-3 in the discus and 41-7 in the shot put, and is hoping to surprise people at districts.
Amanda Wilson is a returning state qualifier in the discus, and her best throw this season is 105-7. Wilson also had a chance in the shot put, where she has a 37-2.5 to her credit, which was second in the conference.
Heidi Wilson (78-5 in the discus, 33-3.5 in the shot) will also compete for Nevada.