Nevada track competes at district track meet today

Saturday, May 12, 2012

By Jason Peake

Herald-Tribune

The goal is to peak at the right time of the season.

That time is now.

The Nevada High School track team will compete at the MSHSAA Class 3, District 6 Meet today at Carl Junction.

The top four in each event will advance to next weekend's sectional meet at Marshfield.

The training regimen implemented by Coach Robert Watts is aimed at having the athletes reach their peak at this time of the season.

Watts hopes to see just that today.

"We work hard to get our kids to peak at this time," Watts said Friday. "We hope they do it tomorrow and let the chips fall. We're going to give everything we've got. No matter if they move on or not, if they peak, and do the best they've done all year, that's the real goal. That's success."

Schools competing today in District 6 are Aurora, Bolivar, Carl Junction, Cassville, Clinton, East Newton, Hillcrest, Logan-Rogersville, McDonald County, Monett, Mt. Vernon, Nevada, Reeds Spring, Republic, Seneca, and Springfield Catholic.

"It's a tough district," Watts noted. "Our district always seems to be the tougher of the two. If you can make it out of our district, there's a good chance you can make it out of the sectional, too."

The top finishers in District 5 and District 6 will compete at the Marshfield Sectional on Saturday, May 19. The District 5 meet is in Washington. At the sectional, a trip to state will be on the line.

Watt expects a large group of Tigers to advance to the sectional.

"We'll have some kids right there in the mix," he said. "They need to show up and do their best."

Top performers for Nevada this season include Ashley Shumaker and Morgan Hold, who have excelled in the high jump and pole vault, respectively. Several other individuals and relays teams have legitimate shots at advancing.

"Ashley's right there in the high jump and long jump," Watts said. "And our girls throwers are in the mix and Megan (Mason) is right there in the jumping events, too. Our sprint relays have a good shot and Morgan's at the top."

Watts said everyone is healthy and ready to go. One concern, though, is the lack of recent competition. Some of the team's top athletes haven't competed since a meet in Fort Scott on April 20, as many missed the Girard Invite on April 27 for various reasons.

"It's a concern," Watts said. "We could have used another meet. Our 4x200 hasn't run forever. But we're looking good in practice and the kids have kept the intensity high. They've done a good job at that."

Schedule

The district track meet is today at Carl Junction High School. A coaches meeting will be held at 10 a.m., with the field events scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. The prelims of the running events start at 11:30, with the finals set to begin at 1:30 p.m.

District meet schedule

Field events

11 a.m. -- Boys shot put, girls discus, boys long jump, girls triple jump, girls high jump, boys pole vault.

1 p.m. -- Boys discus, girls shot put, boys triple jump, girls long jump, boys high jump, girls pole vault.

Running events

Prelims

11:30 -- Boys 110 hurdles

11:45 -- Girls 100 hurdles

11:55 -- Boys 100

12:05 -- Girls 100

12:15 -- Girls 3200

12:30 -- Boys 3200

12:45 -- Boys 200

12:55 -- Girls 200

Finals

1:30 -- Girls 100 hurdles

1:40 -- Boys 110 hurdles

1:50 -- Girls 100

1:55 -- Boys 100

2:10 -- Girls 4x200 relay

2:20 -- Boys 4x200 relay

2:30 -- Girls 1600

2:45 -- Boys 1600

3 -- Girls 4x100

3:10 -- Boys 4x100

3:20 -- Girls 400

3:30 -- Boys 400

3:45 -- Girls 300 hurdles

4 -- Boys 300 hurdles

4:15 -- Girls 800

4:25 -- Boys 800

4:40 -- Girls 200

4:45 -- Boys 200

4:55 -- Girls 3200

5:10 -- Boys 3200

5:25 -- Girls 4x400

5:35 -- Boys 4x400.

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