Silverado boys coast; Canyon Springs girls rally

The conditions were harsh Friday for the Sunrise Regional track meet at Del Sol: a head wind at the finish line and near 100-degree heat.

But the afternoon was almost perfect for the Silverado boys team.

The Skyhawks won six events — all on the track — while racking up 143.33 points to outdistance Las Vegas (75) and Green Valley (69) and run away with the Sunrise championship.

Conversely, the Sunrise girls team title came down to the final race, in which Canyon Springs’ second-place finish in the 1,600-meter relay was enough to push the Pioneers (109) past Foothill (106 1/2) and Rancho (101).

In the boys competition, Solomon Bennett and Sean Zurko were the top stars for the dominant Skyhawks. Bennett ran to a regional-meet record in the 1,600, winning in 4 minutes, 22.26 seconds.

“I felt relaxed today, and I had a pretty decent time with the wind and everything,” Bennett said. “As a team we felt confident today. Hopefully we can beat Cimarron at state and whatever other Northern teams we need to.”

Bennett and Josh O’Barr were 1-2 in the 3,200 earlier in the week in 9:44.54 and 9:58.33.

Zurko breezed to first in the 400 in 49.11 seconds and then won the 800 while setting a regional record of 1:54.91. Bennett also placed second in that race.

Silverado’s 3,200 relay team just missed the meet record while cruising to first (8:06.23), the 800 relay team placed first (1:29.86), and the 1,600 relay team was second.

The top two finishers in each event qualified for next week’s state championship meet. The top third-place performance in each event between the Sunrise and Sunset regional meets also earned a state berth.

Other notable individual performers for the boys:

* Garic Wharton of Valley won the 100 in 10.99 and was second in the 200.

* Robert Rogers of Eldorado won the 300 hurdles (40.98) and was second in the 110 high hurdles.

* William Winn of Las Vegas High won the discus (163 feet, 1 inch) and was second in the shot put. Cody Heinreich of Del Sol beat Winn in the shot put (57-3 3/4) and finished second in the discus.

On the girls side, Foothill had a 104 1/2-101 lead over Canyon Springs going into the last event on the strength of Denicia Rush’s victory in the 200.

And the Pioneers’ 1,600 relay team wasn’t at full strength. Alternate Sharilelle McCants had to race because of another runner’s injury. But the Pioneers took second behind Rancho, which gave them enough points for the title.

“That was nerve-racking,” Canyon Springs coach Kimberly Evans said. “But they were confident. They knew what the points were, and we have a good relay team.”

Jessica Osteen was the lone individual champion for the Pioneers, winning the 800 in 2:21.81. But Canyon Springs’ depth proved pivotal.

“We are so young. We have only one junior, and the rest are freshmen and sophomores,,” Evans said. “We didn’t think we would get this far, but I am excited and so happy for them.”

For Foothill, Rush won the 100 in 12.7 seconds to go along with her victory in the 200 by 0.02 seconds.

The Falcons’ Heather Holmstrom won the 3,200 (12:02.54) and the 1,600 (5:27.39).

Foothill also won the 3,200 relay in 10:00.05.

Rancho’s Talisha Lee won the 100 hurdles (15.27) and 300 hurdles (45.38).

Capri Knox of Valley set a regional record in winning the long jump (17-5) and won the triple jump (38-1 3/4) in events completed earlier in the week.