YOUR AD HERE »

Team effort leads Vikes at regionals

McClurg, 4×800 relay team reach the state meet

By Jeremy Evans

Tribune staff writer



Led by junior Kelsey McClurg, a total team effort by the Vikings resulted in the South Tahoe track team qualifying for the 4A state meet in two events.

McClurg placed third in the 1,600-meter run in a time of 5 minutes, 19.82 seconds and was also the anchor on the Vikings’ 4×800 relay team at the Northern 4A regional track and field championships on Saturday at Reno High School.



The relay team comprised of Kimmy Arroues, Jordan Dalton, Kylie Noll and McClurg finished third in a time of 9:59.25. Reno won the race in 9:45.42 and Elko was second in 9:46.57. In the 1,600-meter race, McClurg finished behind Reno’s Mel Lawrence (4:57.31) and Galena’s Alyssa Abbott (5:14.99).

The top three finishers in each event qualified for this week’s 4A state meet at Reno High School.

“These girls I have are the real deal,” said STHS track coach Dan Wilvers, who concentrates on the team’s distance runners. “There isn’t a lazy one in this bunch. They are as tough as nails and will do anything it takes. The kids are willing to take one for the team.”

That attitude was certainly necessary on Saturday.

With Arroues scheduled to race in the 1,600-meter race later in the day, she was asked by Wilvers to run all-out during her leg in the 4×800 relay, even though such an effort would reduce her chances in the 1,600. Arroues finished in 10th place in the 1,600 (5:44.59), but her personal best split time of 2:28 in the relay put the team in position to qualify.

The next example of teamwork was shown by Noll, the third runner on the relay team who was also scheduled to race in the 1,600. The freshman exhausted herself on the first lap of her leg by turning a 30-meter gap between her and the then third-place team into a 50-meter advantage for the Vikings, who vaulted into state contention because of her effort.

Noll’s third leg also allowed McClurg to run a smooth final leg, which saved energy for her in the 1,600, which McClurg then used to finish third and qualify for state.

“It really did make them tired,” Wilvers said of Arroues and Noll. “Kimmy is better than a 5:41, and Kylie is 10 seconds faster than a 5:31. Kylie wouldn’t have finished above Kelsey, who was third, but she could’ve finished fourth. This also couldn’t have been done without Jordan Dalton. It was just a great team effort.”

Despite McClurg’s 1,600-meter race and the 4×800 relay being held two hours apart at state, Wilvers said the relay team will include Heather Newman, Arroues, Noll and McClurg.

There were several other highlights at the regional meet for South Tahoe.

Newman placed seventh in the 800-meter run (2:27.09), while freshman Rob Davenport and junior Ben Booker took sixth and eighth, respectively, in the triple jump. Davenport had a mark of 41 feet, 3.5 inches and Booker recorded a jump of 40 feet, 7.5 inches.

Sophomore P.J. Reilly recorded a personal-best time of 4:48.52 in the boy’s 1,600-meter run to finish in 10th place.

Galena won the boys’ meet with 142 points and was followed by Reno (119.5 points) and Hug (110). Galena won the girls’ meet with 154 points and was followed by Carson (120 points) and Reno (97). South Tahoe placed 10th in the girls’ meet with 23 points.

Reno’s Mel Lawrence won three events and set meet records in both the 800-meter run (2:12.55) and 1,600 (4:57.31). Lawrence was the previous record holder in both events.

Turner, Powers swim into state

South Tahoe seniors Tim Powers and Natalie Turner both qualified for state in two events at Saturday’s Northern Nevada region championships in Carson City, but it was Turner’s first-place performance in the 200-yard freestyle that indicates she could challenge for a state title.

Turner won the 200 freestyle in a time of 1 minute, 54.92 seconds and also qualified for this week’s state meet in the 500-yard freestyle by placing second (5:11.86). Carson’s Abby Niehoff won the 500 freestyle in 5:09.83.

Powers qualified for state with his second-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:07.82) and his third-place finish in the 200 individual medley (2:03.86). Carson’s Kevin Dyer won the 500 freestyle in 4:55.62 and Reno’s Michael Weiss won the 200 individual medley in 2:01.82.

The top three finishers in each event qualified for this weekend’s 4A state meet in Las Vegas. In addition to Powers and Turner, South Tahoe boys’ 200-yard freestyle team comprised of Hans Mayer, Greg Koeck, Dan Rabbetts and Powers finished third in 1:36.26. Reno won the race in 1:29.73 and Truckee was second in 1:36.22.

In the girls’ team standings, South Tahoe placed 10th out of 17 teams with 103 points. Reno won the meet with 349 points and was followed by McQueen (291 points) and Galena (269).

In the boys’ team standings, South Tahoe placed eighth out of 16 teams, finishing with 148 points. Reno won that meet with 514 points and was followed by Carson (233 points) and Douglas (202).


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.