School size helped Douglas High School claim first place at the latest high school track meet, but the South Shore kids scored points for the underdogs.

“This week most of the schools weren’t even in our league so we were going up against some big competition,” said South Tahoe track coach Jake Hurwitz said. “When we are healthy and have all our athletes back again, regionals are going to be a pretty big event for us.”

The South Tahoe and Whittell track teams again turned in top times against big schools loaded with speedy competition at the Big George Invite at Douglas High School on Saturday.

In the boys competition, Douglas took first (189.5), followed by Carson (127.5), Hug (63), North Tahoe (54) and South Tahoe took fifth (49) despite missing one of its track stars, Brandon Cramer. The Whittell boys tied for eighth place (26).

In the girls competition, Douglas again claimed first (250.5), followed again by Carson (100.5), Galena (88.5), South Tahoe (49) in fourth, North Tahoe (47) and Whittell in sixth (29).

The names Sierra Forvilly and Mark Waite should by now sound pretty familiar. The two Whittell track stars have repeatedly put up the times to beat this season, which is all the more impressive considering they are coming for a school of about 150.

Saturday was no different. Both Waite and Forvilly claimed multiple first-place finished against the tough competition.

Forvilly took first in the 100 meters with a personal best of 13.28. The senior also took first in the 100-meter hurdles (16:57), besting her time from the previous week’s competition. She finished second in the 800 meters and eighth in the 200 meters, which she finished first in during preliminaries.

Waite, a junior, dominated in the 800-meter and one-mile runs. He set a scorching 4:43 one-mile pace for first place, and cut his 800 down by about 4 seconds (2:05.34).

South Tahoe’s Cramer, who usually scores about 30 points for the Vikings, sat the meet out to rest up for the Meet of Champions he will competition in Saturday in Sacramento.

In Cramer’s absence, teammate Jason Rogers stepped up big time.

Rogers took fourth in the 100 meters and second in the 200 meters (24.03). He also added a high jump that measured 5-foot-8 for third place.

“With a little more work he’s probably around the 6-foot mark easily,” Hurwitz said.

South Tahoe’s long-distance star, Connor Henderson, shined in the two-mile with a 10:52 for second place. Henderson also claimed fifth in the one-mile, breezing in under the 5-minute mark.

Ross Kovac wasn’t far behind Henderson in the two-mile, coming in at eighth place.

Kyle Moreno captured fifth in the 300-meter hurdles for South Tahoe, and freshman teammate Carson Alexander took sixth.

“There were some pretty big schools there this week and for a freshman, making it to the finals in any race is a pretty big ordeal. Sixth place is pretty outstanding,” Hurwitz said.

Dylan Stetler took eighth in the 300-meter hurdles for Whittell.

Among the girls, South Tahoe’s Emily Treat continued to impress. The senior shaved a whopping 35 seconds off her two-mile time, finishing in 12:57 for third place. She also clipped 5 seconds off her mile time, for 5:51 and fifth place.

“Literally almost every meet has been a double-digit drop for her,” Hurwitz said. “It’s unbelievable how well she is doing. She’s not out there screaming it, but in truth she’s really put up a good season for her senior year. I think Karley and her, as well as Gabriella Vargas, are really the core group that’s been pushing each other.”

Martinez continued to be at the front of the South Tahoe girls’ charge. She took second in the one-mile and third in the 800 meters.

“Karley’s been our top 800 and mile runner all season,” said Hurwitz of Martinez, who has overcome her fair sahre of obstacles. “I think she’s happy to be back where she is and in the next couple of weeks she really going to burst through this wall.”

The Vikings also had their top hurdle runner Jenny Burks, who took second in the 300-meter hurdles and ninth in the 100-meter hurdles.

“Her times just keep getting better,” Hurwitz said. “She was also part of our girls 4 by 1, they took second place and ran a 54 second 4 by 1, which is pretty phenomenal.”

South Tahoe’s Diana Gomez ran into fourth place overall in the girls 400.

Freshman Kerry Norton showed off her sprinting skills as well as throwing. She took fifth in the 300-meter hurdles and ran in the second leg of the girls 4 by 1 team that took second place.

“She’s been a thrower all season, but she took off like a bullet. She must have gotten 20 meters ahead. It was the first time she’s ever been a part of that and it was incredible. She’s definitely a sprinter,” Hurwitz said. “Ninty percent of track is technic and she’s really shown that.”

UP NEXT: Both teams travel to the 83 Annual Yerington Relays on Saturday. This weekend will be the last weekend the teams can record times to qualify for regionals. South Tahoe will also have a car wash fundraiser in the Lake Tahoe Pizza Co parking lot on Sunday afternoon.

For a complete list of results visit the Tahoe Daily Tribune online and click on the South Shore sports tab.