LAS VEGAS HIGH SCHOOL TRACK: Racing to repeat title

Last year's champs hope to take another Sunrise Region crown

Jim miller/VIEWLas Vegas High School senior sprinter Ryan Van Niekerk, left, leads the pack during a 300-meter drill. Advertisement

The boys team is the favorite to repeat as Sunrise Region champions and the girls team is quickly coming into its own, but no matter how the Las Vegas High School track squad finishes up its 2007 season, all eyes will be looking ahead.

The future is bright for the Wildcats.

While other local high schools are seeing decreased participation in track and field this season, Las Vegas saw 103 student-athletes come out to compete. Only a handful are returning seniors, and the Wildcats have plenty of talent in their underclassman ranks.

"Considering that we only have three seniors who came out and really contributed last year, and we have such a young team, we're doing pretty well," said 10-year head coach Elbert Gray. "I hope we continue to improve. Team-wise, we're just very young, and we just don't have the depth or experience we need."

Seniors Billy Winn -- the area's top discus competitor -- and Jovan Massey and Ryan Van Niekerk are back to lead the boys team, but Robert Deguchi, who specializes in the 800, and sophomore Aaron Adkins have stepped up their performance this season.

The female half of the team has even less experience to count on, but is equally talented with sophomore runners Sabrina Law and Antoinette Garrett surprising the opposition.

"We added a lot of athletes this season, especially on the girls side," said Uvette Francis, coach. "Sabrina is doing well in the 100 and 200, and Antoinette is just neck-and-neck in the 200."

Francis said the Wildcats are seeing some success this year because several athletes are more experienced than their age would indicate.

"If you have a strong team, sometimes it can make up for the experience," she said. "We have a lot of athletes who ran previously in USA Track and other youth clubs. If they have that kind of a background, technically, from a coach's standpoint, it's like having a junior or senior. Garrett is one of those athletes because she was a junior Olympian at the youth level. It makes a big difference."

Another factor has been the increased participation numbers, which Gray attributes to the work of his coaching staff.

"Having coaches that coach other sports really helps," he said. "We've tried to impress upon kids in other sports that speed is what you need, and you can work on that here. What good does it do you in basketball if you can't get up the court? We have a lot of basketball kids out for track this year, and that's something we've never had in the past. That's really helped make the girls team stronger than expected."

Gray and the other Las Vegas coaches are hoping students new to the track program will stick with it in coming years.

"I've asked them constantly, 'How do you like it? Are you enjoying it?' and they are responding," Gray said. "You know, everybody likes the competition. Not everyone likes (training), but they all like to get out there and compete."

The head coach is unsure if his squad will be able to compete for a state title against teams like Silverado and Cimarron-Memorial, deep programs he sees as the favorites this season.

But Las Vegas appears to have the talent and numbers to make an impact.

"This is the heat of the season. We're really down to the nitty gritty," said Francis. "The regionals are in a few weeks and (if) you haven't qualified by now, you don't have much time left. We're just trying to get as many kids qualified as possible.

"Next year the girls should really stand out. This year, we just want to let you know, guess what? Vegas is on the run, we're here, we have talent, and eventually we're going to take this thing."