The NIAA 2A South Regional track and field meet commenced at Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite last week. Despite some high temperatures, it was a fruitful opportunity for White Pine High School to deliver and qualify for state.
Paityn Lawrence competing in the running event.
Overall, White Pine’s boys and girls teams each finished as the runner-up with 134 and 156 points, respectively. The boys’ team missed first place by 33 points while the girls missed a regional championship by 75.
“It was a pretty good outcome,” head coach Jose Martinez said. “On the girls side, we were looking to see where we were at and then we knew it was going to be top three. Just seeing our numbers, it felt good to see them get runners-up.
“We had a few boys not show up. So, to have them, with the amount of boys that we took, get runners-up, I think it was pretty cool.”
Overall, White Pine had three individual regional champions.
On the girls’ side, Ava Ahlvers claimed the pole vault crown, reaching eight feet, three inches. In addition to her pole vault gold medal, she also placed third in the high jump at four feet, seven inches to qualify in the state meet.
“I think she’s one whole foot away from the (pole vault) school record,” Martinez said. “Seeing how hard she works and seeing how committed she is, is a pretty cool thing to watch.
“She’s been one of those that we didn’t know if we were going to run or if we just wanted her to jump. This time around, we had her focus on the jumping events and took her out of those relays so she can try to improve on her jumping.”
The second player that brought a regional title was Keziah Nicholes, who won the high jump at four feet, 10 inches. It marks her third straight regional high jump title.
She also qualified in the 300-meter hurdles, placing third at 53.68 seconds.
“That’s one of the races she likes,” Martinez said. “Having bodies in those hurdles helps us out a lot. So, we were trying to get her to do the 100 hurdles. But she’s more of a 100 (meter) runner.”
Although Keziah Nicholes placed eighth in the 100 meters and did not qualify, her older brother McCaul was the boys’ lone regional champion, claiming two titles.
McCaul Nicholes earned gold medals in both the high jump and the triple jump at five feet, 10 inches and 40 feet, 10 inches, respectively. It is the second straight year he has won both events in regionals.
“It’s awesome. McCaul is one of those athletes that we’re going to miss next year, just due to the amount of work ethic that he has,” Martinez said of McCaul Nicholes, who also was the 2A state triple jump champion two years ago. “Being able to place that high in the last three or four years, when he started as a freshman, it’s a big opportunity for us.”
In each of the last three seasons, McCaul Nicholes has qualified for state in both triple jump and high jump and will make it four straight years.
Also earning state qualification includes McCaul’s twin brother, Zephen. He placed second in both the high jump, clearing five feet, eight inches, as well as the pole vault, reaching 11 feet.
Morlin Van Tassell earned qualification in two events. He was the regional runner-up in both the discus and shot put events. He threw his discus 115 feet, and his shot put 42 feet, nine inches.
Benjamin Rhoades was the fourth player from White Pine to qualify in two events. He finished fourth in the long jump at 17 feet, seven inches and placed third in the triple jump, reaching 36 feet, 4.25 inches.
Although Rhoades did not automatically qualify for state in the long jump by placing top three, he eventually qualified by recording one of the next two best scores in the event between the 2A South and 2A North regional results.
The final individual on the boys’ side to qualify was Michael Van Tassell, also in a secondary qualifying situation. He placed fourth in the pole vault at 10 feet and recorded the next best score, in comparison to the 2A Northern meet results.
On the girls’ side, both Miley Oxborrow and McKenzie Rajala placed in the top three to qualify for state. Oxborrow placed second in discus, reaching 100 feet, two inches and second in the shot put, reaching 32 feet, six inches. Rajala placed third in the discus at 97 feet, two inches.
“Seeing Miley hit 100 I think she got a big PR for herself, and it was awesome. You can see the excitement when she threw it,” Martinez said. “Kenzie is one of those throwers that we can count on. So, having them both qualify gives us a big help on the girls’ side and puts some fear in the other throwers.”
Anna Cappai and Julianne Hughes also qualified for state. Cappai placed third in the triple jump at 29 feet, 5.50 inches, while Hughes placed third in the 3200 meters, completing eight laps around the track in 14:57.42.
To round out the individual qualifiers, Jesta Jackson placed fifth in the 100 meters at 13.67 seconds and was the second-best time among the qualifying category with the runners from the 2A North. Also, Paityn Lawrence qualified by placing third in the long jump, reaching 14 feet, 4.25 inches.
“As a coach, it’s one of the things that just makes your heart whole,” Martinez said when seeing his athletes reach state. “I love every part of it. You see how excited they get. Even when we are at that point where we don’t know if they made it because the fourth (and fifth) places always have to fight. So, when they get fourth place, we’re always anxious.
“When we see that they qualified, it’s an awesome thing because I get to call them first, and they’re like, hey, ‘we were able to get them to state,’ It’s an awesome feeling.”
Among the relays, the boys’ got two teams to move on and three on the girls.
The girls’ 4×100 meter relay team of Keziah Nicholes, Amaia Shedd, Addison Pekuri, and Jackson placed second at 55.64 seconds and missed the title by 0.8 seconds.
The girls’ 4×200 meter relay team of Cappai, Siena Scott, Chelsie Newman and Shedd placed third at 2:02.13.
The girls’ 4×400 meter relay team of Hughes, Kirra Richardson, Jackson, and Merissa Carson placed fourth at 5:01.97, but had the best time among those not already qualified between the 2A North and South results.
“We had a few injuries at the last minute, so we ended up getting Jesta Jackson, who stepped in and was able to help the girls,” Martinez said. “She ran a pretty good leg for the 400 as well. Those are the races that are the last ones in there, in the peak of the heat.”
On the boys’ side, Zephen Nicholes, Nicola Redaelli, Rhoades, and McCaul Nicholes placed third in the 4×100 meter relay at 48.15 seconds. Also, the 4×400 meter relay team of Redaelli, Ivan Garcia, Craig Reed, and Noah James recorded another third place finish at 3:54.10.
“I know that the (4×400) on both sides, they drove me crazy this week because I was panicking. Those are the ones that we needed to make points so the boys could get a big PR,” Martinez said. “That four by four was just insane. It was very exciting, because that’s the race that we needed to get the runner up for the meet (in team scoring).”
Now, the qualifiers prepare for this week’s NIAA Class 2A State meet May 16-17 at Moapa Valley High in Overton.
“I’m excited. I’m ready to go. I think so are the kids. We are ready to do our best,” Martinez said.
G 4x200m
3rd, 2:02.13 – Anna Cappai, Siena Scott, Chelsie Newman, Amaia Shedd
G 4x400m
4th, 5:01.97 (qualified) – Juliane Hughes, Kirra Richardson, Jesta Jackson, Merissa Carson
B 4x100m
3rd, 48.15 – Zephen Nicholes, Nicola Redaelli, Benjamin Rhoades, McCaul Nicholes
B 4x400m
3rd, 3:54.10 – Nicola Redaelli, Ivan Garcia, Craig Reed, Noah James
B team – 2nd, 134 points
G team – 2nd, 156 points
Jesta Jackson
100m: 4th, 13.67 (5th and final qualifier)
Keziah Nicholes
300m hurdles: 3rd, 53.68
High Jump: 1st 4’ 10”
Paityn Lawrence
200m: 4th, 29.61 (did not qualify)
Long Jump: 3rd, 14’ 4.25”
Juliane Hughes
3200m: 3rd, 14:57.42
Ava Ahlvers
High Jump: 3rd, 4’ 7”
Pole Vault: 1st, 8’ 3”
Anna Cappai
Triple Jump: 3rd, 29’ 5.50”
Miley Oxborrow
Discus: 2nd, 100’ 2”
Shot Put: 2nd, 32’ 6”
McKenzie Rajala
Discus: 3rd, 97’ 2”
McCaul Nicholes
High Jump: 1st, 5’ 10”
Triple Jump: 1st, 40’ 10”
Zephen Nicholes
High Jump: 2nd, 5’ 8”
Pole Vault: 2nd, 11’ 0”
Michael Van Tassell
Pole Vault: T-3 or 4th???, 10’ (1st qualifier)
Benjamin Rhoades
Long Jump: 4th, 17’, 7” (1st qualifier)
Triple Jump: 3rd, 36’ 4.25”
Morlin Van Tassell
Discus: 2nd, 115’ 0”
Shot Put: 2nd, 42’ 9”
Relays
G 4x100m
2nd, 55.64 – Keziah Nicholes, Amaia Shedd, Addison Pekuri, Jesta Jackson
G 4x200m
3rd, 2:02.13 – Anna Cappai, Siena Scott, Chelsie Newman, Amaia Shedd
G 4x400m
4th, 5:01.97 (qualified) – Juliane Hughes, Kirra Richardson, Jesta Jackson, Merissa Carson
B 4x100m
3rd, 48.15 – Zephen Nicholes, Nicola Redaelli, Benjamin Rhoades, McCaul Nicholes
B 4x400m
3rd, 3:54.10 – Nicola Redaelli, Ivan Garcia, Craig Reed, Noah James
McCaul Nicholes
2024 runner up high jump, triple jump champion | state: T2 in high jump 2nd in triple
2023 T3 in high jump, second in triple jump | state: T2 high jump, triple jump state champion (41’ 4.5”)
2022 3rd in high jump, 4th in triple jump | state: fourth in high jump fifth in triple jump
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