NHS track-and-field team opens season with today’s home invitational

The Nevada High School track-and-field team boasts robust numbers, with a combined 84 student-athletes out between the boys’ and girls’ teams.

Nevada opens its season today, with its lone home invitational slated for 3:15 p.m. at Larry Testman Track.

The Nevada girls placed seventh at the district meet a season ago, and the NHS boys, 11th.

“We have a great team,” said first-year NHS track-and-field head coach, Ryan Watts. “We have a good blend of upper and underclassmen. The majority of our team is first-year athletes — from freshman, to first-year sophomores, juniors, and seniors. So, a good portion of the team is trying to find their place, find their events, and find a niche in our program.”

Added Watts: “We are excited about who is with us, and the significant improvement we have already made. We have a wonderful group of young people, and they’re buying into what our program is about — which is getting better every day. We also want them to be passionate about the daily process of (achieving success), and not just the end-result.”

The Nevada girls are led by junior Calli Beshore, and seniors Amara Pippin and Patience Lockhart. The trio achieved much success during the cross country distance-running season, while fellow senior Kaeth Zachary placed eighth at the sectional meet in the 300-meter hurdles last year.

Key returners for the NHS boys, include seniors Devin McHugh, Trey Beachler, Kaden Ast and distance-runner Will Johnson. Both Beshore and McHugh qualified for state last season.

Beshore qualified in the 1600-meter run, while McHugh punched his ticket in the 400-meter hurdles.

“We think we have a very balanced team,” said Watts. “Our distance group will be very strong at the top, with good depth that will continue to develop behind it. Field events are also looking very strong for us. We are really excited to see what can happen with our relays this season. Our depth allows us to free up some athletes to focus on open events, and still field strong relays. So that is a great advantage for us this season.”

Watts said his squad’s prospects for a good season boil down to hard work.

“We always bring our best effort to practice, and stay focused on improving,” he said. “We will work hard every day, even on the (eve) of regular-season meets. That’s what it takes to get better. And if that means our meet performances are reduced early in the year, that’s fine,” adding, he wants his club in peak form when district and sectional competition rolls around.

“That’s also why we are going to the most challenging meets we can find, to really push ourselves, and see what it is going to take to be great,” he said.

It’s all about trusting the process, according to Watts.

“I think one of our strengths will be in our dedication to the process,” he said. “We are very much about doing the little things right, and consistently improving. If that continues, we will have great success.”

Watts also said he’s looking to change the culture, and put his stamp on the track-and-field program.

“One of our strengths is in the culture we are building,” he said. “Investing in doing the right things all the time. So that when it’s time to compete, we are available and ready to give it our best effort.”

Watts said his program goes by the motto — “the other 22.”

“It’s expected that we give a championship effort for the two hours a day we are at track practice,” began Watts. “But we know that we have to give a championship effort the other 22 hours a day, when we are not at practice. Whether that is at home, school or wherever — we need to make choices that help us be the best athletes we can be, as well as the best people we can be. That will allow our program to grow and improve. We want to be around people that make us better. By giving a championship effort all the time, it helps us all get better.”

Home invite

Today’s festivities kick off with the boys’ and girls’ high jump — and is followed by the boys’ and girls’ discus, boys’ and girls’ shot put, boys’ triple jump and girls’ triple jump (east pit), girls’ long jump, followed boys (west pit), and boys’ and girls’ pole vault.

The running events, meanwhile, are set for a 3:30 p.m. start time, as Nevada is set to host Lamar, El Dorado Springs, St. Pius, Fordland, Sheldon, Trinity Christian Academy, and Clinton Christian Academy.

We are looking forward to today’s home meet, to see where we are, and to give us a better idea of where we are going,” noted Watts. “We know we have a talented team, and cannot wait to share our successes with our school and community. It’s going to be a great track season.”

NHS roster

• Seniors: Kaden Ast, Trey Beachler, Adrian Bond, Sydney Ernsbarger, Tretin Fleeman, Mark Frybarger, Will Johnson, Patience Lockhart, Caleb Longobardi, Devin McHugh, Amara Pippin, Kaeth Zachary.

• Juniors: Calli Beshore, Tyler Armstrong, Corbin Eastwood, Zoie Farmer, Josh Henderson, Madison Hyder, Keagan LaGrassa, Hailee Lundine, Colby Connell, Cayden Rinker, Jordan Ropelato, Braden Russell, Hallie Short, Morgan Smith, Matt Thorp, Gavin Urquidez, Colin Witte.

• Sophomores: Dylan Beachler, Noah Beshore, Hallie Bond, Kaden Denney, Natasha Downum, Kayden Govoro, Abby Harder, Tylin Heathman, Ben Hines, Jace Lee, Ethan Lovell, Gage Morris, Tretin Raney, Sylvin Rinker, Dominic Young, Jayden Wiggins.

• Freshman: Max Julian, Devin Austin, Gage Barmann, Bruce Bradford, Jerimia Collins, Mokey Dawn, JD Downing, Brett Jackson, Joseph Fulton, Isacc Gilkey-Corp, Bailey Ast, Grace Barnes, Libby Barrett, Hadley Bruce, Shelby Burns, Jerica Collins, Taylynn Culbertson, Hannah Eckart, Jade Feller, Lilly Hart, Shakira Kerr, Laura Kimmell, Brooklyn Kutina-Smith, Ashley Mather, Brianna McElroy, Jamin Mosher, Dominic Neary, Sam Purkey, Malynn Pippin, Jacee Poe, Claire Pritchett, Logan Rapp, Logan Smith, Raele Smith, Kimri Strack, Gage Taylor, Taylor Thompson, Michael Treese, Joe Young.

Head coach: Ryan Watts. Assistants: Marsha Hooper, Wes Beachler, Skyler Wooldridge, and Eric Fast. See a future edition for all the latest on Nevada Tiger and Lady Tiger track-and-field