DyeStat.com – News – Nevada Track and Field Preview 2023

Outlook Bright For Top Returners In Nevada

By John Dixon for DyeStat

Photo of Eleanor Raker (by Jacqueline Raker)

With the 2023 track season under way, here is a look at some of the top returning athletes and teams in the Silver State. 

Boys 

The vast majority of the top 2022 performers were seniors, so there are very few Top 10 returnees. 

Sprinters (100, 200,400) 

Palo Verde senior Nasir Tucker is far and away the top sprinter in the Nevada. In 2022 he ran 10.61/21.46/48.82. The only other underclassman under 11 seconds in the 100 was Green Valley’s Josiah Edwards at 10.94. Edwards is also the No. 2 returning 200-meter runner at 22.49.

Behind Tucker in the 400 is Liberty junior Ronnie Kendrick (50.09) and Moapa Valley senior Ethan Witter (50.44).

Distance (800-1600-3200)

Eric Ortega-Gammill of Reno opened his season at the Dublin Distance Fiesta in California last weekend and opened with 4:22.54 in the 1,600 and 9:27.39 in the 3,200 meters. 

Spencer Wirshing from Galena moved to the top of the early season state leaderboard in the 800 meters with 1:56.89 at the Dublin Distance Fiesta. 

Bishop Gorman’s Andrew Specht is the class of the returning distance runners in the southern half of the state. His best times from 2022 were 1:53.01/4:19.97.

Faith Lutheran sophomore Logan Scott is top returnee for the 3200m at 9:47.56. Scott was also the NIAA Class 5A cross country champion last fall. 

Top 2022 cross freshmen that should make an impact as well are: Galena twins Kole and Hunter Steele, Shadow Ridge’s Conner Fife, No. 2 cross country state freshman, Faith Lutheran’s Brady Anderson, the third-fastest freshman and Centennial’s Kingston Lueck, the fifth-fastest freshman in the state.

Hurdles (110m-300m)

Typically, a weak Nevada event, Bishop Gorman’s Giovanni Moya returns at the top 110-meter hurdler with a 2022 time of 15.44.  Canyon Springs junior Armando Lewis is not far behind with a 15.73

In the 300’s, 2A state champion John McGill from The Meadows School returns with the top time of 40.01.  Legacy senior Jaylin Lewis (40.38) and Gorman’s Moya (40.39) also return.

Throws (Shot Put and Discus)

The top returnee in the shot put is Faith Lutheran junior Preston Beery (51-10.25). He shattered his personal best with 60-4.50 at the Dave Butler Memorital Liberty Invitational on March 11. Arbor View senior Jude Walker returns with a 2022 mark of 50-7.

Beery is also the top returning discus thrower with a mark of…