WINNEMUCCA - The McDermitt High School track and field team started its season on April 7 in Elko and has been busy ever since, with meets in Idaho, Oregon and this past Tuesday in Winnemucca.
One of the top returners for the Bulldogs is Ian Hinkey, who won the 1A state shot put championship a year ago. Hinkey recorded a ninth-place finish in the Parma (Idaho) Invitational on April 10 in the shot put with a throw of 42 feet, 6 inches. He was 29th in the discus at 96-09. Hinkey did not record a distance in either event at the Burns Invitational.
"He is just about where he was last year," said MHS head coach Richard Egan. "He is looking good and has a goal of winning the state championship again."
Frankie Hill is back as well, as he competed in three events at last year's state championships. The senior has had a strong start to the season, starting in Elko. He placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 37 feet, 9 inches, and finished sixth in the long jump at 17-6. He was ninth in the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 18.58 seconds and was 11th in the 300-meter hurdles at 46.96. In addition, Hill placed fifth in the shot put with a throw of 37-2 and was 11th in the discus at 97-3.50.
At the Parma Invitational, Hill finished sixth in the 300 hurdles in a time of 42.25 and was 11th in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 18.39. He also placed 52nd in the discus at 82-04.
Hill had his best meet of the year in Burns, winning the 110 and 300 hurdles in times of 18.38 and 45.51, respectively. He also placed 15th in the javelin at 91-00.
"The 110 hurdles and triple jump look to be his best events," Egan said. "He has been working pretty hard and is looking to get back to state. If he can stay right at 18 seconds in the hurdles he will be OK. He is also looking to add the discus."
Senior Jared Smith is back out and competing in the throwing events. At Elko he finished eighth in the shot put with a throw of 35-4 and was 11th in the discus at 87-2.75. Smith placed 36th and 49th, respectively, in the shot put and discus in Parma with throws of 33-8.75 and 86-02. In Burns, he placed seventh in the discus at 101-01 and was 11th in the shot put at 22-02.
"Jared has shown a lot of improvement in the discus and has looked strong," added the coach. "He is also looking to run the mile, which will be good for him."
Freshman Hawk Urban is new to the squad and has competed in the discus and shot put. Egan noted that he is coming around and learning.
The Bulldogs possibly suffered a big blow and may be without Edgar Cerceres for the season with a leg injury. The injury kept him out of competition in Winnemucca.
The junior finished sixth in the triple jump in Elko at 35-8.50 and 11th in the long jump at 16-11. He also cleared 5-6 in the high jump to place sixth. Cerceres placed 12th in the high jump at 5-4 in Parma and was 15th in the 100-meter dash in a time of 12.02. At the Burns Invitational, the junior placed third in both the high jump (5-4) and the 200 meters (25.58).
"I hope he is not done for the season but I am not very optimistic," Egan said. "It is a shame because it comes natural for him. He does everything you ask of him."
McDermitt has two girls on the team in Lesley Bravo and Elizabeth Jones. Both compete in the shot put and discus. At the Burns Invitational, Jones placed third in the shot put at 29-10.50 and 12th in the discus with a throw of 61-01. Bravo placed 15th in the shot put with a toss of 22-05 and 16th in the discus at 56-10.
"Elizabeth is just in her first year and Lesley in her second," Egan said. "They are both showing improvement and Elizabeth has looked good in the shot put."
McDermitt travels to Crane, Ore., today for a meet at 10 a.m.
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