Whittell High School Warriors have high hopes at NIAA 1a State Championships

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - The George Whittell High School (GWS) boys and girls track and field teams are well represented at the NIAA 1a State Championships in Henderson Nevada this week. Freshman Logan Robertson earned a triple-gold at the Northern Regionals last week as he swept the top spot in three distance races, as well as a medal in the high jump.

The Whittel girls earned five golds with junior Avi Rippet breaking the 100m school record. She also earned gold in the 200m dash and long jump. After the team won the 4x200m Relay at the 1A Regionals they are ranked #1 going into the state meet this week.

Last Friday, Robertson finished the 1600m in 4:59.32 to win by 50 meters over Jorge Avila-Fragoza of Jackpot. The next morning Robertson made it double gold with a disciplined run in the 3200. For the first half of the race, Logan Robertson bided his time behind the leaders using them to shield the wind. Logan was in the middle of a group of 5 leaders midway through the race. After the 4th lap, he turned on the jets and dropped everyone in the lead pack on the way to a runaway victory 11:07.96 -11:28.65 over Heath Fellows of Sage Ridge.

Immediately after finishing the 3200m, Logan made his way to the long jump where he secured a 4th place medal clearing 4’10”. Robertson wrapped up the meet with his 3rd gold with an 800m victory finishing in 2:11.65. Avila-Fragoza put up a good battle finishing second in 2:12.96 spurring Logan to a personal record (PR) time. Roberson’s 34.5 points put the Warriors in 8th place in the 17-team Northern Region. Robertson will compete this weekend in all 4 events at the 1A State Championships @ Liberty High School in Henderson, NV.

The Whittell Girls earned five gold medals on their way to securing 14 entries to the State Championship meet this week in Henderson, Nevada. Junior Avignon “Avi” Rippet was a triple individual winner beginning with a PR in the Long Jump of 16’ ½” and ultimately winning the event by nearly 2 feet over Trinity Lewis of Smith Valley (14’ 1 1/2“) A few minutes later in the 100m, Avi set the school record with a 12.873, edging out Maya Manrique of Virginia city by 0.07s (12.95). Also in the 100m, Ella Moretti set a 1.2 PR to finish in 4th at 13.68, earning a trip to state. Ripper's 3rd individual gold occurred Saturday in the 200m. Seeded second to Virginia City’s defending champion Kalia Anchors, Avi knew he needed a special performance to win. A 1.23-second PR was special enough to beat Anchors, who also PR’d, 26.91 to 27.19.

High Jumpers Ella Schweitzer 4’11”, Ella Moretti 4’4”, and Caroline Schilling finished 2, 4, and 7, earning big points for Whittell. Schweitzer and Moretti earned medals and a trip to state with their Top 4 performances.

In the 1600m on Friday Freshman Myelayla Martinez medaled with a 4th place finish in 6:54.93, and was followed by fellow Freshman Tierra Mackay who earned a wildcard to state with her 5th place at 6:55.99. The 800m on Saturday had Martinez again grabbing a state spot with a third-place 2:46.79. The 3200 included three Whittell runners competing in the event for the first time this season. Faith Alvarez earned a wildcard to state with a 5th place (17:56.94), Chloe Troska was 6th (18:08.35), and Schilling was 7th (19:30.29).

All four of the Warrior relays earned their way to state. The 4x100 of Grace Campbell, Schweitzer, Moretti, and Rippet handily won 54.35 - 57;06 over rival Sierra Lutheran. The 4x200 relay had a similar result. Martinez, Campbell, Mackay, and Moretti won 1:59.62 - 2:02,45 over Sierra Lutheran. The 4x400 relay of Martinez, Mackay, Alvarez, and Troska 2nd (5:00,34)m and the 4x800m relay of Martizez, Troska, Schilling, and Alvarez 5th (13:27.33) also will compete at state.

In the team race, Whittell ultimately fell 3.5 points short of the Championship getting edged out by Sierra Lutheran 120 - 116.5. The Warrior girls look to have some more great performances and achieve a top 3 finish at the State Championships this week at Liberty High School in Henderson, NV.

Regional finals
Women - 1A - Team Rankings - 18 Events Scored
Whittell High School - 2nd

Men - 1A - Team Rankings - 18 Events Scored
Whittell High School - 8th

Girls 100 Meter Dash 1A
1 Rippet, Avignon 11 George Whitt 12.88
4 Moretti, Ella 11 George Whitt 13.68

Girls 200 Meter Dash 1A
1st - Rippet, Avignon 11 George Whitt 26.91
8th- Campbell, Grace 12 George Whitt 30.36

Girls 1600 Meter Run 1A
3rd - Martinez, Myelayla 9 George Whitt 6:54.93
4th - McKay, Tierra 9 George Whitt 6:55.99
6th - Troska, Chloe 9 George Whitt 8:02.91
7th - Alvarez, Faith 12 George Whitt 8:05.25

Girls 3200 Meter Run 1A
5th - Alvarez, Faith 12 George Whitt 17:56.94
6th - Troska, Chloe 9 George Whitt 18:08.35

Girls 4x100 Meter Relay 1A
1st - George Whittel High School 54.35

Girls 4x200 Meter Relay 1A
1st - George Whittell High School - 1:59.62

Girls 4x400 Meter Relay 1A
2nd - George Whittell High School - 5:00.34

Girls High Jump 1A
2nd - Schweitzer, Ella 10 George Whittell 4-11.00

Girls Long Jump 1A
1st - Rippet, Avignon 11 George Whittell 16-00.50

Boys High Jump 1A
4th - Robertson, Logan 9 George Whittell J4-10.00

Boys 3200 Meter Run 1A
1st - Robertson, Logan 9 George Whittell 11:07.96

Boys 1600 Meter Run 1A
1st - Robertson, Logan 9 George Whittell 4:59.32

Boys 800 Meter Run 1A
1st - Robertson, Logan 9 George Whittell 2:11.65

Boys 400 Meter Dash 1A
12th - Smith, Brent 9 George Whittell 1:05.29

Thank you Brian Rippet for photos and story information.