By Dave Belcher

Moapa Valley Progress

Moapa runner Sean McConnell takes a strong start in a relay race at the Grant Bushman Invitational Track and Field event held at MVHS on Friday, May 4. Photo by Mesa Owens.

The Moapa Valley High School Track and Field teams hosted the annual Grant Bushman Invitational on Friday, May 4 and both home teams finished in second place behind Boulder City.

The Pirate girls were beaten by only 1 point 140-139. The boys came short of first place by 43 points, 156-113.

First place finishers for Moapa was Jeremy Waite in the 800 meters and Malory Reed in the long and triple jumps. Malory set personal bests in the jumps.

Brandon Johnson also did well with a triple jump of 41 feet. He had been bothered with shin splints this season but seems to have worked through the problem and is peaking at just the right time.

This week the Pirates will be hosting the Divisional meets for the 1A, 2A and 3A with the top two and possibly three moving on to the State meet in Reno next week at Damonte Ranch High School.

The Southern third place 3A individual will need to beat the time, height or distance of the 6th place finisher in the north. This is due to the number of schools competing in the north and the south: three in the south and nine in the north.

Fallon is the boys’ state champion while Spring Creek won the girls last year.

Moapa Valley’s boys’ team won it all two years ago.