Carson athletes head to Great Southwest Classic

Five Carson High School athletes will compete at the 27th Great Southwest Classic track and field meet in Albuquerque, N.M., this weekend.

George Pincock, Josh Carter, Shanna Sparks, Sheena Bonaldi and Amanda Benson will compete in the meet, which will attract high school athletes representing seven states Thursday through Saturday at the University of New Mexico. Benson will compete in the heptathlon on Thursday and Friday while the others compete on Saturday.

"I think it will be fun, and a good opportunity for our kids," Carson coach Todd Ackerman said. "It's a fun meet to watch. They've had some tremendous times and distances at this meet, so our kids will have to be ready to step up and compete."

Carter, a senior, placed second in the shot put and fourth in the discus last weekend at the NIAA/U.S. Bank State Championships in Sparks. He will throw in the two events in Albuquerque, perhaps with one eye on his future.

"I'll go to Great Southwest, after that I'm not sure what's going on. I'm looking at Wake Forest to throw, so I'll see if that works out, but maybe I'll get some other people to notice me pretty soon," said Carter, also a standout running back for Carson's football program the last two years.

Pincock, who placed second in the state boys 400 meters with a school record time of 49.02 seconds and anchored Carson's second-place 4x400 relay that ran 3:19.74, is entered in the 200, 400 and as a member of Nevada's 4x400 relay team on Saturday night. Sparks, runner-up in the state girls 3,200 last Thursday, will run the eight-lap distance at Great Southwest. Bonaldi, a freshman, is entered in the girls 800 and the 4x800 relay. Benson, another freshman, will run in the 4x400 relay.

The seven-event heptathlon will be a new experience for Benson.

"It'll be interesting for her," Ackerman said. "The shot, javelin and high jump are things that will be new to her. I think she has the build and ability to be a heptathlete, so this will be a good experience for her."

Another highlight for Carson last weekend at the state meet came Friday night when both the girls and boys teams received the 4A state academic championship trophies. Both teams carried 3.6 overall grade point averages.

"It's a great complement to the kids," Ackerman said. "Out of the 21 (state academic championships) they give, our high school has won 11 of them this year so our kids do well in the classroom and they do well competing."