Northern Nevada seniors close high school careers with incredible state track meets

Reno senior Eric Ortega-Gammill ended his high school career with a stupendous track and field meet.

Ortega-Gammill won the boys 3200-meter and 1600-races on Friday and Saturday at Carson, setting stadium records in both.

Ortega-Gammill, who will head to Santa Clara in August, won the 3200 in 9 minutes, 19.07 seconds and the 1600 in 4:10.90. He broke his own stadium record of 4:14.54 in the 1600.

In the 3200, he broke the stadium record of 9:29.71 set by McQueen's Kai Benedict in 2014.

"I'm just super pumped. I wanted to get the state meet record, but I was a little bit short. It's hot out, but I have to be happy about it," Ortega-Gammill said.

Ortega-Gammill, who will run for Santa Clara in the fall, said he could hear the runner behind him breathing heavily.

"My favorite thing to do is think, 'Oh gosh, he's breathing way harder than I am,' So there's comfort in that," he said.

The state meet was a little bittersweet for Ortega-Gammill

"This is a great way to end it but I've got to say goodbye to my coach (Joe Parker) now," he said. "He wants to set me up to be successful. This is great and fun, but the next level is what's most important."

He plans to take a few weeks off from running, then start a training program the Santa Clara coach has prepared for him.

More standout performances from the North the state meet include:

• Reed junior JT Thompson won the 100-meter dash in 10.62 on Friday night
• Galena junior Carter Rockwell won the boys long jump at 22-7.5; and was second in the triple jump (45-2.25)
• Damonte Ranch junior Shane Stewart won the high jump (6-5); and Reno senior Nick Woodhead was second (6-4)
• Bishop Manogue junior Brock Bryant won the pole vault (15-0)

In the 3A state competition, Sparks senior Chris Cormier had an amazing meet, winning the 100 (10.95); 200 (22.32), and 400 (48.32). Cormier will run for Chadron College in Nebraska.

His Sparks teammate Mekhi Brown was second in all three distances, 100 (11.03); 200 (22.58), 400 (48.98). Both were on the winning 4x400 relay (3:29.48) along with Danny Taylor and Axel Alvarez.

Sparks has only five athletes. Cormier and Brown and the relay team qualified for the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon in June.

North Valleys senior Austin Key won the 3A 800 (1:58.99) and 1600 (4:21.41).

Truckee junior Joseph Birnbaum won the 110 hurdles (14.51); and Elko sophomore Octaviann Cordova won the 300 hurdles (39.71).

Kaleb Elliott, Coral Academy, junior, won the long jump (22-5); and Lowry junior Brent Kenison won the triple jump (45-1.5). Kenison also win the high jump (6-5) and pole vault (14-0).

Lowry senior Nomar Aguirre won the discus (167-8) and shot put (56-0.75).

Shadow Ridge won the boys 5A team title with 113 points; Liberty was second (97); Faith Lutheran third (85) and Reed rounded out the top four with 55 points.

Moapa Valley won the 3A team title with 100 points; followed by Sparks with 69; Truckee 62 and Lowry with 55.

Coral Academy won the 2A boys team title with 127 points and Mineral County won the 1A team title with 129; followed by Smith Valley with 111.

More: Ortega-Gamill's story Reno senior overcomes heart surgery to be fastest distance runner in the state

More: 5A results Complete 5A state finals results

More: 3A State finals Complete results

More: 2A state finals Complete 2A state results

More: 1A results Complete 1A state results

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Northern Nevada seniors close high school careers with incredible state track meets