Hartle's finishing kick enough to nip Clark's Bahati in Larry Burgess-Las Vegas Invitational

Nick Hartle is making a habit of come-from-behind wins at Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City.

The Centennial senior, who used a furious kick to beat Galena’s Brian Jordon in a photo finish in last year’s Class 4A state championship, did nearly the same thing Saturday in the 42nd Larry Burgess Las Vegas Invitational.

Trailing by 20 meters with just 75 left, Hartle found another gear and overtook Clark’s Basabose Bahati just before the tape.

Hartle won the 3.1-mile race in 16 minutes, 6.2 seconds — three-tenths of a second ahead of Bahati.

“I’ve got to quit doing that,” Hartle said. “I kept expecting him to take the lead. Then he opened up a lead going around the lake, and I was just trying to stay in striking distance. I started a kick with about 75 meters to go. Basabose has improved so much from last year.”

Hartle wasn’t the only Centennial runner to come out on top Saturday. Sydney Badger, a sophomore, pulled away in the final 400 meters to win the girls race.

Bahati, though, nearly spoiled Centennial’s fun.

His previous best time at Veterans Memorial Park was 16:54 at the Sunset Regional meet last October when he finished fifth as a junior — while Hartle set the course high school record of 16:04.3.

“I had a plan, with my coaches, to get up front in the last mile all the way through,” said Bahati. “I will work on that throughout the season.”

Hartle and Bahati broke away from the pack just after a relatively slow first mile (5:15) and ran as though linked together through the second mile, until Bahati followed his plan.

Scott Gisel, a senior from Rancho Buena Vista (Calif.), finished third in 16:51. Tech sophomore Martin Ponce was fourth in 17:11, and Coronado junior Alan Ekanger took fifth in 17:19.

Page (Ariz.) took the boys team title with 82 points. Rancho Buena Vista was second with 99, followed by Centennial with 136. Canyon View (Calif.) was fourth at 162, and Green Valley took fifth with 171.

The girls varsity race was just as exciting and nearly as close as favorites Badger and Palo Verde sophomore Katie Gorczyca broke away from the pack near the halfway point.

Badger held a slight lead over Gorczyca until the final 400 meters, when Badger used a surge to pull away for the win in 19:57. Gorczyca was second in 20:15.

“I feel pretty good about the race,” said Badger. “It was tough, (but) it was exciting.”

Centennial coach Roy Sessions said, “The race went as we planned it. The pace was slower than I would have liked, but it was a good result.”

Palo Verde coach Robert Davis wasn’t too concerned about seeing his defending state champ beaten.

“If it were November, I’d be worried,” Davis said. “It’s September.”

Rancho Buena Vista runners Bryn Rohner (20:18.2) and Jamie West (20:18.7) took third and fourth, and Arbor View’s Andrea Gonzalez was fifth in 20:19.8.

Rancho Buena Vista had five of the top 12 runners and won the girls team title with 33 points. Page was second with 111. Coronado took third with 118, followed by Arbor View with 121 and Green Valley with 123.