Idaho state track

Click the tab below to read by unedited story from the first day of the Idaho state track meet in Boise.

By Greg Lee

gregl@spokesman.com; (208) 765-7127

BOISE – Post Falls senior Rebecca Bauman finally captured the state championship that had eluded her.

A qualifier in the discus and shot put all four years, Bauman wrapped a nice bow on her final state appearance Thursday by taking gold in the discus and taking second in the shot during the first day of the State 5A meet at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium.

Bauman won with a career best, tossing the discus 138 feet, 2 inches on her first throw. Then she stood back and prayed that defending state champ and heavily favored Shae Carson of Coeur d’Alene wouldn’t upend her like she did last year.

Carson came up short, finishing runner-up with a throw of 135-2, well short of her state-leading 147-8.

“I don’t think I can put into words how I feel,” Bauman said. “I’ve been dreaming about this since my freshman year.”

Prior to the discus, Bauman put the shot 38-1¾, one quarter inch shy of her season and career best. Justine Zap of CdA took third with a personal best by a foot (37-9½) and the heavily favored Carson took fourth (37-4), four feet shy of her season and career best.

Bauman is headed to the Air Force Academy to throw. First, though, she heads to a six-week boot camp at the school in Colorado Springs, Colo., 12 days after graduation.

She will surely go with a smile on her face.

Bauman’s coach told her not to celebrate until after her final throw. Carson had one final throw before her and then Bauman stepped into the ring a final time.

“As soon as the discus left my hand I started celebrating,” Bauman said.

It was a flip-flop season for Bauman. A year ago, she beat Carson at every meet until state. This year, Carson beat Bauman at every meet until state.

Bauman knows exactly how Carson felt Thursday.

“State is a lot of pressure. I was in her position last year,” Bauman said. “It was a nightmare. There was so much pressure. It wasn’t a healthy environment for me. I knew she’d be in that position this year. I had no pressure, but I was really nervous before (the meet). My stomach was in knots. I was focusing on not thinking about it. I was having fun with my friends and laughing. I was trying to keep everything light.”

Carson, who opted not to ride the bus with her team but flew hoping to be as fresh as possible, declined an interview.

Coeur d’Alene junior long-distance ace Kinsey Gomez was a woman among girls in the 3,200 meters. She won by 110 meters, finishing in a time of 11 minutes, 2.04 seconds.

CdA was tied with Eagle for first after the opening day with 33 points. Post Falls, which can score a bundle of points Friday, was third with 27.

Gomez beat defending state champ Liz Brandon of Eagle by more than 19 seconds.

“My approach was I’m healthy and I’m going to go run to the best of my ability,” Gomez said.

Gomez, who captured her second state cross country title in three years last fall, was alluding to an abbreviated state appearance a year ago. She was in second with a little under 200 meters to go when she tripped, hitting the metal guard rail around the inside edge of the track. She didn’t fall, but it essentially knocked her out of the race.

“I don’t remember what happened,” Gomez said. “They told me I started stumbling around and screaming that I was hurt. They said I was a walking zombie.”

Gomez flew home and skipped the 1,600 final the next day. She thought she was anemic, but discovered she had a low iron level.

She didn’t approach state this year with redemption on her mind.

“I’m as healthy as ever,” Gomez said. “My coaches have prepared well.”

CdA junior David Norris anchored the Viking boys’ distance medley that took second (8:01.83).

Other 5A medal winners were: Kierstie Shellman of Lake City, second in the pole vault (10-6); Cody Curtis of CdA took third in the 3,200 (9:41.5) and Norris took sixth (9:48.59); Matt Wardell and Austin Funk of Post Falls took third (155-4) and sixth (151-0) respectively in the discus and Wardell placed third in the shot (50-2); the Lake City girls took fourth (9:42.49) in the distance medley; Chelsea Lundgren of Lewiston and Jalana White of Post Falls finished third (35-7) and fourth (35-½) respectively in the triple jump; and Missy Morris of LC finished fourth (118-10) in the discus.

In 4A, Margaret Behr of Moscow captured first in the shot (36-7½) and third in the discus (110-8), while Sandpoint junior Christina Johnson took second in the shot (36-3¼) and second in the discus (111-9).

Matt Morris of Moscow took fourth in the pole vault (12-6), Kaitlyn Whitesitt of Lakeland took fourth in the pole vault (9-6) and Mike Hubbard of Sandpoint tied for sixth (5-10) in the high jump.