CdA boys second, PF girls third

Click the tab below to read my unedited Idaho 5A and 4A state track story.

By Greg Lee

gregl@spokesman.com; (208) 765-7127

BOISE – It’s easy to look at all the big-point producers and figure those athletes played the biggest role in a team earning a state track trophy.

First-year Coeur d’Alene coach Linda Lanker certainly had plenty of praise for those who stood highest on the trophy podium for the Viking boys on Friday. But she also had to point out all scorers as CdA captured second, the first state trophy since 1984.

The Vikings finished with 55.5 points, 1.5 ahead of Capital, as the State 5A meet concluded on a chilly evening at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium.

“I’m so thrilled,” Lanker said. “We scored in almost every event we had a qualifier.”

Coming up especially big for CdA were junior David Norris and sophomore Cody Curtis.

Norris, who ran his first 800 meters in late April, pulled away in the final 200 to win in a time of 1 minute, 55.26 seconds. He broke the school record he set in his first race at the Inland Empire League championships in late April.

Curtis, troubled by injuries in cross country and hampered by illness early this season, fought off a strong kick by defending state champ Eric Fitzpatrick to capture the 1,600 (4:21.85).

Norris purposely stayed behind the leaders in the first lap.

“With 300 meters to go I wanted it,” he said. “Once I was at the 200 I started me true kick. There’s no stopping there, it’s all out.”

Curtis struggled to find words to describe his win. He certainly knew it was unexpected.

“I really surprised myself,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to compete very well. To come back (after being sick) and do this makes me feel good.”

CdA junior sensation Kinsey Gomez made it a clean sweep this season. After winning the state cross country title in the fall, she took the 3,200 in impressive fashion on Thursday and showed the same form in the 1,600 (5:02.63) Friday.

“My goal was to break 5 minutes,” she said. “(But) I’m really happy with it. It was really windy out there.”

After having a subpar sophomore year by her standards, Gomez owned the long-distances races this year. She said she had no idea it would happen.

“I just wanted to run to the best of my ability on a given day, each day,” she said. “I try not to look too far into the future. I try to focus on the present.”

The Post Falls girls took third, claiming their first state trophy in 5A history.

Senior thrower Rebecca Bauman got the Trojans off to a strong start Thursday with a state title in the discus and second in the shot. Then the relay foursome of Kadie Booth, Josie Tennison, Shaundra Scott and Allison Meehan went to work Friday.

In a near-photo finish in the 800 relay, the foursome took second (1:44.73), two hundredths of a second behind Eagle, to lower their school record.

They came back to take fourth in the 400 relay (50.44).

Booth captured third in the 200 (26.22).

“These girls have done everything we’ve asked of them the entire year,” Post Falls coach Wade Quesnell said. “It was a team effort from bottom to top. I had us coming up with 55 points and we exceeded that (62). This group of seniors scored (five) points their freshman year. They did a phenomenal job.”

Eagle’s girls and boys captured the 5A titles.

Other area medal winners were: Lake City freshman Rachel Ward took second in the 800 (2:16.74); PF’s Scott was fifth in the 200 (26.3) and sixth in the 100 (12.8); PF’s Kacie Shields took fifth in the 100 hurdles (15.41) and sixth in the 300 hurdles (47.75); CdA’s Dayna Drager was third in the 400 (59.57); LC’s Brittany Pope was sixth in the high jump (5-0); Chelsea Lundgren of Lewiston took fifth in the long jump (17-6); Josh Peters of LC (50.65), Steven Casley of CdA (50.89) and Chris Schrette of Lewiston (50.93) were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively in the 400; the CdA boys 400 relay took third (1:31.21); the LC boys 1,600 relay took fifth (3:26.51); the Lewiston girls 1,600 relay was fourth (4:09.89); Jordan Pastras of Post Falls and Zack Linscott of LC tied for second in the high jump (6-4) while CdA’s Deon Watson tied for fourth (6-0); and Alex Hendricks of CdA took sixth in the 800 (1:58.6).

In 4A, Jayson Washington of Moscow defended his state title in the 100 (10.86), duplicating his winning time of a year ago.

Moscow’s Wade Schumacher took first in the 300 hurdles (39.83) and third in the 110 hurdles (15.1).

Other medal winners were: Latecia Howell of Lakeland took third in the long jump (16-5¼) and sixth in the 100 (12.99); the Moscow boys took third in the 400 relay (44.26) and third in the 1,600 relay (3:28.43); Emily Paradis of Moscow took fifth in the 800 (2:21.8) and sixth in the 1,600 (5:23.6); and Melinda Van Dyk of Sandpoint took fifth in the 100 hurdles (16.23).