Panthers Stick To Unbeaten Path Mead Girls Extend Unbeaten Streak To 25 Greater Spokane League Dual Meets

On a cool, overcast afternoon, the stars were shining.

But it wasn’t the stars who made the difference as the Mead girls ran their Greater Spokane League dual meet winning streak to 25 and virtually clinched their third straight GSL track title.

“I’m so happy,” said Mead coach Annette Pederson, who probably ran a marathon bolting from event to event to keep track of her team. “They like to compete. All day, when I was so nervous, I don’t think some of them even knew we had a meet - they were so relaxed.”

The Panthers swept by University and North Central at NC on Thursday to run their record to 4-0. The not-asclose-as-expected 88-53 advantage over U-Hi left Mead as the only undefeated team. The Titans were the last team to beat Mead, that coming three years ago.

Outside of a relay oops by U-Hi after the outcome was decided, there were no major surprises among the winners. Mead had an answer for every University challenge.

“We’re getting some good results. I’m pleased with how they’re doing,” University coach Steve Llewellyn said. “It’s wonderful to get two good teams together like this; it brings out the best in everyone. It’s respectable but when you look at it, ooh, a little bit more here and there.”

Ferris (3-1) and Shadle Park (2-2), which lost to University (3-1) last week, also swept. The Saxons beat Central Valley (3-1) and Rogers (0-4) at Rogers; the Highlanders topped Gonzaga Prep (2-2) and Lewis and Clark (1-3) at Shadle Park. NC is 0-4.

Mead’s boys ran their dual-meet winning streak to 121 with a sweep of U-Hi (2-2) and NC (0-2). Shadle Park (2-2) also won against G-Prep (2-2) and LC (0-4), and Ferris (4-0) took CV (3-1) and Rogers (1-3). Ferris is at Mead next week.

University had its usual standouts. Katharine Hough won the 100 (12.4) and 200 (25.8) and Adrianne Wilson took the long jump (17-2). In an effort to help the team, Wilson triple-jumped for the first time and set a school record with a league-best 34-11 on her initial jump. The pair helped the Titans lower their state best in the 400 relay to 49.4. Syd Perno came through with a win in the shot put (38-2) - No. 2 in the league this year - and Alisha Powers won the discus (104-4).

Mead’s stars were the same as well, led by Autumn Wood, who win the 100 and 300 hurdles (15.9, 47.0) and squeezed in the best GSL 400 of the season (59.2). Emily Thompson took the 1,600 (5:18) and 3,200 (11:53), Allison Beatty won the javelin (132-9) and helped out with a rare appearance in the long jump, taking second. Annaka Gustafson won the 800 (2:22.3) and Emily Williams took the high jump (5-0).

After that, though, Mead had nine seconds and 10 thirds.

“(Pedersen) came up specifically before the 300 (hurdles) and said we need to pull a few points ahead,” Mead senior Phoebe Pedersen (no relation) said after running a personal-record 49.7 seconds to finish second. “I think (part of it) was we had a really big pep talk. We were all totally excited. It was the adrenaline. It felt really good. I was pumped, I did it (for the team).”

Initially a sprinter, Pedersen didn’t take up the hurdles until last year, when she finished laughing at coach Pedersen’s suggestion. She doesn’t get at all discouraged trailing Wood, who is the state leader in the 300s.

“Autumn motivates me a lot, we work together,” Pedersen said of her junior teammate. “I probably wouldn’t be running so fast if it wasn’t for her. She’s helped me set higher standards.”

Another breakthrough for the Panthers was Stephanie Goaslind, who won a stretch duel with Titans distance ace Lindsey Daehlin to finish second in the 800 with a 3-second PR of 2:23.6.

“Usually I don’t like to visualize, but (coach) Pedersen told me the times I needed each 200 and that helped a lot,” said Goaslind, who also ran on the winning 1,600 relay team. “I had a really good opponent from U-Hi, she kept me going.”

A junior, Goastlin didn’t run track last year but started getting in shape a year ago to go out for cross country because, she said, she heard it was fun. She continued into the track season because of the camaraderie.

She became a middle-distance runner because she showed a good kick in cross country and had the distance base.

In the boys meet, Mead standout Micah Davis added a league-best time in the 800 (1:57.1) to his 1,600 and 3,200 marks, and NC’s Pete Loiseau took the javelin lead with a 177-1.

At Rogers, Chris Hardan of Ferris became the boys triple-jump lead with a 43-3. Teammate Dana Harer was also a triple winner in the sprints.

The Saxons girls took Mead’s spot as the state leader in the 1,600 relay with a 4:04.2. In a surprise, Marissa Blackshire overtook Ferris teammate and defending state champion Kristin Parrish to win the 800 (2:19.9).

At Shadle Park, Anthony Parsons of Gonzaga Prep regained the long jump lead with a 21-9.