North Idaho Track
Inland Empire League
Coeur d’Alene Vikings
Coach: Bryan Rasmussen
Top returners: Chris Cole, jr., distances; Gabe Zimmerman, sr., throws/sprints; Adam Jensen, sr., pole vault; Lisa Dahlberg, sr., sprint relays; Carrie Eggleston, sophomore, 400/relays; Kari Newby, soph., distances.
Newcomers: Chris Blessing, sr., hurdler; Jason Hicks, sr., sprints/relays; Eli Daly, jr., sprints/relays; Gretchen Hammerberg, jr., hurdler/relays; Kim Pearson, jr., discus/triple jump; Erin Murphy, jr., sprinter; Angie Shirley, soph., high jump/ hurdles.
Outlook: Viks boys took third at state last year, but graduation took much of the experienced depth. Rasmussen, a CdA graduate and first-year coach, said the boys’ strengths will be in relays and jumps. Rasmussen said the girls will be much improved after a down year. “If they can mature during the season, I think we can reap the benefits in future seasons,” he said.
Lake City Timberwolves
Coach: Donna Messenger
Top returners: (From Coeur d’Alene High) Aman Sterling, sr., sprinter/relays; Chris Gossette, sr., distances; Brian Schultz, jr., relays; Matt Lider, jr., high jump; Katie Clark, sr., relays.
Newcomers: Steve Brumley, sr., sprints/throws; Jason Ryan, sr., sprinter/relays; and a number of untested freshmen.
Outlook: It’s too early to tell where the Timberwolves will stack up in boys and girls league. Messenger, head coach at Coeur d’Alene before moving to Lake City to begin a new program, is blessed with one of the largest turnouts in the league (90 combined boys and girls). The greater bulk of her team is new to track, Messenger said.
Post Falls Trojans
Coach: Wade Quesnell
Top returners: Ian Waltz, sr., throws; Darick Pope, sr., hurdles; Mike McLean, sr., sprints/relays; Tim Cudmore, sr., jumps; Steve Parker, sr., distances; Nashay Moser, sr., sprints; Willow Stutzke, sr., sprints; Shannon Olson, sr., distances; Christina Finney, sr., distances; Heidi Umthun, jr., jumps.
Newcomers: Brock Alexander, sr., middle distances; Austin Lee, soph., throws; Shaun Michaels, soph., sprints; Josh Mort, soph., sprints; Jennifer Swanstrom, freshman, sprints; Lindsey Owen, jr., throws.
Outlook: The Trojans abound with boys talent and will be the heavy favorite to capture the regional title. “The key is getting kids in the right paces and staying healthy,” Quesnell said. Though blessed with numbers, Quesnell said the girls are thin on proven talent. Still, the Trojans should contend for a regional title.
Sandpoint Bulldogs
Coaches: Tom Albertson (boys); Al Alt (girls).
Top returners: Brian Trenholm, sr., 400/relays; Preston Martin, sr., distances/relays; Chris Blood, sr., distances/relays; Brian Smith, sr., throws; Jason Harris, sr., throws; Deanne Raiha, sr., discus/relays; Heidi Evans, sr., shot put; Amber Lauritzen, sr., sprints; Keiki Lovell, jr., sprints/relay.
Newcomers: The boys welcome 15 freshmen, which makes the future bright, Albertson said. Promising girls are Megan Collins, soph., 400/relays; Becky Roop, sr., hurdler; Melissa Davis, sr., hurdler; Natalie Ward, freshman, throws/hurdles.
Outlook: Albertson classifies his team as inexperienced, but it should improve weekly. Sandpoint could score most of its points in the distances. Depth may hurt the girls, who finished two points behind regional winner Post Falls last year.
Lewiston Bengals
Coach: Wade Hillman
Top returners: Josh Raymond, jr., sprinter; Radley Hogaboam, sr., distances; Jeremy Craig, sr., jumps; Michelle Wimer, throws; Jolene Acord, sr., high jump/hurdles.
Newcomers: Josh Swenson. jr., throws; Dave Taylor, soph., distances; Aron Taylor, soph., distances.
Outlook: Hillman has just 15 girls out, the lowest since he’s been coaching. State-contending hurdler Andrea Gomez, a junior, didn’t turn out. She’ll play USVBA volleyball instead. “We just don’t have the numbers to do anything as a team,” Hillman said of the girls and boys.
Intermountain League
Lakeland Hawks
Coach: Lee Libera
Top returners: John Bierne, sr., throws; Todd Bruce, sr., distances; Jim Noble, sr., jumps; Rick Shuman, sr., sprints; Teresa Viebrock, sr., jumps/sprints; Rachel MacMullen, jr., relays; Melissa Hanenburg, soph., relays.
Newcomers: Brandon Mitchell, jr., hurdles/middle distances; Mike Mitchell, jr., hurdles/middle distances; Kimi Dengel, soph., middle distances.
Outlook: The Hawks won the district boys title last year largely because of depth. “What it comes down to is who usually has the best young kids,” Libera said. Moscow’s girls have dominated in recent years, but Libera sees at least four teams battling for district honors, Hawks included.
Kellogg Wildcats
Coach: Mark Holzer
Top returners: Brant Bircher, sr., 400/relays; Kurtis Pearson, sr., sprinter/relays; Josh Carver, jr., 1,600; Meredith Shiplett, sr., 800/long jump; Laura McCargish, jr., distances.
Newcomers: Jarrod Towne, jr., long jump/relays; Jayson Frank, soph., throws; Angie Hathaway, soph., 400/relays; Ali Leeds, freshman, distances.
Outlook: Holzer sees middle-of-the-pack finishes in league for the boys and girls. “We’ll do all right in bigger meets, but we just don’t have the numbers for dual meets. We’re also really young. We just have four seniors.”
Priest River Spartans
Coach: John McSmith
Top returners: Lance Clark, sr., distances; Jared Trost, sr., hurdles/pole vault; Richard Wood, sr., sprints; Jeremy Warren, sr., throws; Missy Ennis, soph., jumps/400; Missy White, sr., hurdles.
Newcomers: Matt Rabe, jr., throws; Adam Lamb, jr., throws; Fabio Seguria, sr., distances; Brett Clark, soph., distances; Jacey Vogrig, fresh., sprints; Candace Carpenter, jr., throws/sprints.
Outlook: McSmith said this could be the first year his boys don’t compete for league and district championships. The girls lack depth to contend as a team, but like the boys, should qualify a handful to state.
Moscow Bears
Coaches: Chris Tarabochia
Top returners: Tony Smith, jr., distances; Brian Becker, sr., jumps; Travis Walker, sr., pole vault; Brandi Becker, sr., sprinter; Melissa Mills, jr., throws; Jessaka Montez, jr., hurdler/high jump; Rachel Ferguson, jr., distances; Jeannine Korus, jr., middle distances.
Newcomers: Matt Bayly, soph., sprinter; Jamie Sumner, jr., sprints/relays; Kim Breckenride, soph., sprints/relays.
Outlook: Tarabochia takes over for longtime coach Mike Wear, who resigned. “From what I’ve heard we’re always tough, so I’m hoping to keep that tradition going,” Tarabochia said. “I just want to keep building on what (Wear) established.” The boys and girls are expected to challenge for league and district titles.
Bonners Ferry Badgers
Coaches: Harry O’Dell (boys), Stephanie Fitzgerald (girls)
Top returners: Caleb Arceneaux, sr., sprinter; Jeff High, sr., throws; Kevin Carey, jr., throws; April Near, sr., hurdles; Joy Bucher, jr., distances.
Newcomers: Laney Dowell, fresh., distances; Rachel Downing, soph., hurdles.
Outlook: Numbers are back up (64 combined boys and girls) after the school suffered through the addition of three new spring sports last year (soccer, softball and baseball). The bulk of the athletes are underclassmen. Of the two teams, the girls could be a factor in the crowning of league and district champions.
St. Maries Lumberjacks
Coach: Gary Krumheuer
Top returners: Curtis Kunkel, sr., 800/relays; Jeff Sindt, jr., 400/relays; Ry Stone, jr., distances; Kristi Masterson, sr., discus; Heather Boyd, sr., 400/relays.
Newcomers: Jeremy Badgett, soph., distances; Laci Schilling, soph., sprints; Paul Lindquist, jr., sprinter
Outlook: Krumheuer was greeted with a larger combined turnout (40). He believes he may qualify the most athletes to state in quite some time at St. Maries.
North Star League Clark Fork Wampus Cats
Coach: Rich Hanna (boys), Tim Ross (girls)
Top returners: Mike Gow, sr., 400; Jamie Yanik, sr., 800; no girls with previous experience.
Newcomers: The Wampus Cats didn’t turn out until this week. It’s too early to tell if there are any young standouts.
Outlook: Gow and Yanik each placed fourth in their respective events at state last year. The rest of the Wampus Cats are unproven.
Kootenai Warriors
Coach: Rich Lund
Top returners: Dan Usdrowski, sr., 300 hurdles; Justin Derbyshire, sr., throws; Tori Kraack, sr., hurdles/jumps/discus; Stef Lund, sr., jumps; Heathern Andersen, jr., 800/1,600; Lindsey Kraack, soph., 300 hurdles.
Newcomers: April Ausman, jr., throws; others unproven.
Outlook: Kootenai girls won the league meet last year and are favored to repeat. The boys also could challenge for the league title. Usdrowski took sixth in IM hurdles at state last year.
Falls Christian Eagles
Coach: Brian Cruess
Top returners: Becky Straw, jr., sprinter; Sarah Peterson, jr., jumps; Michelle Durkin, jr., relays; Dawnell Mansfield, jr., relays; no returning experience among the boys.
Newcomers: Autumn Marchbanks, soph., jumps; Meghann Jenkins, freshman, sprinter; Ami Milsap, freshman, sprinter.
Outlook: Turnout is up, with a combined 20 boys and girls. Cruess takes over for Dave Hutchison, who died in a car accident last fall. Cruess sees some potential among the boys, but it will take time to develop. “The future looks good,” he said. All four Eagles girls relays placed at state and will likely return to state. Falls girls could push Kootenai for league title.
Mullan Tigers
Coach: Mike Clifford
Top returners: Matt Clifford, sr., sprints; Greg Reed, sr., jumps; Samantha Payton, jr., shot/long jump.
Newcomers: Will Bruhn, soph., distances; Chris Morris, sr., middle distances; Gregg Hammerberg, sr., long jump/throws; Tammy Lish, jr., long jump/400.
Outlook: The fleet-footed Clifford took second in the 100 at state last year and will be a serious contender in the sprints this spring. Hammerberg, a gifted football and basketball player, turned out for track for the first time and should adapt well, Clifford said.
Lakeside Knights
Coach: Brad Veile
Top returners: Misty Schow, jr., jumps; Chris Rownfats, sr., throws; Scott Chilson, jr., throws; Mario Falciani, soph., jumps/ sprints.
Newcomers: Brendon Nelson, soph., high jump; Buck Allen, fresh., distances; seven athletes are doing track and baseball.
Outlook: Lakeside returns to the league after three years in the A-3 ranks. Coincidentally or not, Lakeside’s turnout doubled from six to 12 this year. The Knights haven’t qualified an athlete to state since Plummer and Worley combined schools in 1991.
A-3 Independent Wallace Miners
Coach: Dave Rounds
Top returners: Dana Streeter, jr., hurdles/sprints/jumps; Marisa Hegbloom, sr., jumps; no returning boys.
Newcomers: Kevin Tesky, freshman, high jump; Lance Stutzke, jr., 1,600; Justin Smith, sr., high jump.
Outlook: Streeter can do just about anything and Rounds will be flexible in allowing Streeter to find which events she’s most comfortable with. She’ll definitely do the 100 hurdles (first at state) and long jump (state runner-up). Rounds also has enough girls to fill out some relays. Overall, the Miners are young. But that’s fine with Rounds. “We’re starting to get more younger kids out, and that’s a good sign,” he said.
xxxx Athletes to watch Ian Waltz, senior, weight specialist, Post Falls Dana Streeter, junior, hurdles/sprints/jumps, Wallace Darick Pope, senior, hurdles, Post Falls April Near, senior, hurdles, Bonners Ferry Melissa Mills, junior, throws, Moscow Teresa Viebrock, senior, jumps/sprints, Lakeland Preston Martin, senior, distances, Sandpoint Jim Noble, senior, jumps, Lakeland Nashay Moser, senior, sprints/relays, Post Falls Lance Clark, senior, distances, Priest River