Top-Notch Face Off At Sfcc

At any level in any sport, there are certain matchups that cause the heart to beat a little quicker in anticipation.

One of those happens in Spokane this weekend when the Big Nine brings its best track and field athletes to compete against the Greater Spokane League’s best.

There will be many outstanding athletes, but this is more than just another track meet. At stake are three berths per event in next weekend’s state meet.

One example of what this meet can do came last year, the first year of the regional qualifying meet. Four guaranteed state berths were on line, but six boys in the 3,200 exceeded the state minimum to advance. It was at that meet, in Richland, that Ferris runners Zack Ventress and Cameron Copher and Richland’s John Hedengren discovered they could run with Mead’s elite distance corps.

This year’s meet, at Spokane Falls Community College, begins at 5 p.m. on Friday and resumes Saturday at 10 a.m. Those times are for field events, with running events starting an hour later.

Friday’s finals in field events include the high jump, long jump and discus for girls and pole vault, long jump, shot put and javelin for boys. The only running final is the 3,200 for boys and girls at 7 and 7:15, respectively.

Last year the GSL and Big Nine boys split 68 state berths, but the Big Nine had a 37-31 edge. This year there are 17 fewer spots available for each.

However, the boys distance runners have been saying all year that not only do they expect more than three runners to beat the 9-minute, 18.7-second state qualifying time, they wouldn’t be surprised to see several break 9:00.

Judging by district results, the leagues match up well in every event.

Even more competitive is the Frontier League’s District 7/Millwood Albertson’s meet. The FL only sends winners to state. The meet concludes Friday at Eastern Washington University. The first events are at 2 p.m.

The Northeast A’s District 7 finals are Friday (4 p.m.) and Saturday (11 a.m.) at Central Valley with the top two advancing to state; the Northeast B’s District 7 meet is Friday (10:30 a.m.) at Riverside with three advancing; and the Southeast B District 9 meet is Friday (5 p.m.) and Saturday (11 a.m.) at Washington State University with two advancing.