Titan Girls And Bear Boys Relay Teams In The Race At Aaa Star Track
A state championship may be out of the question for University and Central Valley track teams, but relay titles aren’t.
The Titan girls 400 and 800 relay teams and the Bear boys 1,600 teams are among the favorites during this weekend’s AAA Star Track in Tacoma.
University’s teams composed of runners Katharine Hough, Heather Silvey, Lora Auch and Adrienne Wilson lowered schools records to 48.86 and a blistering 1:42.95.
Hough, in the 100 and 200 meter sprints, and Wilson, who long jumped 18-5 1/2 and school record 36-10 3/4 are also good bets to place.
Meanwhile, CV’s relay team of Mark Hann, Robby Warnock, Ryan Strickland and Andy Whipple is nearing a sub-4:20 time.
Other state qualifiers are Whipple and Strickland who broke 50 seconds for the second straight week in the 400, Hann, who won the 300 hurdles at 38.79, CV pole vaulter Joel Gehrett who won at 14-1, Rick Giampietri who triple jumped 44-5 1/2 and University high jumper Craig Allen who won at 6-8.
CV girls qualfiers are sophomore Whitney Schmaljohn in the 200 (26.49) and 400 (57.87) and junor Sandra White in the 1,600 (5:07.24).
Inequity in AA
The sin, said West Valley track coach Jim McLachlan, is that because of state allocations, a team the quality of the Eagle girls are denied a chance to win a team title.
True, 11 girls in seven events will represent the Eagles, including seniors Ruth Gerber, Shawna Lydon, Jenny Lebsack and Tera Inman, plus Cindy Simpson on strong 400 and 800 relay teams.
Kaci Stansbury in the discus and shot put and Aimee Aldendorf in the shot will also likely place.
Even the 1,600 relay team of Heather Harmon, Rhonda Barney, Jessica Riehle and Mara Kjelgaard, even without district 400 champ Simpson in the lineup, has points potential after lowering its time seven seconds.
But state placers in at least four events were left out because the Frontier League gets only one representative per event.
East Valley double horizontal jump winner Star Olson will be at Star Track this weekend along with hurdles two-event qualifier teammate Christal Nicholson, record setting freshman 800 meter runner Ann Marie Adams, who timed 2:17.6, and high jumper Jennifer Kann.
West Valley’s boys advanced six to state, sprinter Cory Gammon, 800 runner Nic Kellams, javelin thrower Mike Schroder, high jumper Brian Lindley, pole vaulter Aaron Lehinger and discus thrower Vinnie Pecht.
Advancing for East Valley are the 400 relay team of Rob Shogren, John Austin, Don Snyder and Jesse Ewell, long and triple jumper Pat Ferguson. Shogren also won the intermediate hurdlers.