Smith, Pecht Shine But Scheduling Problems Take Shine Off Mooberry

A messed-up season schedule took the luster off the 34th annual Mooberry Relays, but Jennifer Smith is right on schedule.

Smith anchored Ferris’ winning distance medley relay and, running alone, rolled to a victory in the 1,600 meters to earn female athlete of the meet Saturday at Rogers.

“I focus on what I want to do,” Smith said after just missing the meet record in the 1,600. She ran unchallenged after the first lap, finishing in 5:04.5, 2 seconds shy of the record. “I’m working on running a more efficient pace. I concentrate on what I have to do, what I want to do.”

Only 10 schools, none from the Big Nine, attended the meet because a change in the school calendar put big meets in Coeur d’Alene and Hermiston, Ore., at the same time.

Vinnie Pecht threw the discus 183 feet, 9 inches to lift the West Valley two-man discus team to a win and the Eagles to the team title. Pecht won the male athlete of the meet award.

No one, however, was busier than Jaime Wakefield, who helped the Mead girls roll to the girls team title.

Wakefield teamed with Allie Bailey to win the triple jump and finish second in the long jump and ran a leg on the Panthers’ first-place 400- and 800-meter relay teams.

The triple jump duo went 68-9-1/2, led by Wakefield’s 34-6-1/4, to break the meet record, set by Wakefield and Erin Helms last year at 68 feet.

“I’m tired,” Wakefield said after getting her third gold medal. “I thought the running went pretty well but I was kind of disappointed in my jumps. The last two years here I kind of stepped up to the next foot, so I was kind of disappointed.”

Disappointed until she remembered the record.

“That was pretty exciting for me and Bailey together. That was cool.”

The Panthers’ 800-relay team went 1:46.6, edging Shadle Park in a battle of the Greater Spokane League’s best.

“When we run against people really fast, it helps us,” Wakefield said. “I’m starting to like the running more, it’s fun to be on a team.”

A popular win was in the boys 3,200, with Cameron Hatch of Rogers racing to a 5-second win in a personal record 9:47.6.

“It is pretty special, especially with the home crowd,” the Harvard-bound senior said. “When you’re from Rogers, you’re not expected to do anything.”

He said he was even happier that he rallied the Pirates’ distance medley relay from sixth to second on his anchor 1,600.

“That was the highlight of the meet,” he said.

After battling illness throughout his junior season, Hatch, with college decisions out of the way, is just enjoying himself.

“I love running,” he said. “Last year nothing was clicking. I had to come back. I have a good attitude. I haven’t finished below second, knocking on wood. I hope it keeps up.

“Last year after going to state in cross country, in the spring a lot was expected of me. I let everyone down. This year there is no pressure. Everyone knows what I can do and I’m showing it. It doesn’t seem hard now.”

One of six valedictorians and editor of the Rogers yearbook, Hatch plans to major in business at Harvard and go into publishing afterward. He also wants to run the steeplechase.

But the star was Smith, the defending state champion in the 3,200 and runner-up in the 1,600, and the dominant AAA distance runner.

“I have my season set out,” she said. “It’s five weeks to state, five weeks to my goals.”

The Mead girls ran up 99 points, with Wenatchee second at 56, followed by West Valley at 51.

The West Valley boys had 72 points with Shadle Park at 60 and Wenatchee at 53.

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