Weather affects results during opening day of State 1A/2B/1B track

Reuben Clark of Northwest Christian (Colbert) perhaps summed up best the first day of the State 1A/2B/1B track and field meets at Eastern Washington University’s Roos Field.

“It wasn’t a day for personal bests,” Clark said.

From rain to wind to winter-like chill, the weather in Cheney on Friday returned to the pattern that was so familiar this spring.

The 6-foot-7 Clark, a starter on the NWC State 2B championship basketball team, vaulted 6 feet, 4 inches to capture the boys high jump championship – 4 inches short of his personal best.

“It was pretty windy,” Clark said. “The pole blew over when one kid tried to jump.”

Clark was favored to win. He took third as a freshman and fourth as a sophomore.

La Conner leads the team race with 20 points, followed by Northwest Christian (Lacey) with 18.

1A

Paul Thomas of Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) captured a state title in the discus with a heave of 165-2.

It was hard to tell if Thomas was content.

“I didn’t have that great of a release,” Thomas said. “I was going for a (personal best). I wanted to throw 190. I was about 20 feet under my PR.”

Thomas’ approach was to get a competitive throw in and survive.

“I usually don’t have trouble with my release,” Thomas said. “I was looking more for a PR than anything else.”

Aaron Castle of Newport took second in the discus (163-5) and Will Peters of Chewelah was third (162-10).

Alex Ramm-Hutchinson of St. George’s took fourth in the 1,600 (4:36.98) and Chace Bell of Reardan took fourth in the long jump (21-9¼).

King’s leads the team race with 20 points. Lakeside was in third with 11.

1B

Freshman Grant Marchant of Valley Christian cruised to a state title in the 1,600 meters, winning in 4 minutes, 44.89 seconds – nearly 4 seconds ahead of the runner-up.

“(A state titles) doesn’t happen a lot at our school,” Marchant said.

Marchant will be favored today in the 3,200 and is seeded second in the 800.

He also runs a leg in the 1,600 relay.

Marchant stuck to his strategy Friday.

“I wanted to keep a good pace the first three laps and the last 100 meters I just kicked it and gave it all I got,” he said.

Pomeroy leads the team race with 17.5 points and Wilbur-Creston is in a three-way tie for second with 16.

Kennedy Seyler of Wellpinit took second in the triple jump (42-½) and Cody Johns of Wilbur-Creston was third (39-6). Hayden Herdrick of Wilbur-Creston was third in the javelin (155-8).