Mead boys favorites at 4A track regionals

The Mead boys track team is heavily favored to capture the 4A regional championship this weekend.

Mead coach John Mires hopes to get about 15 of his 25 regional qualifiers to state. In some events the Panthers could get multiple qualifiers.

“Anyone who finishes in the top three at regionals usually is a state scorer,” Mires said. “It’s the toughest region to get out of, bar none.”

The 4A and 3A regionals are Friday and Saturday at Richland High School. Action begins Friday afternoon at 3:30 and resumes Saturday morning at 11.

Mires said Richland is the perfect place for his team’s final meet before state.

“We started the season there (jamboree) and we’re really comfortable there,” he said.

As if it really matters. The Panthers, especially their sprint corps, could win in a parking lot.

Senior sprint standout Wes Bailey will be tested. He’ll go head to head with Wenatchee’s stellar sophomore, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, in the 100 meters, 200 and 400. And they also run legs on the 400 relay.

Brandt-Sims beat Bailey in the 200 at state last year.

Bailey and Brandt-Sims have the same season best in the 100 (10.64). Bailey’s 200 (21.44) is .20 better than Brandt-Sims’ and Bailey’s 400 (48.04) is .70 better than Brandt-Sims’.

The top three in each event in the 4A and 3A regionals qualify for state.

• The 2A regional is Friday at Spokane Falls Community College. The top four in each event advance to state.

• The 1A regional is Friday and Saturday at Cashmere. The top three in each event go to state.

• The 2B and 1B regionals are Saturday at Whitworth. The top two in 2B and top three in 1B qualify for state.