Post Falls’ Wednesday sets school mark in 400

The phrase “season best” was uttered frequently Thursday at the District I Meet of Champions track meet at Post Falls.

It was the final tuneup before Idaho athletes begin their quest for state berths next week.

Seemingly every time Post Falls’ Wednesday Walton steps on the track something special happens.

In the 400 meters, Walton broke 1 minute for the first time and bettered a school record set in 1992. Walton finished in 59.38 seconds, eclipsing the record (59.80) set by Lindy Westlake.

Now she’s finished running the 400. She’ll focus on the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles and a leg on the 800 relay.

“The only reason I’ve been running the 400 is to break the school record,” Walton said.

She won the 100 hurdles (15.11) and 300 hurdles (45.49) but was pushed by Coeur d’Alene sophomore Kaitlyn Gunnerson.

Coeur d’Alene’s girls dominated the relays. Victoria Goetz, Brittany Tackett, Sara Chalich and Gunnerson combined to win the 400 (50.28); Gunnerson, Goetz, Tackett and Jaycee Rade combined for a meet-record time of 4:03.34 in the 1,600; and Rade, Madison Sumner, Joslyn Duran and Krista Story teamed to win the 3,200 relay (10:02.55).

“The better the weather the better the times,” CdA coach Linda Lanker said.

Lake City sophomore Maddison Ward held off Goetz in the 100 (12.64) and got past Tackett in the 200 (26.56). She also anchored the winning 800 relay with Meaghan Bare, Jayden Hall and Camryn Wendlendt (1:47.29).

Another standout was CdA’s Kara Story, a winner in the 1,600 (5:20.98) and 3,200 (11:37.61).

Post Falls’ Hallie Gennett improved by more than 5 feet in the shot put, winning with a throw of 36-10½ and Sandpoint’s Nikole Alamillo had a personal best in the discus (123-3).

Sam Levora had the best day among the boys.

The Sandpoint distance runner broke the school record in the 1,600, finishing in 4:21.52. He also won the 3,200 (9:49.61), winning by more than 19 seconds.

LC’s Chris Baker, who false-started in the 100, prevailed in the 200 (23.14). He anchored LC’s winning 800 relay, teaming with Rhet Damschen and brothers Jerry and Tucker Louis-McGee (1:32.47).

Chris Wall of LC improved by more than 2 seconds in the 300 hurdles, winning in a time of 40.91.

Makenzie Baker of CdA doubled up, taking the long jump (21-9½) and triple jump (42-4¾).

The Feaslines of St. Maries took the throws. Logan Feasline won the discus (156-10) and Luke Feasline won the shot (48-2).