Idaho State track: Jerry Louie-McGee helps rally Timberwolves to 2nd

About halfway through the Idaho State 5A track meet Saturday, Lake City coach Kelly Reed thought his team’s chances of a trophy, let alone challenging for a state title, had vanished with a key injury to a sprinter.

Behind short but speedy junior Jerry Louie-McGee, the Timberwolves fought back to capture second behind powerhouse Rocky Mountain as the meet concluded at Dona Larsen Park in Boise.

Louie-McGee was awarded first in the 400 meters after the apparent winner was disqualified for running out of his lane. Louie-McGee ran a personal best of 48.64 seconds.

He came back later to anchor the winning 1,600 relay, which finished in a season-best 3:21.87.

“When Jerry got the baton, he had to make up 15 meters,” Reed said. “In his last 100 meters he chased everybody down and ended up winning by 4-5 meters. It was an unbelievable effort. He had the meet of his life.”

Earlier, LC’s 800 relay of McGee, Rikki McCaw, Nathan Newby and Chris Baker won (1:28.27). But McCaw, who also runs on the 400 and 1,600 relays, pulled a hamstring halfway through his 200-meter leg.

McCaw was scheduled to run in the 400. He jogged it so LC could pick up a point.

LC entered state with the fastest 400 relay, but with a group unfamiliar with each other the baton was dropped and the T-Wolves were disqualified.

Tanner Horton substituted for McCaw in the 1,600 relay.

“That might be the best race I’ve ever seen at Lake City,” Reed said. “It was absolutely phenomenal. Tanner Horton ran a 51-flat.”

LC finished with 83.5 points and Rocky Mountain captured a fourth straight title with 119.

“The way the kids responded after the negatives shows what kind of character they have and what kind of kids they are,” Reed said. “It would have been easy to fold it up.”

For the girls, LC senior sprinter Maddison Ward doubled, winning the 100 (12.21) and defending her title in the 200 (24.82).

LC’s Kasey Widmyer took second in the triple jump (36-7).

Coeur d’Alene junior Kaitlyn Gunnerson won the 100 hurdles (14.63) and took second in the 300 hurdles (45.91).

Victoria Goetz of CdA (56.41) was second in the 400, taking more time off a school record she broke in the prelims, and the Vikings’ Addison Johnson (10.97) took third in the 100.

Lewiston hurdler Zion Stuffle won the 110 hurdles (14.12).

4A

Alex Lewis of Moscow won his second title with a jump of 22 feet, 6 inches in the long jump. Lakeland sprinter Shane Leonard took second in the 200 (22.72) and fourth in the 100. Sandpoint’s Rainey Woodward took first in the 800 (2:19.37). Sam Levora of Sandpoint took second in the 1,600 (4:16.51). The Lakeland boys took second in the 800 relay (1:31.47). Lily DeAragon of Sandpoint finished fourth in the 400.

3A

Timberlake’s boys took third with 81 points, six out of first, at Middleton High School. Ben Austin led Timberlake by winning the 300 hurdles (40.38). Timberlake’s 800 (1:32.23) and 1,600 (3:29.46) relays captured gold. Austin Malloy was third in the long jump and Bob Cronnelly third in the discus for Timberlake while Sam St. Mars took fourth in the 800. In the girls, Emily Risoldi-Guy of Kellogg took second in the 100 (12.96) and 200 (26.45). Mackenzie Mendenhall of Bonners Ferry took second in the 100 hurdles (16.28) and 300 hurdles (46.88). Kellogg’s 800 relay placed second (1:51.11). Anna Gardom of Timberlake was third in the 400 and Beth Bykerk of Priest River took third in the discus.

2A

The Feaslines – Luke and Logan – of St. Maries took first (52-10½) and third (47-8¾) respectively in the shot put.

Leif Fredericks of Coeur d’Alene Charter finished second in the 1,600 (4:40.30) and third in the 800 (2:03.62).