Prep track: Mt. Spokane boys, girls off to good starts

It had to be the massage.

Dillon Lionello of Mt. Spokane decided to get a massage the night before the District 8 3A track meet and it must have worked.

Lionello threw a personal best 165 feet, 1 inch to win the discus Friday in the first day of the two-day meet at Spokane Falls Community College.

“I felt nice and loose,” Lionello said.

Now Lionello is thinking of getting another massage next week before the regional meet at Richland.

Lionello is favored to win the shot put Friday.

“I’ve had a good week of practice,” Lionello said. “I want to throw 169. That would be a foot further than the (3A) state leader.”

Lionello likes the shot more than discus. But he believes his best chance at faring well at state is in the discus.

“I want to win the discus,” he said.

Lionello was part of a good start by Mt. Spokane.

Cade Neumann of Mt. Spokane had been high centered on 14-0 in the pole vault for four weeks. He extended his personal best to 14-6 in winning a district title.

“I’ve been definitely working out and preparing,” said Neumann, a junior, whose personal best last year was 13-0.

He took three shots at 15-1 – one inch further than his older brother, Blasé Neumann, did when he jumped at Mead.

“I was super close,” Neumann said. “I want to get to 15-0 at regionals. If I’m lucky enough to get to state, I’d like to do 15-6.”

Mt. Spokane put six in the top eight in pole vault.

A little bit later, Mt. Spokane sophomore Jacob White got the school record in the long jump by 3/4 of an inch, winning in 22-1 3/4.

“Right now we feel like we’re the No. 3 or No. 4 team in the state,” Mt. Spokane coach Pat Kostecka said. “We’re excited about our state team.”

Justin Janke led a North Central onslaught in the 3,200 meters as all eight places were taken by Indians. Janke won by 19 seconds (9:28.59).

In the 3A girls, Hailey Leeking of NC improved her best in the shot by five inches, winning with a heave of 36-9.

In 4A boys, the Mead 400 relay lowered its season best, winning in 42.39 seconds. The previous best was 42.65.

Samson Brown, the anchor, teamed with Bryan Anderson, Joseph Heitman and Bailey Hiebert.

“Everything looked good,” said the speedy Brown, who is headed to play football at Eastern Oregon. “We had just a little hiccup. We’ll fix it. I think we can get into the low 42s or high 41s.”

Brown hopes the relay can challenge Federal Way at state.

“We’re definitely running to win,” Brown said.

Heitman won the long jump with a leap of 21-10 3/4.

Kaleb Taylor of Gonzaga Prep won the pole vault (15-1), improving his best by an inch.

In 4A girls, the Lewis Clark 400 relay zipped around the track, winning in a season best 48.52. That blew away the Tigers’ previous best (49.01).

Back for LC and much more healthy is sophomore sprinter Anna Rodgers, who anchored the relay. She was out nearly three weeks in April nursing plantar fasciitis in a foot.

Rodgers teamed with Grace Ellis, Emily Greene and Mya LeBar.

Rodgers won the long jump with a season best 16-11 3/4. It was just the second time she’s jumped this season. Her overall best (19-1) came last year.

“It’s definitely not what I want but you’ve got to start somewhere,” she said. “I feel like I’m 80 to 90 percent. I’m starting to feel a lot better. I’m doing accupuncture and physical therapy.”

Her plan is to train lightly next week leading up to regionals. Then she’s going to let loose with whatever is in her tank at state.

LC’s Katie Thronson shaved 28 seconds off her seaon best in the 3,200, winning in 11:27.09.

Liz Gaffney of Mead won the javelin (126-5) with a personal best by four feet.

The top nine in 4A events and the top eight in 3A advance to regionals next Friday and Saturday.

The meets resumes Friday afternoon at 5.

5A, 4A Region I

The Coeur d’Alene girls built a 16-point lead over Lake City in the first day of the meet at CdA. The meet concludes today at Lewiston.

Emily Callahan, Taryn Horvath, Carmen Duffy and Josette McArthur teamed to win the 800 relay (1:44.04), a season best by .11.\

CdA’s Amber Mallet won the pole vault (10-6) and Katelyn Conery won the shot (36-10 1/2).

In the boys, Lake City won the 800 and distance relays.

CdA’s Grady Leonard won the shot (55-0) and discus (158-7).

In 4A, Sandpoint’s girls opened a 13-point lead over Lakeland.

Janice Aylward led Sandpoint, winning the shot (35-1/2).

Whitnee Skalskiy of Lakeland broke her school record again in the triple jump, winning with a leap of 37-8.

3A District I

Timberlake’s boys and girls built leads in the first day of the two-day meet at Timberlake.

In the girls, Timberlake’s sprint medley relay of Jessica Schell, Anna Gardom, Aislynn Anderson and Allison Kirby won in 1:54.59.

In the boys, Timberlake’s sprint medley of Randy Duclos, Isaiah Higbee, David Dickinson and Brayden Menti won in 3:44.