Washington prep track: GSL teams, athletes shine at regionals

When Zella Conley learns how to maneuver the 300-meter hurdles, watch out.

The Mead sophomore, who added the longer hurdles race to the sprint hurdles this spring, has made strides. Saturday was more evidence as Conley took nearly a second off her personal best, winning in 45.78 seconds as the 4A and 3A Regional track meets that concluded at Richland’s Fran Risch Stadium.

Earlier, Conley breezed to victory in the 100 hurdles (14.97).

In addition to polishing up her technique, Conley must remind herself that as she covers space in the staggered start of the longer race, she’s neither ahead or behind. There have been times when a false alarm has gone off in her head.

“It’s a hard race,” Conley said. “When I get to the corner I know I’ve got to go. Since I haven’t run them a lot I still can’t tell where I’m at in the race. I need to just keep my pace up. I try not to notice people around me. I try to keep my force and not let my steps get slower.”

Greater Spokane League 4A boys and girls athletes captured two-thirds of the state berths. The top three in each qualified for state and several other athletes met state-qualifying standards.

In 3A, the GSL and Mid-Columbia Conference almost evenly split the state berths. And several athletes earned at-large berths by meeting state-qualifying standards.

4A: Central Valley’s girls and Mead’s boys cruised to team titles.

CV’s girls finished with 201 points and runner-up Lewis and Clark had 117.5.

Mead’s boys put up 126.75 and Walla Walla took second (94.75).

One of the most exciting races involved the CV and LC girls in the 800 relay. Bears anchor Anna Fomin made up distance on LC anchor Emily Greene as CV prevailed by three-hundredths of a second in 1:42.83, a season best.

Fomin teamed with Ahna Duggan, Hayden McAuliff and Katie Hawkins. Fomin later won the 400 in a season-best 57.52.

It was CV’s third straight regional title.

“Depth. We scored in every event except for the 100,” CV coach Geoff Arte said. “We got everyone we thought we’d get to state and a couple of surprises too.”

Issaquah and Tahoma are considered the heavy favorites for the team title next week when the 4A, 3A and 2A state meets begin Thursday and conclude Saturday at Mount Tahoma High in Tacoma.

“What we allowed ourselves today is to nickel and dime our way into trophy contention,” Arte said.

Katie Thronson led LC, winning the 1,600 (5:05.69) Saturday to go with a win Friday in the 3,200 (11:04.83). An injury kept her out last spring.

The key to Mead’s team title were victories in the 400 and 1,600 relays.

The foursome of Bryan Anderson, Joseph Heitman, Bailey Hiebert and Samson Brown teamed on both relays. Their time in the 1,600 was a sizzling 3:23.90, eclipsing their previous best (3:25.15).

“We’ll be in 11 events at state and we’re taking 10,” Mead coach John Mires said. “We’ll be chasing a trophy, which is what we want to do. We came with a workmanlike attitude, and that has carried us all year. We’ve won every meet we’ve been in so far.”

The boys 110 and 300 hurdle finals were all-GSL affairs. Nick Johnson of Gonzaga Prep won both but he was pushed to the tape by Anderson of Mead and Ben Craig of CV in the 110 and Heitman of Mead and Anderson in the 300.

Johnson nipped Heitman by two-hundredths of a second in the 300. To the naked eye it appeared Heitman crossed first.

University’s Isaac Barville was a double winner in the 800 (1:55.45) and 1,600 (4:17.11). It’s the first time he’s going to state in two events.

Barville expects good things at state.

“This is awesome. I’m happy,” said Barville, whose form was steady and strong. “With a higher level of competition and a little pressure in both events there’s a very good chance I could get (personal bests).”

3A: Mt. Spokane boys coach Pat Kostecka is a smiling person to begin with, but that smile broadens when he thinks of a team that will graduate one key point-scorer.

The Wildcats won the team title, finishing with 125.5 points. Kamiakin (104.5) was second and Rogers (87.5) third.

“First of all I’m relieved. There was a lot of stress but we got everybody through that we thought would get through for the most part,” Kostecka said.

Mt. Spokane was third a year ago.

“We’ll be in the mix and we have a good shot overall but things have to go well,” Kostecka said.

In the girls, Kamiakin (170) edged Mt. Spokane (155.5) for the team title.

Micaela Kostecka added a win in the 1,600 (4:58.33) – in which she ran by herself – to go with a victory in the 3,200. She also ran the third leg on the winning 1,600 relay.

She was especially thrilled to crack 5 minutes for the first time officially in the 1,600. Earlier, she ran a mile at the Arcadia Invitational that broke 5 minutes when converted.

“The goal was to hit about 5,” Kostecka said. “I started my watch to make sure I hit even 75s each lap. When I was at 2:28 for the first half I knew I was in good shape. I’m feeling tuned up and ready for next week.”

Jakobe Ford of Shadle Park was a double winner, taking first in the triple jump (45-2½) and high jump (6-10).

Rogers’ Khalil Winfrey was a double winner in the 100 (10.70) and 200 (22.16) while anchoring the winning 1,600 relay (3:25.57). He actually finished in a dead heat in the 100 with Hanford’s Joseph Gauthier. It took a fast finish for Winfrey to close a measurable gap.

Northeast A: Keyhon Ross of Medical Lake was a triple winner as the meet concluded at Newport.

Ross won the 100 (10.82) and 200 (22.20) and was part of the Cardinals’ winning 400 relay (43.75).

Cody Bollum of Deer Park won the 800 in a time of 1:56.83.

In the girls, Lexi Rolan of Medical Lake won the 100 (12.40) and 200 (25.60).