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Youth sports notebook: Several area athletes collect medals at 2022 USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships

McKenna Kozeluh, of North Idaho Blaze, was a two-time national champion and two-time All-American at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, California. (Courtesy of North Idaho Blaze)
From staff and news services
McKenna Kozeluh, of North Idaho Blaze, was a two-time national champion and two-time All-American at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, California. (Courtesy of North Idaho Blaze)

From staff and news services

McKenna Kozeluh and AJ McGloflin stood atop the podium to lead the way as 21 area athletes collected 29 All-America medals at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships July 25-31 in Sacramento, California.

Kozeluh, a rising senior at Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy who runs for North Idaho Blaze, won two gold medals, capturing national championships in the women’s 17-18-year-old 1,500 meters (4 minutes, 46.58 second) and 3,000 (10:16.27). The 2021 Idaho 3A State cross country champion won the 3,000 by 24 seconds and followed the next day with a 4-second win.

McGloflin, a recent Central Valley High School graduate who placed second at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in June after winning the State 4A title in May, won the men’s 17-18 high jump at 6 feet, 8¾ inches competing unattached.

They were the area’s gold medalists. Evan Bruce (Lewis and Clark) and Abby Crossley (East Valley) took home the most medals – three apiece.

Bruce was one of 14 from Spokane Speed Academy who collected 18 medals for top-eight finishes. He was runner-up in the men’s 17-18 1,500 and 3,000 and fifth in the 4x400 relay. Crossley was one of three from Valley Flash who produced five medals, placing second in the women’s 17-18 2K steeplechase, third in the 3,000 and eighth in the 1,500.

Other medalists:

Spokane Speed Academy: Braydon Bayless (Reardan), sixth boys 15-16 4x400 relay; Tyler Bissell (CV), sixth boys 15-16 relay; Rajay Britton (Okanogan), eighth men’s 17-18 long jump, seventh 4x100 relay; Graham Cleveland (Gonzaga Prep), fifth men’s 17-18 4x800 relay; Trevor Cogley (Lake City), seventh men’s 4x100 relay, sixth 4x400 relay; Cameron Dewey (North Central), sixth boys 4x400; Konner Dobosh (Cheney), fifth men’s 17-18 javelin; Boden Gardner (Mt. Spokane), sixth men’s 17-18 4x400 relay; Braxton Hinton (Cheney), sixth men’s 17-18 4x400 relay; Allan McKeraghan (Colville), seventh men’s 17-18 4x100 relay, sisth 4x400 relay; Teagan O’Callaghan (Cheney), fifth men’s 17-18 4x800 relay; Larry Trefry Jr. (University), fifth men’s 17-18 4x800 relay; Dylan Wolfe (Post Falls), sixth boys 15-16 4x400 relay.

Valley Flash: Canyon Smith (CV), fifth boys 15-16 decathlon; Ava Terry (Franklin Elementary), second girls 7-8 shot put.

Spokane Mercury: Victoria Baumgartner, sixth girls 8-and-under 1,500.

Iron Wood Throws (Hayden): Winston Schroder (Centennial MS), second boys 13-14 javelin.

(See area participants in Scoreboard.)

Shooting

Tanner Krebs, 14, from Glover Middle School, led the way for the Spokane Junior Rifle Club at the Civilian Marksmanship Program National Championships July 15 at Camp Perry, Ohio. Krebs shot 584 out of 600 in the three-position air rifle match.

Other scores for SJRC Gold team members who received at-large invitations: Garret Pearsall, 17, Mt. Spokane, 573 (123rd); Derek Phipps, 17, G-Prep, 566 (161); Sean Kegley, 17, home school, 557 (177); alternate Ensley Breeden, 13, Mountainside MS, 546 (196). There were 209 competitors. The team scored 2,340 out of 2,400 .