Panthers Pull Together For Big Meet Victory

Five years ago, Annette Pedersen left one girls track coaching job at West Valley High School for another at Mead, where she was hired as teacher and coach.

“It was a hard decision to leave West Valley,” she said. “I wasn’t sure. New territory is always scary.”

Last week the Panthers secured their fourth straight 8-0 season a week after winning the meet among unbeatens that virtually locked up the league championship.

“I think it was a whole team effort,” Pedersen said of the title. “I know it is a cliche, but we really concentrated on that.

“We put personal records aside and didn’t concentrate on times. We just wanted to beat those in front of us.”

The one-two sprint effort by senior sprinter Jen Dunford and sophomore Abby Hornstein during the meet two weeks back was particularly gratifying to Mead’s coach.

Although Dunford was unbeaten in the 100, her times weren’t among the league’s best.

“What a come-through for a senior captain who was asked to provide leadership,” Pedersen said. “Abby’s were really surprise points for us.”

Hornstein, fellow sophomore Jenny Frazier and newcomer Kelly Curry, who came to the team from softball, joined Dunford and hurdler Autumn Wood to keep three Mead relay teams among the Greater Spokane League’s best.

Distance runner Katie Pollock has positioned herself with the league 1,600 leaders.

“We knew about her from cross country, but she improved so much from last year’s track season,” said Pedersen. “It was a 180-degree turnaround.”

The Panthers also have the league’s best hurdler in Wood, best high jumper in Emily Williams and one of the best horizontal jumpers in Jamie Wakefield.

Thus, while West Valley is tracking down its fifth straight Frontier League title, Mead’s four titles proved Pedersen’s move to be sound.

“Boy, what a good decision it was,” she said.

Panthers lead qualifying run

When North Side athletes chase spots in the regional track meet during this week’s Greater Spokane League meet, expect Mead’s boys to dominate.

With the top eight per event advancing to regionals in Richland, May 17, most schools will be represented.

But not like the Panthers, who have seven of the top nine 800 through 3,200 meter times, the top two javelin throwers and long jumpers, two of the best sprinters, and a top-three performer in all but the hurdles events.

Matt Sturm is defending 100 and 200 champion. Jason Fayant and Morgan Thompson have top-three times in every distance race, D.J. Miller has moved to the front of the horizontal jumpers, and Beau Chandler and Spencer Smith continue to lead the javelin event.

Among other North Side regional probables, the best are Shadle Park javelin thrower Oliver Cook, North Central discus thrower Rance McCullough, long jumper Chris Bourgeou and shot putter Brett Jordan.

Girls standouts include Rogers discus leader Kelly Hughes, North Central sophomore hurdler Kelly Kaufman, whose 15.2 time in the 100 meter is second only to Wood’s 14.9, and Shadle Park sprinter-high jumper Vanessa Larkin.

Others are Highlander javelin thrower Christina Withey and discus thrower April Gallagher, NC distance runner Lori Kostelecky and Rogers 400 runner Carrie Curtis.

Softball, baseball playoffs

GSL district softball and baseball playoffs begin this week.

Mead’s runner-up softball team is already assured a regional spot and plays Friday at 3:45 p.m. against either North Central or Rogers. The two North Side schools meet today at 3:45 at Franklin Park.

The Indians finished third in league with an 11-5 record, and the hard-charging Pirates placed sixth.

But, following a 4-0 loss to NC, they won their last four games, including the match with league champion University, runner-up Mead and fifth-place Gonzaga Prep.

The difference has been the pitching of sophomore Tara Bertholf, who blanked U-Hi 1-0, beat Mead 5-2 and allowed no more than four runs in any of her last eight starts.

NC benefited from the pitching and hitting of transfers Janessa Karstens and Shanelle Test to finish at 11-5.

Karstens was second in batting at .576 and was 2-1 with a 0.20 earned run average entering the final week. Test was hitting .458 and had a 2.27 ERA.

Since then, Test shut out Central Valley, and the two combined for an 11-inning 3-2 win over Ferris.

Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Central Valley was the difference between Mead’s needing one win or three to qualify for regionals in baseball.

The season-ending loss left the Panthers in third place and forced them into Friday’s first round against University at Seafirst Stadium at 1 p.m.

Fifth place Shadle Park meets Gonzaga Prep at 3 p.m. The winners play Saturday at 11 hoping for a date against second-place CV.

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