Lee Latest Post Falls Shot Champ Junior Fourth Straight Trojan To Win; Vikings Senior Cole Second In 3,200

Yes, they were wearing school colors, but for North Idaho athletes it was very much an individual day at the State A-1 track and field championships Friday.

Austin Lee of Post Falls and Chris Cole of Coeur d’Alene stood out among Panhandle athletes at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium.

Lee, a junior, kept the shot put title in Post Falls’ possession - it was the fourth straight victory in the event by a Trojan - winning with a throw of 56 feet, 11 inches. It was his second-longest throw, 6 inches shy of his personal best.

Cole didn’t capture gold, but silver was just as satisfying. The Vikings senior achieved his goal, taking second in the 3,200 meters behind two-time winner Billy Herman of Centennial.

The long-distance race was actually two races in one. The only way Herman wasn’t going to win was if he fell and broke a leg.

Halfway through, Herman had a 15-meter lead over Cole, who had as big a margin or more on the rest of the field.

“I figured if I pushed the envelope with Herman, nobody would be able to catch me,” said Cole, who finished in a time of 9:37.9 to Herman’s 9:33.3. “I was real happy. I didn’t go out very fast. I knew Herman was going to do what he was going to do. But there was no way I was going go out there and push him. I respect him. I knew I wasn’t pushing him, but I was comfortable where I was because I was racing for second and didn’t want anybody to catch me.”

Cole took satisfaction in knowing that, in any other year, he probably would have won a state title.

Lee began competition Friday, posting the top marks in both the shot and discus.

But he struggled most of the season in the discus. He took fourth Friday with a throw of 147-1, his second-longest throw this spring.

Although he wanted to extend his personal best in the shot to 59 feet, Lee was more than pleased with the win.

“I think I could have thrown farther in the shot, but I can’t complain,” Lee said. “And at least I didn’t choke in the discus. I hope I can repeat in the shot next year and win the discus. But I’m not going to make any predictions.”

Lee put the individual nature of the sport in perspective.

“It’s more you against yourself than anything,” he said. “You have to battle yourself, not the other people.”

Said Post Falls coach Wade Quesnell: “I know he was a little disappointed with the discus, but he competed well.”

Lewiston’s Josh Raymond and Post Falls’ Josh Mort both qualified for today’s 100 final, a sprint that could produce a photo finish.

It was particularly satisfying for Raymond, who pulled a hamstring in the prelim last year and had to miss three relays.

Quesnell sees a wide-open 100 final.

“It’s always a coin flip; it’ll come down to whoever gets out fast,” he said.

Post Falls’ Shannon Siverson placed fifth in the long jump and Katie Mayberry took sixth in the discus.

Sandpoint’s girls medley relay finished fifth.

The chase for team titles is shaping up to be tight, if first-day results mean anything.

In the A-1 boys, Nampa leads with 28 points, followed by Boise (26.5) and Eagle (20). Just 14 points separate the top 10 teams. Post Falls is tied for ninth with defending state champion Highland. Both have 14.

In the A-1 girls, defending champion Pocatello leads after a handful of events with 27 points. Boise follows with 20 and Madison is third with 18.

Nampa’s boys got all their points from the jumps. Willie Alderson took first in the long (22-7-1/2) while teammate Justin Pool took second. Pool added a win in the triple jump (45-10). Boise’s Susan Werner was impressive in the 3,200, winning in a time of 11:23.7.

The bulk of the running finals in all classifications will conclude the two-day meets today.

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