Speed Vs. Depth West Valley And East Valley Likely To Go Head-To-Head For League
Frontier girls track
The thought has crossed the collective mind of West Valley’s girls track team, but coach Dori Robertson is trying to downplay it.
Her team could win a sixth-straight Frontier League dual meet championship this year.
“They’ve certainly mentioned (it) once or twice,” she said. “To me six is important but not at the expense of health.”
Whoever’s healthiest on May 1 will have an inside track to a title. That’s when WV competes at East Valley, against a Knight team that has taken turns with WV dominating the league.
Both schools graduated a number of state-placing athletes but still have their share of standouts returning.
“We’ve got some holes,” said EV coach Glenn Gunderson, alluding to injuries that have sidelined some of his athletes. “If everybody were back I think we’d be very tough.”
It will be West Valley’s track speed and distances against the Knights’ overall depth.
No matter which school ultimately prevails on May Day, it’ll take the rest of the league some doing to catch them.
Newcomers key for West Valley
West Valley has talent and a good attitude, said Robertson.
How newcomers blend in and provide depth, particularly in the field events, will determine the legitimacy of their title claim.
Sophomore Staci Adams, defending league champion sprinter-hurdler, will concentrate on the dashes this year.
She’s joined by seniors Cindy Simpson, Rhonda Barney and Erica Frampton in the dashes. Simpson could be involved in any of seven events.
“We’ve got our entire 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams back and have seven runners who could fill them,” said Robertson.
Included are freshman Kim Williams and a slew of hurdles prospects, junior Bonnie Krous and sophomores Johnni Nicholson, Emily Williams and Leanne Walley.
State cross country veterans senior Jessica Riehle and sophomore Jessica Ferguson lead a distance running crew that includes healthy junior Madeline McNeill and several others who ran in last year’s district meet.
Senior Stacey Roberts, with state discus potential, leads WV’s throwers, including returnee Beth Seeley and freshman Vanessa Parvey in the shot and discus, district placing sophomore Melissa Dahlquist and newcomer Stephanie Lawler in the javelin.
State veteran high jumper Jill Nihoul returns in the jumps, joined by freshmen Heather Huffman and Kim Williams. Simpson, Barney and Dana Vermeers are horizontal jumpers.
This year the pole vault has been added as a scoring event for girls in the Frontier League and freshman Jenny Gregorak will do the honors.
Robertson became Eagle coach following the first four league titles and said the athletes were wary of their new leader last year.
“It’s still new to me,” she said. “But I’m liking this year.”
Strength in numbers at East Valley
As usual, East Valley’s strength is its numbers. Some of those are currently injured.
Among them are senior district 800 finalist Crystal Cook, junior distance star Cara Smith, sophomore hurdler Alisha Smith and sprinterjumper Jessica Conard.
But the Knights bring back two district 100-meter-hurdles veterans, including finalist sophomore Kelly Daly and junior Secrett Thompson.
The team returns sprint finalists juniors Amanda McManus, Becky Gahl and sophomore Tammy Brining, who is also one of the league’s best long jumpers.
In the distances, EV has veterans from the three-time state championship team. Included are state 800-veteran junior Anne Marie Adams, sophomore Korinda Godwin, who placed in the 1,600, 3,200 and reached the 800 finals, and 3,200 placer Angie Simmers.
In the field, shot put placer Loretta Serbell, a junior, is back, as are junior high jumpers Jenny Kann and Jessica Williams.
With them comes depth. There are senior distance runners Heidi Williams, Holly Weiler and Sally Wulf, long sprinter Renee Volland, 121-foot discus thrower Kristi Blindauer and first-time javelin thrower Amanda Harvey.
Juniors include distance runner Carmen Cook, jumpers Jill Fautch, April Tomlin and sprinters Amber Lewis, Annette Thomas and Tammy Thompson.
Sophomores include 7-foot-6 pole vaulter and triple jumper Carmen Moss, sprinters Raquel Trillo, Tracy Wilhelm, jumper Melissa Mackey, hurdler Corina Martinez and distance runner Liz Wood.
From the freshman class come sprinters Amanda Kline and Karla Rima, who have helped the relay team already to a 52.1 time, high jumper-hurdler-sprinter Crystal Gerkey.
“I feel good about them and they are solid students,” said Gunderson.
Others include sprinters-hurdlers Mistique Patterson, Michelle Estell, Chrissy Cox and Mary Bartlett, who, along with MacKensie Rogers, also pole vault.
Throwers are Chari Olson, Ashley Likely, Toni Beeman and Geana Boisen. Jumpers are Jesse Armstrong and Alica Tonani. Distance runners are Kayloni Zamora and Joanne Adams.
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