Wv Edges EV In Track Thriller

West Valley’s 74-71 Frontier League boys track and field victory over East Valley was, by all standards of the sport, one for the ages.

“Win or lose, we’ve got to keep this one in the archives,” said Knight coach Dave McCarty.

In this, their 30th meeting, the final score wasn’t the closest. That would be WV’s 73-72 triumph back in 1971. But for all intents and purposes, it was the most dramatic.

“We’ve had them decided by relays or in the triple jump,” said Eagle coach Jim McLachlan. “This one will probably have to take the cake.”

It was settled in the winner-take-all pole vault, an hour and a half after the other events had been completed.

“This is our strongest event. It’s nice to have it come down to this,” said McLachlan. “If we don’t win, it wasn’t meant to be.”

Obviously, it was. Earlier in the meet, WV’s Joe Oka steamed to victory on the final leg of the 400 relay after EV dropped the baton while racing to an apparant win.

“That’s what’s happened through history,” said McLachlan. “We drop it and they drop it. We had a horrible first exchange. They had a worse last one.”

Oka also picked up a vital second place in the 300 hurdles and the Eagles earned major distance points on the gutty three-event performance of Clayton Holmes.

The Knights offset that with long jump/triple jump winner Jerry Claridge’s stunning 100 meter triumph and sweeps of the 400 and 200 meters.

“I knew we needed it,” said 200 winner Trevor Eastman, a first-time track runner. “The rest of the guys did their part, too.”

And so the tie was forged going into a pole vault event lengthened in time because six athletes remained at 13-0. Four were still in at 13-6 where EV’s Jake Kammers cleared a personal best to keep the heat on Eagle sophomore Rick Collins.

Collins, already a record-setting 14-footer in just his second year of the event, went on to victory at 13-9 with darkness approaching.

“I wasn’t going to do track last year,” said Collins. “McLachlan said to come out for two weeks and we’d find me something. I stumbled onto the pole vault.”

And the Eagles stumbled onto victory in the thriller between unbeaten rivals.

Knight girls end Eagle string

It took East Valley just a hop, step and jump to end West Valley’s five-year unbeaten Frontier League dual track meet record.

EV’s sweep of the triple jump forced WV’s hand in the two relays and clinched victory for the Knights.

Trailing 68-63 with three events remaining and assured no worse than a split of two relays, the triple jump became the meet’s pivotal episode.

Tammy Brining, who already had seconds in the 100, 200 and long jump, completed her day with a triple jump victory and 82-68 team triumph.

The day was particularly gratifying to the EV sophomore who dedicated the meet to her mother, Patricia, who died last year.

“We’ve been waiting for this to be run on our track forever,” said Brining who has numerous pierced earrings, a ring in her eyebrow and pin through her tongue.

“I just like the way it looks,” said Brining, who joked that the eyebrow ring offers, “less wind resistance.”

Her near-dead heat finish time of 27.4 came in her first 200 meters of the year.

“I was ecstatic,” said Brining. “It didn’t matter that I was second.”

The Knights also swept the high jump and went one-two in the long jump and 800.

Freshman distance runner Crystal Gerky’s 400 meter triumph also put WV in a bind.

“Chances are with the 400 loss, it’s over,” said Eagle coach Dori Robertson.

Gerky said she prefers cross country to running around a track, but she made an exception with the 400.

“I really like this race. I want on the record board,” she said.

As expected, EV’s depth kept them close in the 11 events WV won, even without several competitors for a variety of reasons.

Eagle Stacey Roberts won all three throws. Staci Adams won the 100, 300 hurdles and anchored the 400 relay. But it wasn’t enough.

“Our kids competed well,” said Robertson. “But so did EV. I hate it when they show up.”

Showdown at U-Hi next week

It will be University Titan speed against Mead strength when the two unbeaten track and field teams meet Thursday for the Greater Spokane League boys championship. U-Hi must offset Panther throwers and jumpers with their sprinters and hurdlers and hope for the best in the distances in their bid to end a Mead winning streak approaching 16 years and 150 meets.

Jason Berger, whose 10.78, 22.2 and 49.63 dash times are area bests, and his sprint mates will carry a load.

But the work of distance runners James Berry, Seth Mott and Kris Martin will be pivotal.

Playoff berth at stake

The mission of University’s soccer team is simple. Win today’s 11 a.m. GSL match at Albi Stadium against North Central and make the playoffs. Lose and the season is over.

Currently the Titans are among five teams after three playoff spots.

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