Frontier Faring Well In State Meet

State AA track and field

Pullman’s Ricardo Colon was a footnote to history, finishing second to the fastest sprinter in Washington track annals.

Only Colon was too far behind to appreciate JaWarren Hooker’s 10.35 100-meter triumph.

“I didn’t really see him,” said Colon, who finished .66 seconds behind Ellensburg’s record setter who is in the Star Track XV spotlight. “I was thinking about the other guys running the race, basically.”

The race was all Hooker’s despite a driving rain that made conditions less than ideal.

“You got to go out and do what you gotta do no matter what,” said national spring leader Hooker, who won his third state 100.

Colon later anchored Pullman’s 4x100 relay state championship while Hooker could only watch, after Ellensburg dropped the baton.

It gave the Greyhounds a share of the first-day AA team lead at 20 points with Hanford, one point ahead of West Valley-Spokane.

There were 15 top eight finishes by Frontier League boys and girls on the first day of the State AA Track Meet.

Boys

Colon has now been at both ends of the 100-meter spectrum after finishing well behind the winner.

“I beat everybody by a lot in this competition,” he said. “Today I got beat by a lot.”

Sophomore teammate Cole Sheridan placed seventh. They joined with Keith Davison and Jason Tyler in winning the short relay with a 42.82.

“Jason got to me quicker in the prelim,” said Colon. “This time the pass was right there.”

West Valley picked up a pair of third places, a fourth and a seventh.

Distance runner Clayton Holmes charged from 12th place to third on the final lap of the 1,600 with a remarkable sprint in a personal-best 4:18.67.

The fast finish wasn’t what he had planned, after getting jostled and losing concentration on the third lap.

“I just raced the best I could,” he said. “It was easily my highest finish.”

Eagle teammate Devion Tensley survived watery runway conditions to place third in the triple jump at 43-10.

“I could have gone farther, but my steps were off,” he said. “Oh, well. For my first year in the triple jump I’m happy with what I got.”

High jumper Ryan Schroder finished fourth in a less-than-satisfying high jump.

After clearing 6-2, both he and fifth-placer Jon Ashcraft of Riverside passed at 6-3 but failed at 6-4.

“Third or fifth, it didn’t matter,” said Ashcraft, who also placed in the 1,600. “I was going for first.”

WV’s Ryan Stockton was seventh in the shot put.

East Valley’s 4x100 relay team was fifth, but members Jerry Claridge and Brandon Blize had their disappointments. Claridge took sixth in the triple jump and Blize, who appeared second in his high hurdles heat, was later ruled third and out of the finals. He also missed in the 300 hurdles.

Girls

Friday’s rain may have been discouraging, but as far as Cheney distance runner Jeannette Zimmer was concerned, it was a perfect day.

“If I had a (personal record), right now the sun’s shining,” she said with a smile.

Zimmer had just finished fourth in the 3,200 meters, setting the early pace then rallying from sixth place at the end. Her time of 11:05.01 was faster by 3 seconds than she had run before.

“I don’t think place matters,” said the former state champion. “Not if I PR.”

West Valley’s 4x100 relay team finished fourth in 49.82.

“We’re happy,” said Staci Adams, who has qualified for today’s 300 hurdle finals with a school-record 45.79 time.

East Valley discus thrower Christy Blindauer finished eighth in the discus on a dreary day.

Angela Fazzari from Clarkston was sixth in the javelin with a toss of 119 feet, 3 inches.

, DataTimes