Smaller Steps Count, Too Workhorse Athletes Likely To Win Many State Medals

It’s unlikely they’ll win gold medals. But most shouldn’t leave the state high school track meet empty-handed either.

They won’t get to step to the top of the awards stand in the middle of the Boise State University football field when the state meets are held Friday and Saturday. They’ll have to stand on one of the smaller steps.

Who are these people? They’re the Ironmen and Ironwomen - the workhorse athletes who compete in four events for the good of the team, usually running a relay or two.

They’re noticed but generally unheralded.

They’re the offensive linemen of football.

They’re the role players in basketball. They’re the courtesy runners in baseball and softball.

They’re not gifted with the natural abilities of some area athletes - like a Caleb Bowman of Sandpoint, a Brenda Nipp of Coeur d’Alene or an Annie Goodson of Kootenai, who not only stand out in multiple events but probably could do so in several others as well.

Some of the names of these do-everything athletes who’ll gladly accept their non-gold medals this weekend are:

Jennifer Swanstrom, Post Falls.

Mike Keith, Lake City.

Ryan Therrian, Post Falls.

Katie Hawn, Lake City.

Mike Rogers, Lewiston.

Kira Thompson, Coeur d’Alene.

Wendy Vork, Kellogg.

Colin Jasper, Lewiston.

Janee Andre, Coeur d’Alene.

Stacy Bolstad, Sandpoint.

Tiffany Frei, Lake City.

Mickey Hewitt, Lewiston.

Lorien Albright, Lewiston.

Scott Bushnell, Lake City.

It’s not an all-inclusive list for sure. But most of those listed will challenge for medals.

“They all spread themselves out to help their teams,” Lake City coach Donna Messenger said. “They’re the leaders on their teams.”

Swanstrom, a senior, qualified for state by winning the 200 and running the anchor leg on the 800 relay Saturday at the A-1 Region I meet.

Sunday, she learned she’ll double her participation at state when she was given at-large berths in the 100 meters and the 400 relay.

She won her first two state medals last year with sixth-place finishes in the 100 and 200.

Swanstrom is hopeful of top three places in the 100 and 200 and thinks a similar finish in the 400 relay is possible.

“It’s my last chance to show what I can do,” said Swanstrom, who qualified for state in three events in each of the past three years.

She’s enjoyed doing as many events as possible.

“My races are quick, so it’s not as difficult,” Swanstrom said. “If I had to do the 3,200 that would be tough. I’m fortunate to be able to do the short races.”

It is athletes such as Swanstrom who have allowed Post Falls’ girls to win seven of nine Region I titles in the 1990s, including the championship Saturday.

“We make a living with four-event kids,” Post Falls coach Wade Quesnell said. “Maybe we spread out our kids thinner than the other schools. But that’s a reflection of why we do well at the regional meets.”

Said Swanstrom: “It’s not just an individual sport; track’s a team sport, too. If I didn’t do four events, we might not have gotten first at regionals.”

Therrian is Quesnell’s workaholic on the boys team. The senior qualified for state in three of the more difficult events to train for: 110 hurdles, triple jump and high jump. He just missed in the 300 hurdles, tripping over the next-to-last hurdle Saturday.

He got up after the spill and finished fourth. He was a lock for second before the fall. It didn’t dawn on him the significance of his accident until he learned his team finished a point behind runner-up Lewiston.

“I’m disappointed I didn’t do better for the team,” Therrian said. “A team banner on the wall is more important than a medal to me.”

Perhaps no combination of events requires more energy and technique than Therrian’s.

A usual practice has him spending more than half of his time practicing the hurdles. The remaining time is split between the jumps.

The constant pounding and jumping on his legs caught up with him at times this season. Some days, he just rode an exercise bike during practice to give his legs a rest.

“Three events at state is plenty,” said Therrian, who noted that the 300 hurdles were his least favorite.

His favorite is the 110 hurdles followed by the high jump and triple jump. Technically, he tied for third in the high jump at state last year, but had to settle for a sixth-place medal after a five-way coin flip.

A bruised left heel slowed Therrian in the high jump and triple jump for most of the season. He did all the events in most meets, but couldn’t push himself to personal bests because of the injury.

So why doesn’t Therrian back off and concentrate on just a couple events?

“I wish I could do five or six events actually,” he said. “I did the long jump at the Lakeland Relays, the first time in my life, and I did 20-5. That could have gotten second (at regionals).”

Keith and Hawn of Lake City, both seniors, fit the do-all stereotype too. Both did four events all year.

Hawn qualified in the 800 after running three relays and the 400 all season. She ran the 800 for the first time Saturday, finishing second to CdA’s Thompson.

“I chose the 800 because, after looking at it, I thought it was the event I’d have the best chance at placing in at state,” Hawn said.

Hawn’s first love are the relays.

“I love the relays because you’re working with your team,” said Hawn, who has gone to state every year but never placed. “The open races you get to compete against yourself. But in the relays, you feed off each other, and it just pumps you up.”

Keith will run the 800 and run the anchor 800 leg in the medley.

He had hoped to break the 2-minute mark all season and finally did so in winning at regionals in a personal-best of 1:59.4. It’ll take a sub-2-minute time to place.

Keith finished seventh at state last year, slipping out of a medal when he was overtaken with 10 meters remaining. If he clocks a personal best, he could finish as high as third.

He anchored LC’s medley relay at state last year, too, and it finished just out of the medals at seventh. Keith will team with other multi-event athletes Scott Bushnell, Pete Hamill and Richard Novotny.

Any medals would be precious to these athletes - gold or not.

State track meets Where: Boise State University When: Friday and Saturday What: Most field events will be held Friday along with preliminary heats in the hurdles and four sprint races. Running finals will be held for all classifications in the 3,200 and medley relay. All other running finals and a handful of field events will be held Saturday. The A-3 and A-4 divisions will begin at 7 a.m. PDT, followed by the A-1 and A-2 finals at 10:45. Admission: General is $5 per day, discount (for senior citizens, students in grades 1-6 and grades 7-12 with an activity card) $4 per day. Two-day passes: $10 general, $8 discount. Children under 6 admitted free.