Career Ends With A Different Record
CORRECTION: 6-10-99; N3 Former Gonzaga Prep track coach Tony Maucione was pictured in last week’s edition of the North Side Voice. He was misidentified.
Lakeside senior Jason Cummings had the State 2A discus title wrapped up as he stepped into the throwing pit Saturday at Eastern Washington University’s Woodward Stadium.
Friends were yelling “You da man” as Cummings prepared for his final throw. He acknowledged the cheers and seemed poised to unleash one big final throw.
As he turned his back to the throwing sector, he began to swing his arm. Then he flicked the platter ever so gently as if trying to avoid breaking fine china.
Smiling, Cummings asked the officials to measure his final throw that was well short of the meet-record toss of 164 feet, 10 inches that he threw earlier.
“Twenty four feet, 11 inches,” the event official announced.
A smile almost as wide as the final throw spread across Cummings’ face.
“I knew I couldn’t get the overall state record, so I wanted the state record for the shortest throw,” Cummings said, alluding to the all-time Washington best set by Vinnie Pecht of West Valley (207-2) in 1997.
It seemed a fitting end to a career marked by frustration and injury.
Cummings qualified for state as a sophomore, but had to sit out track last year after undergoing rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders a day before the 1998 state wrestling tournament.
“What made missing state (track) bad is we finished second as a team,” Cummings said. “If I was able to compete we may have won.”
That frustration was followed up in his final wrestling season when he finished a disappointing second at state.
So he was determined to finish his career a champion.
“I wanted to get 170 (feet), but I got my other goals,” Cummings said of the meet record and state title.
As for his future, Cummings isn’t sure. He must decide between two options - attending EWU and doing track or wrestling at a Christian college in Pensacola, Fla.
“I’d rather do track. It’s easier on the joints,” Cummings said, allowing another smile as wide as a platter.
Highlanders lead the way
Shadle Park had remarkable wins in the 400 and 1,600 relays at the boys 4A state meet, but maybe the best win was by Greg Forni, who anchored both of those relays.
Forni was the state leader in the 300 hurdles all year and was undefeated until the regional finals. Then he hit a hurdle and fell. He got up and gutted out the finish and was extremely lucky to make state.
After a third-place finish in his preliminary heat, he was no longer the favorite.
In the finals, he was well back as he hit the homestretch but he never gave up and somehow pulled out the win.
“I was kicking in the home stretch but I was getting a little worried,” he said. “They had a little bigger lead than I was hoping. They got way out ahead of me.
“It feels so good. The time wasn’t there but today it doesn’t matter.”
The Highlanders also got four points from Anthony Walters in the 400.
When his career ended, after running leadoff on the 1,600 relay, Walters was overcome.
“I can honestly say I don’t deserve all the blessings God has given me this year in track,” Walters said. “From great teammates, Greg Forni, Nick Kimmet, Demitrius Scott, Alex Moon and everybody I’ve worked with. My family, (coach), everybody has been so supportive. I don’t know. I’m crying because I just don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this.”
Kimmet ran with Walters, Scott and Forni on the 400 relay but pulled a muscle and was replaced by Moon for the 1,600.
When all was said and done, the third-place Highlanders had done the impossible.
Coach Ivan Corley was thrilled.
“It just feels so good. Oh, man,” Corley said. “I wanted to be competitive in our league, our goal was to battle with U-Hi and Mt. Spokane and CV in the championship. I felt good about that. Wow, we’re state placers. I don’t know if they’ve ever won a team trophy.”
Shadle beat state champion University in the season-opening dual and was second in the league-championship showdown with U-Hi, Mt. Spokane and Central Valley. The Highlanders were also second to U-Hi in district and third in regional to U-Hi and state runner-up Davis.
“I’ve had all my dreams come true in one year, pretty much,” Corley said. “The kids and coaches put a lot of effort and heart all year into the program. Especially the kids.”
He pointed to Moon, a sophomore, stepping in as the 1,600 relay alternate without the team missing a beat or losing any time.
“Success and enjoying success and working for success is contagious in our program,” Corley said. “I had no doubt. I put Alex in the fire twice and he responded. The kids are proud to be part of the Shadle Park program.”
The only placer for the Shadle girls was a fourth by Katie Schurra in the triple jump.
Casey Clark’s 7-foot, 1/2-inch state championship high jump led the way for a good showing for Mt. Spokane. Teammates Cameron Stewart and Tom Becker were both third, in the shot put and 1,600, respectively.
That added up to 22 points and a tie for fifth in the team race.
Just a medal, please
Riverside freshman Katie Prichard just wanted to bring home a medal from last weekend’s State 2A track and field championships.
She brought home four, including a state title in the 800 meters. Her 800 time of 2 minutes, 19.74 seconds was a personal best.
“I’m the happiest kid on earth,” said Prichard, who finished fifth in state cross country. “I knew I just had to stick with the upper crowd and sprint as fast as I could. Once I came around (the last) corner, I saw I was closer (to the finish) and that motivated me.”
She placed third in the 400, fourth in the 3,200 and anchored the Rams’ eighth-place 1,600 relay.
One last race
Lakeside seniors Trevor Blackwell, Trevor Smith and Perry Welch have run hundreds of races together through four years of cross country and track.
Friday’s 1,600 at the State 2A track meet in Cheney was probably their last.
Smith finished fourth, Welch was eighth and Blackwell didn’t place.
“That was our last mile ever,” Smith said. “It was real emotional.”
Smith is headed to the University of Montana to study political science, and he plans to walk on to the track team.
Welch, who is undecided about college, said the three teammates talked about their last race Thursday night.
“It’s been a fun four years,” Welch said. “We all wish we were going to college together. I can’t believe it. It’s over.”
Redheads
Jake Moug has colored his hair four times in the last few weeks.
The sophomore on Riverside’s soccer team experimented with red and burgundy.
His original color is light brown.
Moug and a couple other players were just the first Rams players to change their locks.
Every player had a new ‘do before the team left for the State 2A final four last weekend, where Riverside placed third in state.
Most went with red. Some chose bleached blond.
They said it was a team bonding thing.
And…
“Some of it was an intimidation factor,” said Moug, who was the team’s leading scorer with 35 goals. “They get tips that this player is good and come see warmups and everybody has the same hair color.”
Coach Kevin Moon dyed his hair red the night before Riverside’s state quarterfinal match at Grandview on May 22.
Some of the players’ parents did it, too.
Junior forward Kevin Hersom is now a blond. The red was too extreme for him.
“I have a football camp coming up and I didn’t want to look like an idiot,” he said.
Moon praised the work and dedication of his seniors. They are sweeper Sam Fleetwood, midfielder Jason Remington, defenders Brian Sandusky, and Kacey Ross and goalie Jereme Nelson.
Clarke takes off
St. George’s sophomore Samantha Clarke likes to get a fast start in her track events.
But she admits she probably went out too fast in the 3,200 at the State B track meet last weekend.
Clarke said the first three laps felt great, then she got a bad side ache and felt like she couldn’t breathe.
She has been bothered by side aches all season. She’s tried doing situps before races and eating certain foods.
It doesn’t help, she said.
The 3,200 was a new event for Clarke this season. Last year she did more sprints and relays.
“I did it this year to stay in better shape for cross country,” she said.
Clarke finished fourth in the 3,200 Friday and second in the 800 Saturday.
She also was second in the 800 at the 1998 meet.