East Valley Throwers Make State

3A regional track

East Valley threw its weight around during the abbreviated first day of the 3A Eastern regional track meet at Eastern Washington University’s Woodward Stadium.

On an evening of personal bests, the Knights advanced four throwers, including both shot put winners, to Star Track XVII in Tacoma.

Rachelle Schultz set a school record at 41-4-1/2 in the girls shot and Blake Horgan reached a personal record 54-3 in the boys event.

Joining them at next week’s state meet will be boys shot putter Mike Mertens and javelin thrower Britanny Hauser, also with their best-ever throws.

EV distance runner Melanie Frostad advanced in the 3,200 meters and West Valley javelin thrower Corde Kurtz also qualified for state.

Six of 35 events were contested with the top three finishers advancing to state. Mid-Valley athletes had a 10-to-8 state qualifying edge.

The meet concludes today, beginning at 3:30 p.m. with the boys pole vault.

Remaining field events start an hour later and the running events begin at 5:30.

Girls

Last year Schultz, a first-year thrower, would slip out of practice and buy Slurpies.

This year she hung around and improved her shot put distance by nearly 7 feet.

“You know what she threw in this meet last year?” said coach Glenn Gunderson. “It was 30-feet-11.”

She was 14 inches better than her previous best this year and wiped out a 15-year-old school record and the memory of last year’s sub-par effort.

“I’m still mad I didn’t get 42-feet,” said Schultz, “but I’m excited. I know I can throw farther.”

Clarkston’s Lanae Robeson was third in the shot put.

Knight Hauser threw a personal best 130-0 for second in the javelin behind Ellensburg’s Stephanie Ulmer whose personal best of 142-5 won the event.

Things didn’t go as well for EV’s distance runners.

Although Frostad timed 11:47.45 for third, her twin sister Melissa fell and injured a knee and Korinda Godwin missed state when Selah’s Sarah Becker sprinted past two Knights in the final straight.

WV-Yakima’s Sarah Connell, who forced the pace from the outset, was the winner.

Boys

EV’s Horgan was late to the sport this year because of knee surgery.

But last week he exploded for a 53-1/2 district throw and he bettered that on his first regional throw.

“I kind of surprised myself,” he said. “My coach thinks I can throw 55 or 56 feet at state. I’m just happy to be there.”

So, too, is Mertens who bombed a 2-foot PR 51-11 on his final throw for third place.

“I don’t know why,” he said. “I just got it all.”

West Valley’s Kurtz didn’t get it all, but got enough at 189-0 to finish second behind 210-6 thrower Jarrod Gibbons of Prosser. Clarkston’s Nathan Cummings placed third. Prep track Region IV 4A Championships at Central Valley, 5 p.m. Region IV 3A Championships at EWU, 6 p.m. District 7 2A Championships at Riverside, 2 p.m. District 7 B Championships at Whitworth, 11 a.m. District 9 B Championships at WSU, 1 p.m.