Johns No. 2 In Long Jump

A-2/A-4 track and field

Kootenai High senior Scott Johns talked with his father before his final attempt in the long jump Friday morning at the State A-4 track and field championships.

“I asked my dad to help me and he did,” Johns said.

Johns proceeded to pull off his best jump - 20 feet, 3-1/4 inches - to take second in a sun-baked first day at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium.

Johns dedicated his silver medal to his father, who was killed two years ago in a logging accident.

“It meant a lot to me,” said Johns, who picked up his first state medal after qualifying for the state meet the past three years. “I looked up into the (stands) and Mom was smiling.”

Johns was sure his dad, Don, was smiling, too.

Johns was sitting in sixth place out of eight going into the final three jumps.

“I was awfully nervous,” Johns said. “I just calmed down and thought about my dad.”

Johns, who fought back tears as he talked about his father, went to state with the district’s third-best jump. His coach had him dreaming big. But Johns was more than satisfied with second.

No A-2 or A-4 athletes from the Panhandle collected gold medals on the opening day of the state meets that feature the bulk of the field events.

Running finals for A-2 athletes begin at 8 this morning, followed at about 11:45 by the A-3 and A-4 finals.

Defending high jump champ Wendy Vork of Kellogg finished third.

Vork, a senior, prevailed last year in a sudden-death jump-off.

Friday, she cleared 5-2 and thought she should have at least made 5-4. The winning jump was 5-6.

“On my last attempt, I slipped when I planted my jump foot and slid into the bar,” Vork said. “I didn’t really get off the ground.”

Vork still managed to smile, trying to disguise her disappointment.

“I think if I didn’t slip, I would have made 5-4,” Vork said. “I didn’t think I did as well as I could.”

Vork said she would have been satisfied not winning if she had done her best.

“I was expecting a lot more,” she said. “The most disappointing thing is this was probably my last day I’ll ever high jump.”

Bonners Ferry’s boys were wellrepresented in the 3,200. Senior Josh Sherven took third (9:53.72) and freshman Forest Braden was fifth (9:58.18).

Sherven was pleased with his first mile, but started to run out of steam with three laps left. He led most of the first five laps.

“I’ve never done well hanging back in the pack,” Sherven said. “I get thrown around too much in the pack. My best times have come when I’ve gone out early and pushed hard. That’s how I had to go out.”

Sherven will contend in the 1,600 today.

It was a disappointing day for Kellogg senior Brandon Neff. He took third in the long jump (21-0) and tied for sixth in the high jump (6-0).

“It just wasn’t my day, I guess,” Neff shrugged. “I couldn’t get my steps down in the high jump.”

Priest River sophomore Tambi Cork took second in the discus, uncorking a throw of 122-1. Orofino’s Piper Hope won with a throw of 128-8. Kim Carey of Bonners Ferry took fourth (114-11).

Kellogg junior Heather Hoeck, who will be in the 100 and 200 finals today, took third in the long jump (16-5-3/4). Lakeland freshman Stacy Douglas (16-3-1/4) was sixth.

Levi Cushman of Lakeland took third in the discus (158-6). Ryan Mann of Kellogg took fourth in the pole vault (13-0).

In A-4, Clark Fork’s George Klontz gained medals in two events. He was third in the shot put (46-3-1/2) and fifth in the discus (126-2).