Tigers’ Hagney Boosts Pace

Thu., Oct. 21, 1999

By Janie McCauley janiem@spokesman.com

It always takes some time for Alana Hagney to build up her endurance and start running to her potential.

“It pays off in the end,” the Lewis and Clark junior said after placing second in a Greater Spokane League meet at Manito Park Oct. 13.

Her personal-best finish of 21 minutes, 16 seconds on the 3.1-mile Manito course helped the Tigers to their first team victory over Mead as far back as 10th-year coach Wes Marburger can remember.

Hagney said she is just beginning to peak. And her timing is pretty good. The regional meet is Oct. 30 at Hangman Valley Golf Course.

The course at Hangman is comparable to the one at Manito, with plenty of hills.

That’s fine with Hagney. The Manito race is one of her favorites. LC often trains in the park.

“I know it and I just like this park,” she said. “It’s better than running in a field somewhere.”

Hagney finished in the middle of the pack at last year’s State 4A meet in Pasco. She’s hoping to do much better at the Nov. 6 meet this season. The top four teams from region and any individuals among the top 20 who didn’t qualify on a team advance to state.

“Every race I’m quicker and gaining confidence,” Hagney said.

“She’s cruising,” said Marburger. “She’s really excited for regionals and the challenge of qualifying (for state) as an individual.”

Marburger called his team’s 24-31 win over Mead a “steppingstone.”

“It’s one day,” he said. “I do celebrate that, but I guess our sights are on regionals right now.”

Ice plans on confidence

Ferris junior Andrew Ice said his second-place finish at the Oct. 13 Manito meet was one of the worst races of his life.

“I just didn’t have any zip to me, any go,” Ice said. “But it’s just one race.”

Mead’s Chris Fayant had plenty of zip. He defeated Ice for the first time, with a winning time of 16:41 that was 16 seconds ahead of Ice.

“He had a great race,” Ice said. “He surged away from me right before the two-mile mark, and I didn’t go with him.”

Ice isn’t concerned. He’s a strong hill runner and says he will be confident heading into regionals at Hangman. He placed seventh at region in 1998 and 15th at state.

“Regionals were there my freshman year, and I ran pretty well,” he said.

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