Track Athletes Overcome Rain

Perhaps the best thing that can be said about the first Timberlake Invitational track meet is the athletes overcame intermittent showers Saturday.

And they didn’t have to break out life preservers after nearly two days of steady rain. Most other activities around the region were postponed because of unplayable conditions.

Track meets rarely succumb to weather, though. For that alone all of the participants should be applauded.

While most times and marks were nothing to brag about, a handful of athletes stood out at Van Tuinstra Memorial Field.

Bonners Ferry’s boys scored points in 17 of 18 events - multiple points in eight of 14 individual events - to breeze to the team championship with 146. Wallace was a distant second with 89.

The Kootenai girls of the A-4 North Star League pulled off its first significant invitational title in recent memory, posting 91 points on the strength of middle distances and relays. Kellogg was second with 84 and Bonners Ferry third with 82.

The Timberlake meet replaced the traditional Kellogg Invitational at least for this year. Timberlake plans to host a similar invite next year while Kellogg plans to renew its meet after it refurbishes a track sorely in need of repair.

Bonners Ferry thrower Dirk Bortz took the discus with a personal-best toss of 152 feet, 2 inches - an inch shy of the best throw in North Idaho.

Badgers teammates Forest Braden and Andy Rice each doubled their pleasure. Braden posted wins in the 1,600 (4:49.25) and 3,200 (10:15) and Rice had victories in the triple jump (40-8) and high jump (5-10).

“With the weather, we kind of set it up to run for points and not for time,” Bonners Ferry coach Travis Hinthorn said.

Wallace sprinter Zach Penney was a three-event winner. He took the 200 (23.15) and 400 (51.63) and ran a decisive third leg on the victorious 400 relay (45.97).

Penney and teammate Craig Zanetti ran on Wallace’s state title 400 relay last year.

St. Maries’ Mica Kunkel won the 800 (2:02.22) and ran anchor legs on the winning medley (3:56.07) and 1,600 (3:49.35) relays.

Eight of Kootenai’s 10-member girls team scored points.

Tana Dooney led the way, winning the 800 (2:31.26) and 1,600 (5:55.39) and assisting the 1,600 relay (4:32.23).

Kootenai’s Tess Collins won the 400 (1:04.83) and ran on two winning relays - the 800 (1:57.9) and 1,600.

Joining Collins on the 800 were Dooney’s sister, Katy, Sarah Andersen and Katrina Weidmer; the Dooneys and Weidmer were the other legs on the 1,600; and Andersen teamed with Leah Kincheloe, Sarah Johns and Brenda Stephenson for victory in the medley relay (2:08).

As Kootenai coach Shannon LaFountaine held the title trophy and talked with reporters, most of her girls stood nearby waiting to touch the hardware and celebrate.

“I knew we should do well, but I was surprised by first place with all the awful weather,” said LaFountaine, whose girls hope to defend their District I-II title next month. “We had some girls step up today and have some PRs. There were some nice surprises today.”

Although no such award was handed out, Kellogg’s Heather Hoeck was perhaps the athlete of the meet. She posted three individual titles - 100 (12.88), 200 (26.63) and long jump (15-6) - and carried the Wildcats to victory in the 400 relay (56.31) with a speedy final leg.

Her sprint times were season bests. Her winning vault in the long jump came on her first attempt, and she conserved energy for the 200 by not taking any jumps in the finals.

“I was really sore and tired and I wanted to get a PR in the 200,” Hoeck said. “Considering the weather I think I ran really well.”

Sandpoint sprint standout Stacy Bolstad led the Bulldogs to the girls A title at the Inland Empire Invitational in Moscow.

Sandpoint piled up 135 points to top runner-up Post Falls (114). In the A boys meet, Lewiston tallied 156 to Post Falls’ 110, Moscow’s 107 and Sandpoint’s 101.

In the B boys meet, Priest River posted 121 and Orofino finished second (103). The order was reversed in the B girls as Orofino, on the strength of its throwers and distance runners, scored 109 to Priest River’s 95.

Bolstad captured firsts in the 100 (12.8), 400 (1:01.1) and 100 hurdles (16.5). She also anchored the winning 1,600 relay (4:18.8, a North Idaho best).

Post Falls’ long-distance ace Nicolle Clutter won the 1,600 (5:58.5) and 3,200 (12:33.1).

Doug Cash led Priest River’s boys with firsts in the shot put (50-10-1/2) and discus (138-6-1/2).

Lake City’s Carly Smith became the first Timberwolf in the school’s six-year history to place at the prestigious Pasco Invitational.

Smith vaulted a season-best 10 feet, 3 inches to place fourth in the pole vault. Emily Roberts of Central Valley won, leaping a Washington state record 11-4.

Brian Babcock of Coeur d’Alene also placed. He finished fifth in the shot put with a toss of 52-8-1/2 - a personal best by 2-1/2 inches.