Buchanan, Roberts Shine At Pasco

The Pasco Invitational track meet is a mid-season indicator for local high school athletes learning to find where they fit statewide.

Last Saturday, University’s Anthony Buchanan continued to move up on state all-time lists with victories there and CV’s Emily Roberts became the state’s best-ever female prep pole vaulter.

Buchanan’s 10.44-second 100 meter time ties for seventh best and was nearly a full second faster than he had run before.

A week earlier he had run, unofficially, the fastest 200 meter time (20.7) in state history.

Buchanan won the 200 in Pasco in 21.69, just .02 off his previous official best. U-Hi teammates Max Schmidt had a personal record 4:16.7 1,600 for second place and won the 3,200 at 9:31.5, and sophomore Tyson Byers was fourth at 14-foot-3 in the pole vault. On Monday, Byers upped his personal record to 15 feet.

Their efforts helped the Titans finish second, 53-51 behind Davis of Yakima.

Other Valley placers included East Valley’s Blake Horgan, who won the shot put with a 57-7-1/4 toss. It was nearly three feet farther than he had done before.

West Valley high jumper Dan Ferguson, in a personal record 6-6, placed second, ahead of EV’s Andrew Burgess, who duplicated the height.

Central Valley’s 1,600 relay team finished eighth in 3:26.44.

During girls competition, Roberts set a state record of 11-feet-4 in the pole vault and CV teammate Amy Nickerson finished second in the long jump, nearing her personal best with a 17-4-1/4 leap. Heather Harding placed in both the shot put and discus.

University had 16 points, finishing third in the 1,600 relay at 4:04.58, while Kati Morton in the open 400, Heidi Bunkowske at 47.11 in the 300 hurdles and Alli Russell in the long jump, all placed.

WV placers were Shannon Groh at 131-5 in the discus, Sara Biesen at 5-2 in the high jump and Jenny Gregorak in the pole vault.

Eagle softball recharged

It’s been an uncharacteristic year for a team accustomed to playing in the post-season.

West Valley’s softball team has been struggling to find an identity and needed to discover it in a hurry with four games on tap this week.

“Usually by this time of the year you know who your players are,” said coach Steve Kent. “But I’ve had to make changes.”

When centerfielder CC McIntyre broke a collar bone, her absence altered outfield chemistry. It was the third break this year for the sophomore athlete, the others having come during soccer and while snowboarding.

Three-year starting catcher Kristy Alberts has played hurt enabling opponents to steal on WV.

But on Monday, the Eagles had a huge 3-1 victory over previously unbeaten Coeur d’Alene. And Tuesday the Eagles won 3-1 in Clarkston. Yesterday in a doubleheader with Cheney WV needed at least one win in order to move into playoff position.

“I refuse to believe we can’t be a good softball team,” said Kent. “There’s no doubt we’re filling a couple of holes, but we have the ability to be good.”

Valley Christian full steam ahead

The way Valley Christian track coach Linda Lanker has it figured, only seven hurdlers have run under 15 seconds so far this spring.

Two of them are Panthers.

Jared Evans and Jayvan Eberle both did so last Saturday while finishing one-two at the Freeman Invitational.

They traded places during sub-41-second 300 hurdles times accounting for 32 of Valley Christian’s 88-1/2 meet winning points.

Jeremy Hopson sprinted to the 100 meter title and to a pair of thirds for 22 more points. Steve Goering placed in the 800 and 1,600 for 12 points and the 400 relay won.

The meet included athletes from Central Valley, West Valley and East Valley.

“It was good to see where we compare against bigger schools,” said Lanker. “I’m so excited for these kids, they’re doing awesome.”

Other notable efforts during the meet were by Freeman’s Reid Carrell who finished second in a virtual dead-heat in the 3,200 at 10:20.1. WV sophomores Mike Schram reached 49-7-3/4 in the shot put and 131-9 in the discus, and Luke Brosvik cleared 13-feet in the pole vault.

Valley Christian finished third and Freeman was fourth during the girls meet.

The Panthers won all three relays and are still not at full strength. Scotties Laura Halverson won all three distance races and Anna-lisa Foster was second and third in the sprints.

WV sophomore Jill Vermeers cleared 4-11 to win the high jump by an inch over Valley Christian’s Tiffany Drozdov.

Liberty Cup results

Reiko Takamori was overall low net winner in the April Liberty Cup playoff.

The Liberty Lake Ladies 18-Hole golfer finished at 74 to claim monthly honors.

Low putts during the day went to Billie Etter and Jean Hatcher with 33 in A flight.

Ets Yamada, Nancy Montheith, Jean Fulks, Connie Hatfield and Carol Schultz had 35 in B flight.

Dorothy Womach and Myrna Neubauer took just 32 in C flight and Mary Gehrman and Jan Hussey had 34 in D.