Iel Track
Coeur d’Alene Vikings
Coach: Sean Dorris
Top returners: Boys - Brian Babcock, junior, throws; Paul Ziegler, jr., sprints/relays; Cody Shirley, senior, pole vault; Chris Vails, sr., distances; Travis Newby, jr., distances; Ken Kelly, jr., sprints; A.J. Ballensky, sr., sprints/relays. Girls - Janee Andre, sr., long jump/sprints; Brenna Giesen, sophomore, distances; Katie Ziegler, soph., long jump/sprints.
Top newcomers: Boys - Chris Goodwin, soph., long jump/middle sprints; Brandon Harrison, jr., throws; Robert Findley, sr., high jump; Sam Conley, sr., jumps. Girls - Eric Unruh, freshman, distances; Katie Jo Shirley, sr., high jump/hurdles; Holly Grant, jr., distances.
Outlook: Dorris, defensive coordinator for the football team, has just about every football player who wasn’t involved in another spring sport. CdA’s boys should be among four teams contending for the regional title. Babcock will contend for the state title in the shot. Andre leads a shorthanded girls team. She’ll be out to repeat in the long jump.
Lake City Timberwolves
Coach: Donna Messenger
Top returners: Boys - Doug Blaty, jr., sprints/ relays; Pete Hamill, sr., sprints/relays; Nagib Magee, sr., sprints/relays; Trevor Knight, sr., distances; Sam Thilo, jr., jumps; Kevin Hamelin, jr., jumps; Colin Jenkins, sr., jumps; Ben McKenna, jr., jumps/sprints; Brett Wright, sr., sprints; Brian Scharenberg, sr., throws; Luke Anderson, jr., throws. Girls - Carly Smith, sr., pole vault/ hurdles/relays; Mikhaela Euler, jr., hurdles/jumps; Tama Theard, jr., pole vault; Amanda Hall, sr., middle distances; Rachael Bates, soph., distances; Lindsey Barber, soph., distances; Jamie Libera, soph., sprints/middle distances; Carly Knight, jr., jumps; Lindsey Van Hoose, jr., sprints/relays; Jesi Metz, soph., sprints; Sharon Finney, soph., sprints.
Top newcomers: Boys - Shaun Chilton, soph., sprints. Girls - Brianna Duncan, frosh., high jump/ sprints; Sarah Deitienne, jr., sprints; Ashley Troxel, soph., hurdles/distances.
Outlook: The Timberwolves boys and girls will be out to defend regional championships. The boys will have the most difficult task of repeating. Blaty and Hamill will be among the top sprinters and anchor a couple of relays. Smith will be seeking to repeat in the pole vault at state. LC’s girls will have to rely on depth to repeat at regionals.
Lewiston Bengals
Coach: Wade Hillman
Top returners: Boys - Mike Anderson, jr., sprints/relays; Colin Jasper, sr., sprints/relays; Matt Reineke, soph., sprints/relays; Sam Church, sr., pole vault; Andy Forth, sr., jumps; Jake Leachman, jr., throws. Girls - Hallie Warnock, sr., distances; Mandi Jordan, sr., jumps; Rachel Allen, sr., pole vault; Kami Ellis, soph., sprints/relays; Kellyn Kinyon, soph., sprints/relays; Mary Beth Spencer, sr., sprints/discus.
Top newcomers: Boys - Jeremiah Johnson, sr., throws/sprints; Tony Osborn, sr., hurdles; Mike Gower, jr., sprints/relays; Matt Gower, jr., sprints/ relays; James McCall, jr., jumps; Sean Penbertly, jr., pole vault; Nick Bradley, soph., distances. Girls - Emily Benson, soph., hurdles.
Outlook: The Bengals boys probably would be favored to win the regional crown with a healthy Mike Rogers. But Rogers suffered a spiral fracture in his leg in a state football playoff game and hasn’t been cleared by his doctor to run. He could return late. Lewiston’s girls are lacking numbers to contend.
Moscow Bears
Coaches: Jaxon Schweikert, Angela Stark
Top returners: Boys - Darnell Williams, jr., sprints/high jump; Jeff Patten, jr., triple jump/ sprints; Nate Page, soph., sprints; Eric Sprenger, soph., sprints; Brandon Richards, jr., pole vault; Shawn Jordan, sr., pole vault; Steve Lathen, jr., pole vault. Girls - Emily Bennett, soph., sprints/ hurdles; Jenny Liou, sr., distances; Chelsea Zenner, soph., relays; Sarah Plummer, sr., relays; Brenda Robinson, jr., throws.
Top newcomers: Boys - Todd Drage, sr., throws; Beau Babb, frosh., sprints; Max Tang, jr., long jump. Girls - Melissa Pharr, frosh., relays; Maura McGreevy, frosh. relays; Eija Hodgin, frosh., relays/triple jump.
Outlook: Neither the boys nor girls will challenge for regional titles. But the Bears have several standout individuals. Leading the way is Liou, who has elected to graduate a year early and has signed to continue her career at the UC Irvine. She’ll challenge for state titles in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Post Falls Trojans
Coach: Wade Quesnell
Top returners: Boys - Dan Agte, jr., throws; Quinn Davis, sr., middle distances; Tim Davisson, jr., throws; Jon Garrett, sr., sprints/relays; Kyle Hutchison, jr., jumps/relays; Steve Ward, soph., hurdles/relays; Kasey Ziegler, sr., pole vault; Ethan Anyan, soph., distances; Jeff Johnson, sr., sprints/ relays. Girls - Bridgette Alderton, sr., sprints/ relays; Nicolle Clutter, jr., distances; Carmi Eberle, sr., sprints/relays/jumps; Carrisa McArthur, soph., sprints/relays; Tawny Moore, jr., jumps/sprints/ relays; Carrie Paulitz, jr., distances; Tiffany Moate, sr., distances; Kendall Thornley, jr., throws; Trisha Wagner, jr., pole vault/sprints.
Top newcomers: Boys - Steve Freeman, jr., pole vault; Kelly Lightner, jr., relays; Michael Waltz, frosh., throws. Girls - Ada Arnold, soph., sprints/ relays; Katy Ridenour, frosh., jumps; Cristina Hawks, soph., hurdles/relays; Cindy Holland, sr., relays; Sara Worden, frosh., jumps/hurdles; Esther Peterson, jr., throws.
Outlook: When it comes to sandbagging, Quesnell is second only to Lewiston’s Wade Hillman. So when Quesnell says his boys are lacking depth he’s accurate, but that doesn’t mean they won’t contend for a regional crown. The Trojans girls finished second at the Lewiston Invitational last weekend, so that is an indication they will challenge for the regional title. No likely state champs here, but several medal contenders.
Sandpoint Bulldogs
Coach: Matt Perry
Top returners: Boys - J.C. Davault, jr., hurdles/ relays; Randy Dosher, sr., pole vault; Chris Love, jr., jumps/pole vault; Isaac Zentner, jr., distances. Girls - Stacy Bolstad, sr., sprints/hurdles; Patricia Thom, jr., pole vault; Holli Gaston, jr., hurdles/ relays; Amanda Burcham, jr., distances; Michelle Reina, jr., distances.
Top newcomers: Boys - Brad Lang, frosh., sprints/relays; Phillip Opplinger, soph., distances. Girls - Laissa Spade, frosh., sprints/relays; Mikala Gutierez, frosh., hurdles/sprints.
Outlook: The boys could be competitive by season’s end, but that most likely won’t occur until next year. Bolstad will contend for three state titles and perhaps four. Her points alone will put Sandpoint in contention at regionals.
This sidebar appeared with the story:
Athletes to watch
Jenny Liou, senior, distances, Moscow
Carly Smith, senior, pole vault/hurdles, Lake City
Janee Andre, senior, long jump/sprints, Coeur d’Alene
Brian Babcock, junior, throws, Coeur d’Alene
Doug Blaty, junior, sprints, Lake City
Stacy Bolstad, senior, sprints/hurdles, Sandpoint
Mike Anderson, junior, sprints/relays, Lewiston
Nicolle Clutter, junior, distances, Post Falls
J.C. Davault, junior, hurdles/relays, Sandpoint