One For The Books Buchanan Clocks 21.13 In 4A Regional 200

Now is the time to split hairs. That’s how fast Anthony Buchanan is.

The University senior speedster scorched the track at Edgar Brown Stadium to the tune of 21.13 seconds for 200 meters on a blazing Saturday afternoon to highlight the traditionally spectacular Eastern Regional 4A track meet.

“I thought I finished strong,” Buchanan said. “The corner was a little shaky … but I felt strong.”

Buchanan’s time is technically No. 3 on Washington’s all-time high school list. Ja’Warren Hooker of Ellensburg ran 21.02 and 21.08 in a national championship meet after he graduated. A runner is considered a high school athlete until college starts in the fall.

“I ran against Hooker,” Buchanan said. “He was such a strong runner. I just wanted to get better until I could improve on his records. It will probably hit me later. I’m just hot and tired and I need to take a shower.”

A poor start in the 100 kept Buchanan from challenging Hooker’s best and his own regional record, but not from winning. Plus, he has at least one more week. The top four in each event qualified for the State 4A meet in Tacoma next weekend.

Buchanan set a regional record Friday in the 100 preliminaries (10.45 seconds) and ran 10.49 Saturday. Hooker’s best is 10.27, Buchanan’s is 10.36.

“I can (get it),” Buchanan said. “I just haven’t put together a complete race in the 100. I’ve been consistent in times but I need to put a complete race together.”

Getting to state is always the key. The Eastern Regional produced five state champion boys teams in its first six years, including a three-team sweep last year as U-Hi won its second straight title.

In reverse order of last year’s state finish, Shadle Park, Davis and U-Hi topped the regional. The GSL earned 39 of 68 berths plus had one runner meet the state qualifying standard in the 1,600 and won 12 of 17 events.

Once again the Big Nine dominated the girls meet with 46 of 72 state spots and 13 of 18 titles. Eisenhower easily won the regional title and appears poised to be the third consecutive Big Nine team to win a state title. East teams have three titles in the six years since the regional started and last year also had the top three teams.

Regional highlights included Pasco’s Bree Skinner sweeping the three sprints and rallying the Bulldogs in the 1,600 relay. Kamiakin’s Rene Wageman won the 800 in 2:09.99, the fastest ever by a Washington junior, the first sub-2:10 since ‘92 and the third-fastest in the nation this year.

Boys

Led by John McKinnon’s sweep in the hurdles, GSL runners won all but one open race and the two relays.

McKinnon of Lewis and Clark won the 110-high hurdles with a personal record (14.73) and the 300 intermediates (38.80). GSL hurdlers earned six of eight state berths.

Cameron Summers of Central Valley won the high jump (6 feet, 6 inches) but he may have been happier after the triple jump. On his last attempt he went 44-1-1/2 to break a tie for fourth. He was losing the tiebreaker by an inch, the same distance by which he missed qualifying for state as a freshman and junior.

“They both feel good but it feels really good to finally make it in the triple jump,” said Summers, who had both events going at the same time.

“When I cleared 6-4 on my first attempt I knew I was finally going to state… . I just didn’t want to be disappointed in the triple jump, I didn’t want it to be an inch that kept me from state again.”

The strangest race was the 3,200, where Shadle Park’s Michael Kiter won in 9:16.77. State leader Cameron Schwehr of Mt. Spokane, who set a state sophomore record last week, faded to seventh in the heat. Kiter, University’s Max Schmidt and Ferris’ Andrew Ice qualified for both long races, as did Dan Topping of Kamiakin, the first Tri-Cities distance runner to make state since regionals started.

Other winners included Gonzaga Prep’s Matt Blaine in the 800 (1:54.59) and Mt. Spokane’s Cameron Stewart in the discus (169-3).

Girls

CV’s Heather Harding added the shot put (41-3-1/2) to her earlier discus title to become the GSL’s only double winner and lead the Bears to second with 69 points.

CV’s Emily Roberts matched her regional pole vault record at 11-0.

The GSL’s other two winners were triple jumper Katie Schurra of Shadle Park (37-2-1/2) and Carly Barnes of Gonzaga Prep in the 1,600 (5:05.78).

Barnes’ time was impressive with the heat and was just a second short of her win in last month’s Pasco Invitational. However, it may have taken a toll as CV’s Wendy Wager passed her down the stretch to take the fourth berth in the 800. But even with a 15-second cushion over fifth place in the 1,600, she had no regrets.

“I didn’t want to have to worry,” she said. “Either way I would have been tired going into the 800. There is so much competition in the 800 and the mile is my best event, I just wanted to see what I could do and whatever I had left in the 800 is fine. I’m not too disappointed. I’m happy for Wendy.”