Defending champ disappointed in 2nd

PASCO – Kayla Mainer sat on the bench, head bowed and buried in the sweatshirt she held, oblivious to the chilly wind.

Long after Liberty-Issaquah sophomore Kara Bennett handled her interviews, an official cleaning up the high jump area knelt down and talked to Mainer. After that failed to console her, West Valley classmate Jared Jeffreys sat down and Mainer leaned on him.

Nothing Jeffreys said seemed to help and her eyes were red when she finally looked up.

Red, she said, because she finished second, not the finality of the day.

“Basically, it’s just about finishing second, and, well, I guess the fact I’m a senior and I didn’t live up to my expectations,” said Mainer.

Mainer had hoped to defend her State 3A title, but she fell short on a quiet day for Greater Spokane League athletes at Edgar Brown Stadium, despite clearing 5-feet, 6-inches on Friday, an inch better than she went last year.

“She was one of four of us girls who went 5-7 this year,” said Mainer of Bennett. “She went 5-7 at regional so I knew I had to step up.”

Mainer did, jumping flawlessly until she was in the medals for the fourth time. And when she started missing, they were oh so close, including her second attempt at 5-7.

“I did win on misses last year,” Mainer said. “This year she made 5-6 on her first jump and I made it on my second. That’s the one I needed, usually (5-6) that’s my golden jump.”

Mainer was fourth as a freshman and fifth as a sophomore.

“I wasn’t exactly counting on repeating, but I guess it’s my competitive blood,” she said, adding a big sigh. “I didn’t take advantage of my 5-6 jump like I needed.”

She also placed eighth in the long jump, an event she added a month ago.

Another West Valley newcomer also medaled – Jeffreys.

Jeffreys finished one spot lower than Mainer, and he was happy about it. Of course, it’s not every first-year senior javelin thrower who ends up third at state.

“I am happy, but it bothered me that second place was 173-10 because I could have beaten that,” said Jeffreys, who threw 171-5. “I wish I would have been doing this for years. I played baseball and I was more into basketball. I came out and thought it would be fun, not too much pressure. It ended up I could throw the javelin. Now I hope to throw it in college.”