Idaho 4A track
Lakeland Hawks
Coach: Lee Libera
Top returners: Boys – Kam Kiefer, senior, pole vault/relays; Ian Kelsey, junior, hurdles/jumps; Chase Roberts, sophomore, hurdles/sprints; Casey Asher, jr., sprints/relays; Tyler Beck, jr., sprints/relays; Ben Eachon, sr., jumps; Morgan Gugino, jr., sprints/relays; Ross Heitstuman, soph., jumps/throws; Todd Underhill, jr., sprints/relays. Girls – Tyla Huff, sr., hurdles/relays; Tianne Darnell, jr., jumps/relays; Ashley Beck, sr., jumps/relays; Cassie Duncan, sr., hurdles; Brigitte Boucher, jr., throws; Brianne Walt, soph., sprints/relays; Mindy Meyer, sr., sprints/relays; Meghan Corsi, jr., sprints/relays; Marissa Duncan, soph., hurdles; Kayla Heibert, jr., jumps; Tasha Winn, sr., throws.
Top newcomers: Boys – Behren Aydt, jr., sprints; Matt Bethke, sr., sprints; Dylan Cloyd, freshman, sprints; Sam Frank, fr., distances; Shawn Heibert, fr., sprints; Scott Underdahl, soph., middle distances. Girls – Kayla Bobzien, fr., hurdles/jumps; Amanda Findley, fr., throws/sprints; Melissa Phillips, fr., sprints; Meghan Zeferjohn, soph., sprints.
Outlook: Lakeland, a traditional power in the 3A Intermountain League, will be competitive immediately in 4A. But the Hawks lack the proven depth to challenge for regional team titles. Kiefer, who is recovering from an injured shoulder suffered in basketball, took second at state in the pole vault.
Moscow Bears
Coach: Dean Walker
Top returners: Boys – Steven Potratz, sr., distances; Kyle Foiles, sr., throws; John Mosman, sr., hurdles/sprints; Leif Colson, sr., pv; Nick Smith, sr., distances; Ryan Helbling, sr., throws; Brian Veseth, jr., distances/pv; Mitch McGreedy, jr., distances; Phil Helbling, jr., sprints/relays; Mitch Odom, jr., pv; Kyle Miller, jr., distances; Michael Atkinson, soph., distances; Beau Mosman, soph., hurdles; Nash Ricci, soph., distances; Steven Farr, soph., distances. Girls – Amy Berglund, sr., pv; Stefani Patten, sr., sprints/relays; Maria Foreman, sr., distances; Allix Lee-Painter, sr., distances; Rachael Toldness, sr., distances; Brenda Bowles, sr., throws; Kelsey Taylor, jr., throws; Kelly Scott, jr., jumps/throws; Molli Lee-Painter, jr., distances; Meredith Dolny, jr., sprints/hurdles; Kaleigh Roberts, jr., lj/throws; Kaiya Ward, jr., sprints/relays; Tanna Christopher, jr., sprints/relays; Kally Wilson, soph., sprints/relays.
Top newcomers: Boys – Nick Button, sr., sprints; Reid Thol, jr., jumps/sprints; Troy Johnson, sr., jumps/relays. Girls – Sarah Kibuuka, sr., sprints/jumps; Adriana Foreman, fr., distances.
Outlook: Moscow’s girls, the defending regional champs, and the boys will challenge for regional titles. A solid distance crew will lead the boys, while the girls will be powered by Taylor, who was a state runner-up in the shot and discus, and Allix Lee-Painter, who will challenge for gold in the distances. Walker, head cross country coach the past five years, begins first year as head coach in track.
Post Falls Trojans
Coach: Wade Quesnell
Top returners: Boys – Nick Mehalechko, jr., sprints/relays; K.C. Billetz, sr., jumps; Ben Denn, jr., sprints/relays; Shawn Phillips, sr., sprints/relays; Casey Schooley, jr., pv/relays; Ben Behrends, jr., distances; Seth Hyde, jr., distances; Steven Hudec, soph., middle distances; Jesse Affeldt, sr., distances; Brad Reynolds, soph., hurdles; Kyle Neal, sr., throws; Vinny Hell, jr., throws. Girls – Dana Werner, soph., hurdles/sprints; Heather Koepl, jr., sprints/relays; Shawna Horn, sr., sprints/relays; Circe Cansino, soph., sprints/jumps; Leslie Pulley, sr., pv/relays; Melissa McFadden, jr., distances; Cassi Burnett, sr., throws; Collette Kirby, jr., pv; Michelle Baldwin, sr., distances; Hollyann Stutheit, jr., jumps; Riki Moreland, soph., jumps.
Top newcomers: Boys – Andy Hoffman, jr., hurdles; Randy Weaser, soph., sprints; Ben Steckmen, soph., middle distances; Bryce Derrickson, fr., sprints/jumps; Kyle Turpin, jr., jumps. Girls – Erin Liberatore, fr., sprints/relays; Mallory O’Brien, jr., sprints/relays; Michelle Allen, fr., jumps.
Outlook: Post Falls’ boys edged Sandpoint by a point to capture a regional title last year. The Trojans, who must find some sprinters to team with Mehalechko, will challenge but can’t be called the favorites. Billetz is back after earning state medals in the triple jump, long jump and high jumps. Schooley took second in the pole vault. The girls have the best chance at winning a regional title in what should be a three-team race with Moscow and Sandpoint. Pulley, second a year ago in the pole vault, will challenge for a state title.
Sandpoint Bulldogs
Coach: Dave DeMers
Top returners: Boys – Blake Mahler, sr., hurdles/relays; Eric DeMers, sr., jumps/relays; Charlie Hirning, jr., jumps; Sean Lissy, sr., throws; Dustin Hoogland, sr., pv; Dan Parrish, sr., sprints/relays; Sheldon Cramer, jr., throws; Brian Resso, sr., throws; Chris Hawkins, sr., middle distances/relays; Chad Hecker, jr., sprints/relays; Cody Kritzeck, sr., distances. Girls – Courtney Adams, jr., hurdles/relays; Katie Adams, soph., hurdles/relays; Chanel Garcia, soph., jumps/relays; Krista Babin, soph., relays/jumps; Amber Phillips, sr., throws.
Top newcomers: Boys – Erik Stoll, jr., jumps/relays. Girls – Brooke DeMers, fr., jumps/relays; Caitlyn Free, sr., throws.
Outlook: Sandpoint’s boys, who earned a trophy for finishing fourth at state last year, will contend for a regional title behind state medalists Hirning, DeMers and Lissy and a core of sprinters. The Bulldogs girls will have to score a lot of points on the track to offset their lack of proven quality in the field events.