Idaho 5A track

Coeur d’Alene Vikings

Coach: Tim Burnside

Top returners: Boys – Gabe Le, senior, sprints/relays; Kevin Ah-Hi, junior, sprints/relays; Lucas Pope, jr., hurdles/pole vault; Scott McNiell, sr., throws; Michael Armon, sophomore, distances; Ian Wright, sr., sprints/relays; Jake Rhodes, soph., relays/sprints. Girls – Krissy McCoy, jr., pv/relays; Katie Woodard, sr., throws; Kristin Palmer, jr., distances; Whitney Pfeifer, sr., distances; Anna Stone, soph., distances; Sadie Lee, sr., distances.

Top newcomers: Boys – Matt Conger, freshman, jumps; Jason Waring, fr., jumps; Jordan Noble, soph., throws. Girls – Chelsea Lawhead, fr., sprints/relays; Natalie Keith, fr., sprints/relays; Chelsea Camarata, fr., throws; Sara McHugh, fr., jumps.

Outlook: The Coeur d’Alene boys’ hopes of knocking off perennial regional power Lewiston will ride on the legs of a speedy sprint crew and distance ace Michael Armon, who captured a state title in cross country last fall. Armon will contend for a state title in the 3,200 after placing second a year ago. He should also medal in the 1,600 – his least-favorite distance race. The Vikings girls will be much improved, but lack the depth to knock off Lake City.

Lake City Timberwolves

Coach: Kelly Reed

Top returners: Boys – Chris Delport, jr., sprints/relays; Tab Bryntesen, sr., middle distances/relays; Luke Bryan, jr., distances; Robert Glasson, jr., distances/relays; Kyle Ferebee, jr., sprints/relays; J.D. Wood, sr., hurdles; Garrett Arnold, sr., sprints/relays; Pat VanHoose, jr., jumps; Colin Livingston, jr., distances. Girls – Breanna Sande, sr., distances/relays; Brenda Finney, sr., hurdles/relays; Holly Meyer, sr., hurdles/relays; Caila Latina, sr., throws; Melanie Allen, sr., pv; Kristi Holte, jr., jumps/relays; Jamie Tart, jr., throws; Melissa Mitchell, soph., distances; Brenna Lawson, soph., jumps; Arica Johnson, soph., hurdles/relays.

Top newcomers: Boys – Brandon Hanna, soph., sprints/relays; Trevor Pierce, sr., sprints/relays; D.J. Palmer, fr., sprints/jumps. Girls – Holly Siebert, fr., sprints/relays; Ciara Kremer, fr., sprints/relays; Emma Hawn, fr., middle distances/relays; Andrea Bordelon, fr., jumps/hurdles.

Outlook: The LC girls have lapped the 5A regional field the past two years. The Timberwolves are favored to repeat, but they won’t run away from CdA and Lewiston. Sande will be out to defend her state titles in the three longest races. She was a part of four state titles as she ran a leg on the 1,600 relay. The largely unknown LC boys hope to make the chase for a regional title a three-team battle by season’s end.

Lewiston Bengals

Coach: Wade Hillman

Top returners: Boys – Reny Follett, sr., sprints/relays; Cody McConkey, sr., jumps/pv; Bryan Porter, sr., sprints/relays; Andrew Wajda, sr., jumps; Matt Grogan, jr., hurdles/jumps; Jeremy Kinzer, jr., jumps; Derek Cooper, jr., sprints/relays; Brooks Reynolds, jr., sprints/relays. Girls – Brandy Beaudoin, jr., pv/sprints; Krystal Griggs, jr., throws; Jennifer Kracke, jr., throws; Jayme Doeringsfeld, soph., sprints/relays; Kacy Wessels, soph., sprints/relays; Danielle Parker, soph., distances.

Top newcomers: Girls – Danielle Hanbey, jr., distances; Mariah DeBacker, fr., sprints/relays; Amanda Tobin, fr., sprints/relays.

Outlook: Follett, who has given an oral commitment to Washington State University, will contend for a state title in the 400. Lewiston’s boys are favored to capture a fifth straight regional title, thanks largely to Follett and Grogan. Lewiston’s girls will show measurable improvement but not enough to catch Lake City. This is Hillman’s final season. The veteran coach, who turns 59 next week, is retiring from teaching and coaching. Hillman is in his 18th year as head coach after starting as an assistant in 1969.