Wildcats sweep Shadle Park, CV
The track and field head coaches at Mt. Spokane have opposite personalities, but they got the same results in big meets Thursday afternoon at Central Valley.
Behind calm coach Bryan Payne, the Wildcats won the boys 1,600-meter relay to edge the Bears and previously unbeaten Shadle Park.
Cueing off always-nervous Mt. Spokane girls coach Annette Pedersen, distance star Megan O’Reilly added a 2-mile workout to her day so the Wildcats (4-0) could dust off Shadle Park (4-1) in a showdown to determine the host school for the Greater Spokane League girls championship in two weeks.
“I thought we needed the points,” said O’Reilly, a late entrant into the 3,200 after winning the 800 and 1,600, matching her season best of 5 minutes, 10 seconds despite the breeze. “I didn’t want to gamble because gambling can be nerve-wracking. I wanted it to be a solid win instead of just getting by. It’s all worth it when we do well.”
The Wildcats scored 78 1/2 points to 71 1/2 for the Highlanders. Shadle is at Hart Field against host Lewis and Clark (4-1) next week to determine the second Final Four entrant from the American Division.
Pedersen is antsy no matter the competition, which buoyed freshman Tiara Pittman as she chased Catie Schuetzle in three of the four events the Shadle star won.
“It was fun competing against Catie,” said Pittman, second in the 100 and 200 and third in the long jump. “I like having someone to catch up to. I just went out there and did the best I could. I didn’t feel any pressure. We just need points. I think I did pretty well.”
“(Coach) is always hyper. She’s pretty energized all the time. I just feed off that.”
The Mt. Spokane boys didn’t feel any pressure, although they needed to win the last relay to hold off CV 74-71 and Shadle 75-70.
“The 1,600 and 800 weren’t too bad. They were early,” Mt. Spokane’s Justin Farris said of his first wins. “But that 4x4, coming down and knowing we had to win, knowing what we needed to do – I think that made us go fast.”
With Farris running leadoff, the Wildcats (4-0) ran 3:31, tying the school record.
Adam Barkley, who swept the hurdles, ran second in the 200 and a leg on the last relay, said Payne didn’t have to say much to inspire the troops.
“He’s a cool and collected guy, but you can see the fire in his eyes. He wants to win badly,” said senior Barkley, who was a band guy until taking up track as a sophomore and adding football. “He expects a lot of us. He knows we’re just on the edge. We’re definitely GSL championship material.”
The Wildcats also got a big boost from freshman Brandon Jared, who was second in the long jump at 21 feet, 2 1/2 inches, a school and GSL freshman record.
CV (3-2) topped Shadle (3-2) 78-67. Next week, the Highlanders face LC (4-1), which edged CV 73-72 two weeks ago, and could throw the race for second into a three-way tie.
It was a big day at North Central as the Indians boys ran a 7-second PR in the 1,600 relay to upset Mead 73-72 and hold off University 76-69.
It was NC’s first win over Mead in 25 years and over U-Hi in 15 years.
“I told the kids it was probably the biggest win in North Central history for track,” Indians coach Kelly Walters said.
Shane Thomas won the 100 and 200 and anchored the last relay, and Caleb Jahay swept the distance races for NC (4-1) as the Panthers (3-1) rested distance star Laef Barnes.
The NC girls, behind triple winner Anna Walters, also swept, clinching a spot in the championship meet in two weeks.
The Indians (5-0) are at Ferris (5-0) next week to determine the host school. NC has not lost a home meet in six years.
At Clarkston, Cameron Elisara took over the area lead in the shot put and moved into fifth place in the state with a throw of 55- 1/2 as Ferris swept the Bantams. The Saxons girls clinched a spot in the championship meet in two weeks.
Chris Schearer won the javelin and high jump and was second in the triple and long jumps as East Valley (4-0) won at Rogers to remain undefeated in the boys’ race heading against Mead next week. EV’s girls also won, but Becca Noble of Rogers lowered her state-best in the 400 to 54.1.
At Cheney, Lewis and Clark dominated on the track to sweep the Blackhawks. The boys went 1-2 in every flat race and the girls gave up two seconds and a third but swept the 100 and 3,200. Cheney’s Tyrell Poorsi and Katie Kimball swept the hurdles.
West Valley seniors Chris Vennum, Kevin Lemieux and Rashad Toussaint won two events each as the Eagles beat visiting Gonzaga Prep. Corinna O’Brien and Sarah Berg were double winners to lead the Bullpups girls to a win.
Great Northern League
The Pullman boys ran a state 2A-best 44.8 in the 400 relay to highlight a Greyhounds sweep of visiting Riverside. On the girls’ side, Pullman won every race except for the Rams’ sweep of the 800. Pullman’s boys did one better in winning every race.
At Deer Park, the Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls boys and girls swept the Stags and Chewelah to remain unbeaten pending a showdown with Pullman. Thrower Kelsey Stillar won three events for the Eagles girls.
At Colville, the Indians boys and Medical Lake girls won their dual meet. Kathleen Vincent won the three throws for the ML girls.