Bears dominate IEL track

The Moscow High boys and girls track teams swept the Inland Empire League championships Friday at Lake City.

For the Bears, it was a combination of coming out of hibernation and coming out of nowhere.

The Moscow boys piled up 113 points to knock off favored Lewiston, which finished with 105. Sandpoint (92), Lake City (89.5), Post Falls (79), Coeur d’Alene (60.5) and Lakeland (19) rounded out the field.

The Moscow girls knocked off two-time champ Lake City. The Bears totaled 182 points to LC’s 114. Rounding out the field were Post Falls (106), Sandpoint (52), Lakeland (41), Coeur d’Alene (33) and Lewiston (23).

The Bears even impressed their first-year coach, Dean Walker.

“I was flat out surprised,” Walker said. “I figured the girls would finish second and the boys would finish third. We had (personal bests) all over the place. I can’t even begin to tell you how many we had.”

In the girls meet, Moscow captured nine firsts. Senior Meredith Dolny and junior Kelsey Taylor were double-event winners.

Dolny captured the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, taking the shorter race in 16.7 seconds and the longer in 48.6. She also led the medley (1:57.0) and 1,600 (4:20.8) relays to victory.

Taylor dominated the throws, using a heave of 133 feet, 7 inches to win the discus and a toss of 38-4¾ to take the shot put.

Bears senior Allix Lee-Painter finished runner-up to LC senior distance ace Breanna Sande in the 800 and 1,600. Sande posted a season-best in the 800 (2:21.3) and held off Lee-Painter in the 1,600 (5:19.3). Lee-Painter’s times of 2:21.7 and 5:19.9 were both season bests.

Lee-Painter had nothing but praise for Sande.

“I’m so lucky to run with her,” Lee-Painter said. “She’s the greatest gift I could have to run with. She was on it today. My times still aren’t where I want them to be, but I’m working toward them.”

Post Falls coach Wade Quesnell wasn’t shocked by Moscow’s victories.

“I knew it was coming,” Quesnell said. “They have too many good athletes for this not to happen. I don’t know where they’re weak. Without a doubt they’re the favorite for (4A regionals).”

LC’s girls finished well behind Moscow. One reason was the Timberwolves were without their top two hurdlers, Brenda Finney and Holly Meyer. Both were attending a national DECA event in Los Angeles.

But LC coach Kelly Reed didn’t use that as an excuse. He said his team is fighting through some injuries and needs to heal up in the next two weeks if it hopes to make a run at another state trophy.

“I know we got beat today, but I’m still optimistic for state,” Reed said. “If we perform well we’ll still be in the hunt for a trophy. We just need to get everybody healthy. We look tired right now and a little beat up.”

In the boys, Moscow won just one event. But the Bears’ depth was too much for the others to match.

Lewiston junior Matt Grogan won three events – the 100 (11.4), the 110 hurdles (15.3) and the 300 hurdles (40.0).

There were several outstanding efforts on and off the track.

Sandpoint senior Dustin Hoogland, for example, held off three others to win the pole vault with a leap of 14-6. He then missed on three attempts at 14-10, which would have eclipsed Sandpoint’s school record by an inch.Lewiston senior middle sprinter Reny Follett zipped to victory in the 400, winning in a time of 50.0.

Coeur d’Alene sophomore Michael Armon pulled away from Moscow senior Steven Potratz with 300 to go in the 1,600 as the Viking posted a time of 4:32.6 – a little more than seven seconds ahead of Potratz.

Earlier in the meet, Potratz captured the 3,200 (10:01.1).

A pair of seniors led a Sandpoint sweep in the throws. Brian Resso put up a personal best in the discus (157-7) while Sean Lissy also had a personal record in the shot (53-7½).

The teams will split into their respective district Meet of Champions next week before state-qualifying regional meets the following week.