Mead boys put it all together to take crown

Mead made all the pieces of the complicated Greater Spokane League four-team dual meet fit just right and the picture turned out to be a championship.

The Panthers swamped Mt. Spokane 78-67, East Valley 90-55 and Central Valley 96-49 Thursday afternoon at Mt. Spokane to win their fourth straight GSL boys track title. Mt. Spokane was second, EV third and CV fourth.

“We came in expecting it to be a real close competition,” Mead coach John Mires said. “Our expectations were high and we competed at a real high level. Basically it’s your competition that brings that out of you.”

No one had a better day than Mead senior Jeremy Brett, who won the long jump (22 feet, 9¼ inches) and followed that up with a 14-inch personal record in the triple jump (46-5) besides placing fourth in the 100 and helping on a relay.

“I love big meets,” Brett said. “Somehow, when there is more pressure I just perform.”

Even with the team scores hard to follow and a few little dings – injured sprinter Skylar Jessen is done for the season, distance ace Laef Barnes ran the 800 and 1,600 relay for speed work and the 400 relay team was disqualified – Brett knew what to do.

“We have a great coaching staff,” he said. “They do a great job of keeping me informed. I just have to do my part, putting my piece in the puzzle.”

The win was satisfying for the coach because of the different makeup of the year’s team.

“In a lot of ways we’re pretty inexperienced,” Mires said. “We have a lot of high-end kids who should place at state but we have a lot of kids who were real green. … They realize now we are a real team.”

Bron Tomeo came up big for the Panthers, winning the pole vault (14-0) and placing third in the 100 despite a bum left foot. He was also ready and willing, if not completely able, to jump into the 200 and 1,600 relay if needed.

“I should have gone faster and jumped higher but I pulled in some points,” Tomeo said. “Coach kind of switched some guys around so we could get points. … I used to worry about the whole meet but the coach told me to focus so I only worry about winning my event.”

Coming through for Mt. Spokane was junior Mike Hartanov, who switched from soccer this season and ran an eight-second PR in the 1,600 (4:22.5) to win when it counted. He also picked up points in the 800.

“Some of it comes from training,” he said. “We’ve started stepping down so I was more rested. I’ve been hoping to peak right now and I think it’s coming.”

Hartanov, who runs cross country, said first-year Wildcats coach Bryan Payne did a great emphasizing team and making it fun without pressure.

“He didn’t want to make it seem like we had to run better than we had; he hoped we did,” Hartanov said. “Basically he said to do what you can do … give it a good shot.”

Teammate Adam Barkley matched his best in the 110-meter highs (14.7) and won the 300 intermediates (40.1).

With the three-week postseason starting next Thursday, the championship meet gave Cody Irby a boost and in the process boosted East Valley’s hopes.

Irby uncorked a 181-6 throw in the javelin, a 5-inch PR but 20 feet farther than he had been throwing in league meets as he battled a spider bite on his left knee and a groin injury.

“I’ve got my speed back now and I’m just working on my (form),” he said. “It’s not really frustrating. I know I can compete better. I have guys to compete with every day.”

That would be the EV stable of throwers, which includes versatile javelin thrower Chris Scherer, who had a big day. Scherer missed his PR in the javelin by an inch (186-6) and matched his high jump (6-6). He won both events, which were going on at the same time at opposite ends of the track, forcing him to run more than 100 meters between attempts while working the long jump at the same time. He also scored in the triple jump.

Now Irby is ready to challenge Scherer in the postseason run.

“I have a lot more confidence going into districts than I was a couple of weeks ago,” he said.

Another senior who didn’t want any regrets was CV sprinter Luke Perkins.

Perkins won the 100 (11.0) and was third in the 200 (23.1), both PRs.

“I knew the 100 was really close,” he said. “I knew there were two guys right with me. I just came into this meet saying I wasn’t going to lose this race.”

The key, he said, is the start.

“If I get a good start they’re all behind me,” he said. “If I can’t see them it helps me.”

In the battle for fifth through eighth place at Hart Field, Ferris came out on top with North Central sixth, Shadle Park seventh and Lewis and Clark eighth.

The Saxons had three double winners but Robert Davis made a big splash, taking over the league lead in the 400 at 49.5, a PR by more more than a second.

Teammate Brian Hutchinson doubled in the hurdles (15.6, 40.9), Ben Poffenroth won the 800 (1:57.2) and 1,600 (4:18.5, clipping a second off his area best), and Cameron Elisara won the shot put (55-3¼, upping his area best 3 inches) and discus (148-1).

LC junior speedster Andre Jennings was a double winner in the 100 (10.8) and 200 (22.1) and Shadle Park’s Bryan Braman was a triple winner in the javelin (190-0), long jump (22-9, a 4-inch PR) and high jump (6-2).

In the meet at West Valley to fill out the standings the Eagles won to finish ninth, followed by University, Cheney, Gonzaga Prep, Rogers and Clarkston. U-Hi’s Kellen Lewis lowered his best in the 400 to 50.1. Cheney hurdler Tyreil Poosri (14.8, 40.7) and WV jumper Rashad Toussaint (22-¼, 46-6) were double winners.