T-Wolves get back in step
BOISE – It started ominously for the Lake City High girls track team Thursday, but by the end of the opening day of the State 5A meet things were picking up for the two-time defending state champ.
Lake City’s defending 3,200-meter state champion Breanna Sande was unseated in the meet’s first running final at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium and a Timberwolf false started in the 100 hurdles. But the Timberwolves managed to score 33 points and sit in second behind Borah (46) after six of the 18 events.
“We had a slow start,” LC coach Kelly Reed said. “I’m really excited after some of the early things. And we took probably Borah’s biggest punch with 18 points (first and second) in the pole vault. Things are going to have to go right (Friday), but there’s a chance.”
Sande, who also won the 800 and 1,600 state titles last year, ran a season-best in the 3,200 as she finished in a time of 11 minutes, 13.2 seconds. But Dana Morgan of Boise, in her first full season of track, equaled a season best in a time of 11:04.25.
“I know she’s mad and disappointed, but you can’t be too disappointed with a (personal best) by 10 seconds,” Reed said of Sande.
Morgan set a fast pace from the get go and Sande was never able to make up ground – even with her vaunted sprinter-like kick at the end.
“I knew it was going to be like that,” Sande said of the pace. “I can beat her, I just … had a bad race.”
Sande said she felt the race getting away with about three laps remaining. Asked if she would still be content with a season-best time, she said no.
Morgan had a simple strategy.
“I knew she had a very good kick at the end so I knew I had to set a really good pace at the beginning,” said Morgan, a junior, who hadn’t turned out for track before because it conflicted with club soccer in the spring. “If we would have slowed it down and kept it slow, she could have used her kick at the end.”
Coeur d’Alene sophomore Michael Armon, the state cross country champ in the fall, captured his first state title in track, leaving the field in his tracks to win in a time of 9:26.69, a personal best by more than 13 seconds.
Armon won by nearly 10 seconds over Sawyer Bosch of Borah. Bosch tried to push the envelope with 600 meters to go, pulling ahead briefly of Armon. But the Viking surged back ahead with 300 to go and Bosch was left to fight off teammate Sean Huey for second.
“I heard the (public address) announcer say he was coming on,” Armon said of Bosch. “So when he came up on my shoulder I wasn’t surprised. At the same time I was thinking he’s made up this much ground he’s got to be working pretty hard. I knew he’d be a little tired on that last lap and I took advantage of it. I just tried to hammer it home.”
Armon said his race went as planned.
“I ran my race,” he said. “I wanted a 4:40 first mile and I put up a 4:40 first mile. On the third lap I threw in a big surge. A lot of the guys came up to me afterward and said they gave up; they couldn’t go with me (after the third lap). A lot of the race was won in the third lap.”
Armon counts the 3,200 victory as a tad more special than his state title in cross country.
“For me, this one’s bigger because I like longer races,” Armon said. “So dropping down to two miles and one mile and winning is a big deal for me.”
Lewiston’s medley relay foursome of Dominic Schmidt, Brooks Reynolds, David Blinn and Reny Follett pulled away to a state title (3:36.13). Follett ran a splendid final 800 leg.
In 4A, Sandpoint’s boys, behind pole vault state champ Dustin Hoogland, posted 32.5 points for the lead after seven events. Emmett and Nampa are tied for second with 27 and Moscow is fourth with 23.
It was a day of redemption for Hoogland, a senior, who equaled his career best of 14-6.
A year ago, Hoogland was at home and missed the state meet after going into the Region I meet ranked No. 1 in the state and not making the opening height.
“After last year it’s sweet revenge,” said Hoogland, who was sporting a red-dyed goatee. He let some of the state qualifiers from Sandpoint’s girls team dye his facial hair Wednesday.
Hoogland didn’t miss a jump until securing the state title. He entered the competition at 13-0 and made vaults at 13-6, 14-0 and 14-6. He took three attempts at 14-10, one inch beyond the school record.
“I was really close,” Hoogland said. “I nicked it with my toe going over it on my first try. The last two attempts I was just trying too hard. I was too excited.”
Bulldogs senior Sean Lissy took second in the shot put with a throw of 53-½, seven inches shy of his career best. Matt Lamb of Emmett won with a classification record of 62-1¼, eclipsing the previous record set by Lissy’s brother, David, in 2003.
Post Falls senior Leslie Pulley captured second in the pole vault for a third straight year, matching her career best of 11-0.
“I’m very satisfied,” Pulley said, smiling. “I feel good because I held on to second for three years.”
Other medal winners in 5A: Lucas Pope of CdA took third in the pole vault (13-6); Alex Hudson of CdA took fourth in the pole vault (13-0); Jamie Tart of LC, who took third in the discus (114-11) and fourth in the shot (35-7½); Anna Stone of CdA, fourth in the 3,200 (11:17.41); Andrew Wajda of Lewiston took second in the triple jump (44-6¾); and Brenna Lawson of LC took third in the pole vault (9-6).
Other medal winners in 4A: Leif Colson of Moscow took third in the pole vault (13-6); Casey Schooley of Post Falls took fourth in the pole vault (13-6); Brian Resso of Sandpoint took third in the discus (142-9); Kelsey Taylor of Moscow took second in the shot (40-8¼) and fourth in the discus (137-2); Brigette Boucher of Lakeland took third in the shot (38-10¼); Cassi Burnett of Post Falls took fourth in the discus (119-5); Melissa McFadden of Post Falls took fourth in the 3,200 (12:03.75); K.C. Billetz of Post Falls took fifth in the triple jump (41-9¼) and high jump (6-2); Charlie Hirning of Sandpoint tied for third in the high jump (6-2); Steven Potratz of Moscow took fourth in the 3,200 (9:54.8); and Ryan Helbling of Moscow took third in the shot (50-2).