At a glance

Regional 4A/3A

At University, Friday 3 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.

The top four in each 4A event and top two in 3A advance to state next weekend at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco. In the previous 11 years of the regional, the GSL boys and Big Nine girls have had the most qualifiers nine times. Often anyone who advances out of the 4A meet is a contender for a state medal. This year the focus is on the boys 300-meter hurdles with Kyle Schuable of Kamiakin, Kellen Lewis of University, Adam Hair of Walla Walla and Adam Barkley of Mt. Spokane all hot on the heels of state leader Tom Ballinger of Wenatchee. All are in the top 10 in the state. The region also includes a host of other state leaders. Among the boys are 3A 800 (Nectaly Barbosa of Prosser), 4A 800 (Ben Poffenroth of Ferris), 3A javelin (Tyler Cathey of Hanford), 4A javelin and high jump (Bryan Braman of Shadle Park), 3A long and triple jumps (Rashad Toussaint of West Valley) and 4A pole vault (Bron Tomeo of Mead). In girls events, it’s 4A 300 hurdles (Heidi Dimmitt of Wenatchee), 3A javelin (Lynnea Braun of WV-Yakima), 3A high jump (Ambria Branter of WV-Yakima), 4A high jump (Briann January of Lewis and Clark), 4A long jump (Catie Schuetzle of Shadle), 4A girls 400 relay (Eastmont), 4A 800 relay (LC), 4A girls 1,600 relay (Eastmont) and 3A girls 1,600 relay (North Central). The list doesn’t include Rogers star Becca Noble, who ranks No. 2 all-time in state history in the 400 and No. 3 in the 800. Mead’s Laef Barnes is the state leader in the 3,200 but will not compete because of an injury. CV javelin thrower Travis Rund, second at districts, is out for disciplinary reasons, according to coach Chuck Bowden.

District 7 2A

At Riverside, Friday, 3:30

The meet, which started on Tuesday, wraps up with the top two in each event moving on to state at Woodward Field in Cheney. Some state medal contenders are going to be left behind, with only two moving on and the hopes for team trophies at state can be dashed if the top contenders are not on top of their game. Pullman and Medical Lake’s boys would seem to be contenders for a trophy if they get enough athletes through. Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls and Pullman are among the girls hopefuls. Sprints are going to be especially nerve-wracking. Ashton Gant of Pullman, Marty Hodneland of Deer Park, D.J. Gable of Colville, Bob Hunt of Riverside, Clayton Becker of Riverside, and Daryl Stolworth and Steven Wesley of Medical Lake are among the state top 12 over various events for the boys, which also translates into tense moments in the horizontal jumps and relays. Freshmen seem to hold the key on the girls side, with Gale Nelson, Kelli Tikker and Loreah Winslow of Lakeside, Kelsey Gauche’ of Colville, Dory Druffel and Kerri Spangenberg of Pullman, Stephanie Dye of Riverside, and Erin Smith and Andrea Mills of Chewelah sprinkled among the league leaders.

Regional 1A

At Central Valley, Saturday, 11 a.m.

The matchup between the Northeast A and Caribou Trail leagues sends three to state at EWU. The Freeman and Newport boys have enough top-ranked athletes to contend for state trophies as long as they can get safely through the regionals. Top-end NEA athletes didn’t push themselves too much in qualifying for the regional, but that will change this week. Though the NEA is well-represented among the state leaders, the Caribou Trail has a number of competitors hot on their heels. State A leaders include Newport’s Tony Yeaw in the 100 and 200, Justin Emel in the 110 and 300 hurdles and the 400 relay, C.J Freestone of Okanogan in the shot put and Kelly Downey in the girls 400, and Freeman’s Andrew Wilkerson in the shot put and Kevin Hatch in the high jump, long jump and pole vault. If all goes well, Newport and Freeman should contend for the state title with Brewster as a dark horse among the boys. Okanogan and Liberty Bell are in the mix for the girls.

District 7 B

At Spokane Falls, Friday, 4 p.m.

The Bi-County and Panorama leagues converge to send four to state next week at Eastern Washington University. The spotlight is on the boys sprints where Wilbur-Creston’s Braidy Haden and Northport’s Chad Butorac battle in three races. Butorac is the State B leader in the 100, 200 and 400. The meet features the state’s leading B jumpers, Almira/Coulee-Hartline long jumper Justin Carstensen, Springdale triple jumper Adam Thompson and W-C high jumper Justin Powell. The girls sprints will also be interesting with Chilsi Pakootas and Amanda Burch of Inchelium, Kirsten Fix of St. George’s, Kaylee Semprimoznik of Davenport, Ann Marie Hunt of Lind-Ritzville and Jenny Knezovich of Reardan. Battles will range all the way up to the 1,600, where Fix will meet Odessa’s distance ace Kysa Cronrath. Northport’s Kaprina Goodwin is the State B leader in the triple jump and Fix leads in the 800. Panorama athletes destroyed the record book last week with Fix (800, 1,600, 1,600 relay) and Butorac (100, 200, 400) picking up three, and Goodwin (triple), Thompson (triple) and Northport’s Franklin Chambers (javelin) getting one.

District 9 B

At Washington State

Friday, 3:30; Saturday 11 a.m.

It’s the Whitman County League and Blue Mountain Conference meeting to send two to state in Cheney. Asotin dominated the Whitman meet with its depth, but the stakes are much higher this week. Sam Stone of Tekoa-Oakesdale/Rosalia is the State B leader in the boys 800, but he’s running the 200 and 3,200 in postseason. DeSales’ Andrea Wujek is one of the top girls hurdlers in the state, fourth overall in the 100. St. John-Endicott thrower Katie Corder and sprinter Jesse Cole of Garfield-Palouse are top competitors.