Coeur d’Alene distance star Armon returns in top form

It appeared as if junior Michael Armon picked up where he left off Saturday afternoon.

The Coeur d’Alene High long-distance ace’s comeback from major knee surgery was victorious. Armon pulled away from the 1,600-meter field with 300 to go, winning in a time of 4 minutes, 27.47 seconds at the sun-drenched third annual Lake City Invite.

Armon’s time was just 1.83 seconds off his state-title winning time last spring – the last time he ran before shredding his anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments and the peroneal nerve last summer at a camp.

Usually businesslike when he runs, Armon showed emotion as he crossed the finish line, pumping his right fist in the air. He was named the male track athlete of the meet.

Borah’s boys and girls, the reigning State 5A champions, defended their titles at the meet. The Lions boys posted 149.5 points to top runner-up and host LC (116.5). The Lions girls breezed to victory with 160, 43 points ahead of Mountain View.

The Borah girls were led by Alyssa Covington, who won the 400 (1:00.62), the long jump (17-3 1/2) and the triple jump (34-1 1/2) and ran a leg on the winning 800 relay (1:48.72). Covington was named the female field athlete of the meet.

Post Falls freshman Angie Whalen was named the female track athlete of the meet with wins in the 1,600 (5:16.4) and 3,200 (11:18.82). Sandpoint senior Sheldon Cramer was named the male field athlete of the meet with season bests in the discus (150-5) and shot put (50-8).

In a meet chock-full of personal bests, Coeur d’Alene senior Lucas Pope broke his school record in the pole vault by 3 inches with a jump of 14-9. He just barely missed in an attempt at 15-0.