Poston fuels elite meet

Kaitie Poston broke the magical 150-foot barrier in the discus earlier this week.

The Bonners Ferry High junior throwing standout was out to prove that the eye-popping effort wasn’t a gas-aided heave Thursday afternoon at the seventh annual District I Meet of Champions at Post Falls High School.

On her next-to-last throw, Poston launched the discus 152 feet, 7 inches, eclipsing the career-best mark she posted two days earlier in a dual meet by 11 inches.

Poston had an appointment at the dentist Tuesday morning. She accidentally got a little too much nitrous oxide, causing her to pass out briefly. Later that day, she cracked the 150-foot barrier when she propelled the sphere 151-8.

“I passed out. I was tipsy,” Poston said of the visit to the dentist. “It (the gas) must have relaxed me for the discus. But now I know it wasn’t just the nitrous because I didn’t have any today and threw great.”

Poston doubled her enjoyment, extending her career best in the shot put by one quarter of an inch. She won easily with a put of 44-3 1/2.

She has increased her discus throws steadily this season while seeing marginal improvement in the shot. She’s done it despite missing her first days of practice because of two separate illnesses.

All six of Poston’s throws in the discus exceeded 140 feet. She credits her disappointing showing at state last year when, as the two-time state champ, she didn’t qualify for the finals.

“It was an eye-opener,” said Poston, who defended her titles at the Pasco Invite last month. “It’s been motivating for this year. I think it’s made me focus a little better. I’ve been more consistent.”

Poston’s efforts highlighted a day in which 11 meet records were broken.

The meet, which serves as a showcase for the top athletes in the region regardless of classification, is a final tuneup before next weekend’s state-qualifying meets. No team scores are kept.

Kootenai senior Darcy Collins defended her titles in the hurdles and high jump and added a fourth win in the 200 meters.

Collins, who has signed a letter of intent to compete in the hepathlon at the University of Idaho, set a meet record and personal best in the 100 hurdles (14.85 seconds) and broke her meet record in the high jump (5-6), equaling a career mark she set last year. She cruised to wins in the 300 hurdles (47.17) and 200 (27.17).

In many ways, it was a breakout day for Collins, whose season was slower starting than most because of the poor weather.

Her first meet came three weeks ago at the Pasco Invite.

Moments after the 100 hurdles, Collins bounded over to the high jump and cleared 5-2 on her first try, securing the win. She went to the third attempt twice to make 5-4 (her old meet record) and 5-6. She nudged the bar on her third attempt at 5-6, but the bar held.

Collins took three tries at 5-8, but it was obvious she had tired.

“That’s a lot better than I’ve been doing,” Collins said of the high jump. “My approach has been messed up. Two meets ago I went out at 4-10 and I haven’t done that since my freshman year. It’s been really frustrating. It’s nice to finally get it down.”

Although most of the athletes were coming off their most trying week of practices before tapering back next week, there were still plenty of outstanding efforts.

Timberlake junior Frank Lagrimanta ran away from the field in the longest races. The State 3A champ in cross country last fall, he strolled to victory in the 3,200 (9:42.30) and broke the meet record in the 1,600 (4:28.52).

Lagrimanta said he tried to build up big leads in both races because the fields included some top kickers, including Coeur d’Alene junior Michael Armon.

“So I knew I had to take off and get a gap because I’m not very fast (at the end),” Lagrimanta said.

Armon continued his comeback from a serious knee injury, doubling up for the first time in a meet. He finished second in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600.

Other multiple-event winners were: Kristin Palmer of CdA in the 400 (1:01.26) and 800 (2:25.20); Angie Whalen of Post Falls in the 1,600 (5:23.05) and 3,200 (11:31.82); Nick Mehalechko of Post Falls in the 100 (11.40) and 200 (22.92); Brad Reynolds of Post Falls in the 110 (15.44) and 300 (41.16) hurdles; and Sheldon Cramer of Sandpoint in the shot (50-4) and discus (155-6).