Track athletes heading for regional meet in Richland

Area track athletes depart en masse for the Region 4A and 3A meets beginning Friday in Richland.

Some 90 athletes at four Spokane Valley schools will be chasing three spots per event to state the following weekend in Pasco.

During last week’s regional qualifying, East Valley and Central Valley boys both won District 8 championships.

The Knights, regular-season GSL champs, scored 167 points and moved on 16 individuals, plus relays to regionals. A big weekend could put the Knights in state contention.

Nick Atwood, who gave up basketball to devote time to winter training, earned dividends. He won both the 1,600 and 3,200 meter races, in 4:24.65 and 9:27.25. His best times this year (4:21.0 and 9:25.78) rank among the top four 3A marks.

Anthony Laborin, among the state’s better sprinters, ran a personal best 22.52 and 49.9 to win the 200 and 400 races.

And Tyler Jolley advanced in three throwing events, including seconds in the shot put and discus, events where he’s among the top seven overall in state.

Coupled with distance, depth and relay help, the Knights send a solid team, representing 14 of 17 events, to regionals.

CV’s boys scored 194.5 points in 4A district, led by hurdler Shon Davis who won both the 110 highs and 300 intermediate races. The Bears went one-two in the former, Davis nipping teammate Anthony Bucknam.

Derek Schuh, whose best time 49.54 is eighth overall in state, won the 400 meters where CV had three of eight regional qualifiers and went on to win the 1,600 relay in a state fifth-best 3:25.29.

All told, the Bears advanced qualifiers in 13 of 17 events and had multiple qualifiers in several.

University sophomore Wes Nolen threw the javelin 187 feet, 6 inches for the 4A district title. West Valley’s Garrett Hanson won the 3A district 800, and Maurice Swan and Arton Toussaint swept the long and triple jumps.

All four Valley schools are well-represented in girls regionals. U-Hi’s Katie Hawkins cleared 11-3 to win the pole vault and is ranked third in state. Hailey Ficklin was second in the high jump for Central Valley.

East Valley’s girls finished second to North Central in district, 167 to 162. The Knights qualified athletes to regional in every event but the pole vault. And it is a young group with more than its share of freshmen qualifiers.

Sophomore Lori Bourgeous won both hurdles races, beating frosh teammate Ashley Lafayette in the 300-meter race. Junior Eleaya Schuerch, the 3A state long jump leader, won that event and the triple jump.

West Valley freshman Alyssa Wold led a one-two Eagles finish in the high jump, clearing 5-4. Melissa Mauro was second, two inches behind, and qualified second in the 100-meter hurdles. Frosh Brittiny Almy was the 100 dash winner.

Titans defend title

The University Titans stunned unbeaten and nationally ranked Shadle Park to defend their Greater Spokane League district softball championship and may have done themselves a favor in the process.

U-Hi beat the Highlanders 2-1 in a nine-inning tiebreaker, continuing a two-year trend of Houdini-like victories in district at Whitworth College.

Last year the team won a pair of 1-0 victories for the title. On Tuesday neither team scored until the sixth inning, the Titans in the bottom of the frame on a Tonya Schnibbe double and Theresa Tveit infield grounder.

In the international tiebreaker ninth inning, Rachel Squires started at second base and scored when she advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on the ensuing throwing error.

Schnibbe had two of U-Hi’s three hits, and Mandy Mikelson, a key in last year’s win over Shadle, threw a three-hitter.

Victory moved the Titans (19-3) to the opposite side of Friday’s regional bracket from regular-season Big Nine co-champions Richland and Kamiakin.

Richland (21-2) won the district title and will play Central Valley (15-8) in the first round. Kamiakin (21-3) was upset in the semifinals, finished No. 3 among the four regional qualifiers and plays Shadle.

The Bears finished fourth among GSL regional qualifiers, getting no-hit and losing 5-1 to Mt. Spokane in Tuesday’s seeding game.

Regional tennis

University, Central Valley and East Valley are sites of state qualifying regional tennis tournaments on Friday and Saturday.

Among the 4A state hopefuls are University singles players Josh Steele and Kamin Alteneder, who finished as the third-seeded district qualifying boy and girl.

Central Valley’s Jarred Watson and Jon Micheau finished fourth in boy’s doubles to advance.

In 3A, EV’s Miranda Brother and Jessica Casebier met in the singles finals with Brother winning 6-2, 6-3. The Knight doubles team of Chelsie Hardwick and Emma Brostrom finished second.

Mel Dossey was third for West Valley in girls singles.

WV doubles team of Tom Griner and Nick Raskell won the title, and EV’s Peter Kirsch and Brad Benson were fourth.