GSL athletes gobble up state berths
RICHLAND – As expected, Megan O’Reilly coasted, Cameron Elisara dominated and Greater Spokane League boys distance runners were awe inspiring on the first day of the 4A Eastern Regional track meet at Fran Rish Stadium.
The real stories Friday were hidden just behind the winners, where athletes were battling for a top-three finish and a spot in the state meet next weekend in Pasco.
The GSL got plenty of those spots on the first day of action, none more exciting than University sophomore Wes Nolan grabbing a state berth on his last throw in the javelin.
“I wouldn’t call it stress,” he said. “I can’t explain it. It’s just that ‘in the moment’ thing you get going. I can’t explain it. It’s crazy.”
Nolan was third entering the finals with a throw of 171 feet, 10 inches, well less than the 187-6 he popped last week.
But that was in perfect conditions. This time he had a slick runway, courtesy of a 75-minute delay because of a thunderstorm and high winds.
Lewis and Clark’s Colin Sears went 174-10 to start the finals, pushing Nolan to fourth, where he stayed until the last possible moment, when his 182-9 put him into second.
“I was somewhat confident,” Nolan said. “You have to be. The whole thing is just relax and do your thing, let it fly. But it was wet, rainy and miserable. A lot of guys didn’t PR.”
Led by meet record in the shot put by Elisara, a Ferris senior, and an eight-deep sweep by the Spokane 3,200-meter runners, GSL boys won four of six events and captured 11 of 18 state berths.
The girls, with O’Reilly, a Mt. Spokane senior, out for a Sunday stroll in the 3,200, won three of five events and 10 of 15 state berths.
The meet resumes at 10:30 a.m. today.
Boys: Elisara wasn’t at all pleased he upped his regional record from 60 feet, 10 inches to 62-4 1/2, mainly because he threw 63-8 last week.
“Today was the day to hit 65 like I’ve been doing non-stop in practice,” he said. “I can’t get it off in competition. The district record I set last week was a foot farther.”
Others weren’t quite as picky.
When Sean Adebayo of Rogers left the long jump to run in the 400 relay, he was third.
Just after charging from behind to give the Pirates a win in a photo finish (one one-hundredth of a second in front of Walla Walla), he came back to see Anthony Zachery of Ferris jump past him.
Then Zachery had to sweat out two jumps before knowing he was state-bound.
“I couldn’t get on the board,” Zachery said.
“I’ve been struggling the last two weeks. I wasn’t too confident. My coach said give it my all, I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Adebayo said, “I thought I was going to (get him). I was warmed up from running the relay. I don’t know. It just wasn’t my day.”
Then Adebayo pulled up in the 200 with a leg injury.
Dylan Hatcher of Mead won the 3,200 (9:17.89), with teammate Steven Gimple and Ferris’ Steven Olson getting the state berths.
Mead’s Taylor Nepon was fourth, but his time of 9:18.74 was fast enough to eclipse the state standard to qualify.
Mt. Spokane’s Beau Carillo and Tyler Sutherland finished first and third, respectively, in the pole vault, both at 14-6.
Girls: O’Reilly, who ran 10:14.07 last week, finished in just 10:50.75, enough to win comfortably so she can make another run at the state record if conditions are right in Pasco.
Though it wasn’t a real day for personal records, Anna Layman was the exception.
The Central Valley senior, a beginning long jumper, was the surprise leader with a 17-jump on her first effort, almost a 10-inch PR.
That mark held up for third.
“I didn’t even expect to go to regionals,” Layman said.
“I PR’d at districts (16-1 3/4) and then I PRd here. I just wanted to do something other than running and see what I could get.”
Another PR came in the discus, when Gonzaga Prep senior Erica Chaney threw 133-0.
That was her best throw and came in a competition where everyone struggled.
“I guess I hit on all of my positions for a change,” she said.
Kelly McNamee of Ferris easily won the high jump, clearing 5-6, as the GSL swept the event.