Timberlake has upper hand
BOISE – The long strides and long locks of Frank Lagrimanta can’t be missed from any vantage point at Boise State University’s spacious Bronco Stadium.
Lagrimanta strolled to victory in the Friday morning running of the State 3A 3,200-meter final and followed up seven hours later with a splendid 800 leg on the winning medley relay as Timberlake established itself as the team to beat.
The Tigers of Spirit Lake take a 17-point lead into the balance of the running finals today. Runner-up Shelley (25), Kimberly (24) and Middleton (23.5) have a lot of ground to make up.
“It’s been a very, very good day,” said Timberlake coach Brian Kluss, whose team captured the state title two years ago before taking third last season. “We’re more than halfway home.”
Timberlake managed placing third last year without winning an event.
Lagrimanta needed 9 minutes and 43.50 seconds to capture the 3,200 in stifling heat.
“It was really hard to breathe in this weather,” said Lagrimanta, who captured the state cross country title last fall when folks around the state got their first serious look at the long-haired strider from Spirit Lake. “It was a hot breeze in the homestretch and it was a killer. It was an OK time, but I could have done better. I wanted to be in the low 9:30s.”
In a way, Lagrimanta felt like he had to redeem himself in the medley. Chris Anderson, Jake Archer and Casey Denton ran the first three legs, and they gave Lagrimanta the baton with the leader well within sight.
Lagrimanta stayed on the right shoulder of the Middleton anchor until overtaking him with 100 meters to go. It was over.
“My teammates put me in position to win,” Lagrimanta said. “I think he started his kick a little too early on the backstretch and I went with him and I continued the kick. When I started gaining on him I felt pretty good about it.”
Timberlake’s winning time of 3:39.57 broke the school record by 2 seconds.
It was a day of redemption for Bonners Ferry junior Kaitie Poston.
Poston didn’t make it out of the prelims last year as defending champion in the discus, and she more than made up for the disaster. She broke the 26-year-old 3A meet record with a heave of 149 feet, 3 inches. The previous record of 143-6 was set by Sue Smith of Post Falls in 1980.
Poston made sure she made the finals by scaling a throw on her first attempt. As it turned out, the toss of 113 would have won. Brittany Harris of Kellogg took second (113-2).
She was disappointed that she didn’t eclipse 150, as she’s done the last month of the season.
“I was so nervous,” Poston said. “I think it had a lot to do with last year. I finally got the (meet) record. I think I’ll get the overall record (154-4) next year. It’s not too far out of my reach.”
Bonners Ferry’s girls take a slim lead into today. The Badgers have 30.5 points, one ahead of Sugar-Salem. The Badgers’ lead probably won’t hold up.
Other top 3A placers were: Andrew Scott of Priest River took third in the 3,200 (9:58.65); defending state champion Shantel Schirado of BF took fourth in the pole vault (10-0); Melody Braden of BF took fifth in the 3,200 (12:30.78); the Priest River girls finished third in the medley (1:57.31); and John Macklin of Timberlake placed fourth in the pole vault (12-6).