4A/3A district track:Intriguing first day at districts

Winning truly isn’t everything.

That was obvious when Greater Spokane League track teams gathered for the District 8 championships Thursday night at Spokane Falls Community College because of a sponsorship.

With four individuals eligible to advance to the Eastern Regional at SFCC next week in 3A events (and two relays) only three boys pole vaulters cleared an opening height on Thursday.

The games committee decided to let the four vaulters that no-heighted start over with East Valley’s Ben Adams, the pre-meet favorite, snagging the last spot.

“I thought I was done,” Adams said. “I was kind of in shock when I wasn’t going to regionals when I should have won this. Then I was ecstatic.”

Not everyone cut it that close.

Ferris standout Kelly McNamee set a meet record by clearing 5 feet, 9 inches for the second time in the high jump.

“It was really important for me, honestly not only for myself to know that I could do it again, that the first time wasn’t a fluke,” she said after winning by 5 inches. “Heading into state I showed I can compete against those girls.”

The 4A schools advance eight in individual events and four relays.

There were two running finals, the 3,200 meters and the 400-meter relay, plus a handful of field-event finals. Finals are tonight, beginning at 4:30.

4A

McNamee originally cleared 5-9 at the Mooberry relays almost four weeks ago but didn’t gain total confidence until getting the GSL league record of 5-8 last week.

“The way I approached 5-9 after I jumped it, I knew I could do it,” the junior who has gone higher than any female high school high jumper in Spokane history. “I didn’t expect to go 5-9 every time but I knew I had it.”

She was over 5-10 on her second attempt but just brushed the bar off.

“My first jump was terrible but on my second jump I cleared it,” she said, blaming a technical flaw for the miss. “I’m really looking forward to next week.”

An unexpected winner was Mead senior Taylor Cook in the long jump, who soared 17-2 on her first jump, almost a 6-inch personal record.

“Every single meet I’ve had a PR,” she said, “but this is just my fourth time jumping.

“I actually came in thinking I wouldn’t do very well but I pulled through, amazingly. My goal at the beginning was just 16 feet, I’d be so happy. I’m just disappointed I didn’t pick it up before.”

Cook also joined Andrea Silver, Jazmine Redmon and Amanda Dahlstrom to knock off Shadle Park in the 400 relay. The Highlanders, ranked second in the state at 49.4 seconds, ran 49.19 but the Panthers knocked a half-second off their best to win in 49.0.

The Central Valley boys also knocked almost a half-second off their best in the relay to win in 43.78 and one of the Bears, leadoff runner Greg Barnes, used that adrenalin for a surprising win. He took the long jump at 21 feet.

“I wasn’t having that good of a day after the first three jumps, I barely made finals – by 3 inches,” he said. “I talked to (the coaches) and they said they knew I had it in me, just go for it.”

Peter Miller of Shadle Park had a 17-second season PR to win the 3,200 in 9:21.60.

3A

Adams, an 11-foot vaulter coming into the season, was so confident after clearing 12-6 last week he chose to start vaulting at 12 feet.

“I thought I would be able to get on my bigger pole,” he said. “I tried not to get it in my head I’d lose. Pole vault is just a mind game.”

He was easily over 12 twice, hitting the bar on the way down, but missed the third one badly.

Another non-winner who didn’t have an easy time was Mt. Spokane javelin thrower Jackie Goldman. Though she was seeded third, that came with a throw of 125-8 last week and barely put her ahead of a state placer with another thrower not far back.

That made advancing tenuous with teammates Lindsey Snyder and Anna Banks heavily favored.

“At first it was hard going into a track meet knowing you’re going to be third or below,” she said. “But they’re amazing girls. They inspire me and give me someone to look up to.”

No one threw their best, but Goldman threw a solid 120 and then finished it up with a 121-4. Snyder and Banks went 125-7 and 124-5, respectively.

It didn’t help that warmup time was limited after the 4A javelin. “I threw on this track before but I didn’t have enough time to warmup,” she said.

North Central’s Mary Graesser had 30-second season PR to easily win the 3,200 in 11:18.08.