North Side’s best head to state

State track and softball beckons this weekend for North Side athletes as the 2006-07 high school season comes to a close.

Shadle Park and Mead girls teams are both considered among trophy contenders in the 4A meet, while North Central’s boys and Mt. Spokane’s girls are possible trophy teams at the 3A meet, both in Pasco.

Brianne Brown, who timed the state’s fastest 400 meters in a school record 56.07, and double sprint winner Jordan Carlson, also bolster two of three relays that have advanced.

Freshman distance star Andrea Nelson will be in the thick of the medals in both 1,600 and 3,200 races, and javelin thrower Sara Nichols has the fifth-best 4A javelin throw (103 feet, 3 inches).

Mead distance runner Nikki Codd swept the 800 in a state-best 2:11.96 and won the 1,600. She also anchors the 1,600 relay team which won regionals in 5:52.27 over Shadle Park.

They are the top two long relay teams in state and Shadle’s 3:51.7 this year is second best all-time in state.

Panther Ashley Hutchinson was a double winner in the shot put and discus.

North Central’s distance strength including champions Leon Dean (1,600) and Andrew Kimpel (3,200), two relay teams and high jumper Justin Brayton could put it in the the trophy hunt.

The Indians 400-relay team of Tim Hight, Adrian Morris, David Butler and Nick Roark ran 42.2, third fastest time in league history.

Mt. Spokane’s girls will rely on pole vaulter Jordan Roskelley, state leader at 12-8, and a horde of throwers, including shot put and discus winner Sam Damiano and javelin winner Anna Banks, plus a pair of distance runners in its quest to trophy.

Lakeside, in its first year of 1A, will take a dozen girls in multiple events to Tacoma in its quest for a team title.

Softball champions

Both Shadle Park and North Central rode the arms of pitching aces Sam Skillingstad and Kelsie Vallies to regional softball championships last weekend in Richland.

The two play back-to-back on the same field at SERA Fields in Tacoma Friday in their respective state tournaments.

NC, which won its first regional 3A title, plays at 9 a.m., followed by 4A regional champ Shadle at 11.

Skillingstad didn’t allow a run in three victories last weekend. Vallies won 2-1 in nine innings and the championship game 6-3 back-to-back.

Near tennis sweep

Greater Spokane League tennis players captured most of the state berths in regional last weekend.

Mead’ Katrina Schwab and Britta Stime won the girls doubles championship and are headed to Vancouver this week.

Panthers freshman Ethan Vaughn finished third in boys singles outlasting Lewis and Clark’s Miguel Candido, a Brazilian exchange student in a near three-hour marathon. Gonzaga Prep’s Anna Lambert was girls singles runner-up.

GSL boys took five of eight available state berths from Columbia Basin League schools and the GSL girls swept all six spots.