Ferris wins first title since 1991

Second is OK as long as it means being No. 1.

At least that’s the way Jeannie Nelson looks at it.

The Ferris junior is one of the best sprinters in the Greater Spokane League but rarely gets to cross the finish line first. That’s because sophomore teammate Kelsey Linn is faster.

“It’s tough mentally,” Nelson said. “I know what I’m capable of, but someone on the team is a step better than me. It’s hard to truly understand how good you are. I always try to better myself and go after her.”

That was the case again Thursday afternoon at Spokane Falls Community College, where Linn won the 100- and 200-meter runs (12.5 seconds and 25.6, respectively) with Nelson second (12.8, 26.5). On the Saxons’ winning 400 and 800 relays, Nelson ran leadoff.

The payoff is Ferris easily outdistanced Shadle Park, Central Valley and University to finish the league season 10-0 for its third GSL championship and its first since 1991. The other was in 1979.

“Before the season we knew we would be competitive, but we didn’t know we’d be GSL champions,” Ferris senior jumper Katie Davis said. “The coaches do a great job of getting girls to come out. They get girls excited and they get others to turn out. It’s a fun place to be. We’re truly a team. We work hard together.”

David VonBrethorst set out to do just that when he became coach of a team that was had been 13th in the 14-team GSL the year before.

“My first year we were in the GSL championship meet and finished third,” he said of the 2002 season. “I had a great group of girls. I didn’t know what I was doing. I went along for the ride. They were amazing.

“But we totally overhauled the program – summer conditioning, wintering conditioning, weight room, a lot of rewards and a lot of fun. Mostly just working hard and having fun. I’ve endured more shaving cream attacks than I can remember. Already I’ve been drenched with water and vinegar this year.”

“When I was a freshman I knew the girls hadn’t been that good, but we have a lot of girls on the team that are dedicated,” said senior pole vaulter Michayla Mueller. “We really worked for it. … It’s pretty cool.”

It helps that the Saxons have some top-end performers.

Davis is the league leader in the triple jump and senior Kelly McNamee is the state leader in the high jump, league leader in the 100 hurdles and Thursday popped a personal record of 17 feet, 111/4 inches in the long jump, second in the league.

“We knew we had the team that could do it. Whether they would or not was the big question,” VonBrethorst said. “I knew they would in the middle of the Mead meet. I would say that Mead was the most fun I’ve had as a coach. Every event I went to, the girls were doing as good or better than they should have done.

“It’s our senior leadership. Kelly and Katie spearhead it.”

McNamee won three events and was second to U-Hi’s Madeline Fuchs’ 4A league-best 45.4 in the 300 hurdles.

Shadle’s Andrea Nelson won the 800 and 1,600 and teammate Sara Nichols had a GSL 4A best of 133-3 in the javelin.

On the boys’ side, CV swept to end up second behind Mead, which beat the Bears 75-70 last week. Brad Whitley led the Bears with a GSL 4A best 49.7 in the 400, but the big mark was a 199-7 by U-Hi’s Wes Nolen in the javelin, the No. 2 mark in the state.

Elsewhere in the GSL, Mead officially won the boys title by rolling past East Valley, Rogers and Gonzaga Prep at EV. The Panthers girls also went 3-0 to finish second, thanks to an 80-70 loss to Ferris on April 10. The top marks came from the girls’ side. EV hurdler Lori Bourgeous took the league lead in the 100s (15.1) and 300s (45.3) and Mead took the state lead in the 1,600 relay (4:00.8), needing every bit of it to hold off G-Prep (4:01.4), which also bettered Shadle’s mark. Jace McLaws won the hurdles for the Panthers (15.7, 41.7) and Case Park of EV won the 200 and 400 (22.0, 49.3). … At Hart Field, Mt. Spokane’s boys and girls swept host Lewis and Clark and North Central. LC’s Kiki January increased her league-leading PR in the shot put for the third straight week with a throw of 38-7 and teammate Lauree Weaver took over the lead in the discus at 126-1. Mt. Spokane’s Ian Schneidmiller increased his league lead in the discus to 154 feet.

•With one week to go in the Great Northern League, West Valley unofficially wrapped up the boys and girls titles by sweeping Medical Lake and Clarkston at WV. The big result was WV’s Ashley Kenney improving her state lead in the discus to 152-0, her first throw beyond the 150 barrier. WV won every event except the 400 relay. On the boys’ side, ML’s Tyler Souders lowered his league-leading 200 to 23.1 and dropped his PR in the 400 to 50.0. … Notable from Wednesday, Colville senior David Musson returned from injury to throw the javelin 189-2.