Leonard caps a high-caliber week
BOISE – To say it’s been a good week for Lakeland senior Kristine Leonard would be a gross understatement.
Leonard captured the 4A Region I shot put and discus titles with school-record breaking throws last weekend.
Then on Wednesday, her name was drawn in a raffle honoring the top 150 scholars in Kootenai County. The prize was a 2008 Dodge Caliber valued at $16,000.
Leonard was on the bus riding to Boise for the state meet when a friend called her with the news.
A day later, Leonard capped her throwing career by winning a 4A state title in the shot put and placing third in the discus during windy first-day action at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium.
Leonard heaved the shot 43 feet, 5 inches, besting the school record she set last week by 2 feet.
“I was determined to make the shot put better,” said Leonard, who was disappointed with third in the discus, in which her throw of 122-6 was about 12 feet shorter than her toss at regionals. “It was just bad – plain bad. The wind was blowing really hard. So every time I’d get one off, it just kind of hit (the wind) and stopped. I wasn’t settling into my throws. Usually, I get a couple of bad ones and I get better. I just never got better.”
Leonard redeemed herself about two hours later.
Her record toss in the shot put came on her first throw in the finals.
The throw had the feel of a record-breaker when it left her palm.
She didn’t wander too far from the pit, anxiously awaiting the measurement.
“I knew it was good, and I almost fouled,” Leonard said. “I just wish I had thrown a little bit farther. I had one that I knew was good come off my wrong finger earlier.”
Leonard has received college interest in the last month, and the interest could pick up with her efforts in the past week.
“I’m just really thankful,” she said. “It’s a good way to end my season.”
Lake City senior long-distance ace John Coyle made up for a poor start. After placing 10th in the 3,200 meters, he came back about four hours later to help the Timberwolves defend their title in the medley relay.
Coyle took the baton for the 800 anchor leg in third place. But when he went to his kick with 300 to go, there was no doubt. He crossed the finish line in 3 minutes, 34.88 seconds. He teamed with Sean Jackson, Kyle Graves and Matt Olson.
“I just didn’t have anything in the tank,” Coyle said about the 3,200, in which sophomore teammate C.J. Helbling took third.
Coyle hasn’t had much good fortune in the 3,200 at state. The last time he competed in the event at state, as a sophomore, he suffered heat stroke. He finished 15th, which was last.
“I was hoping to erase the memory for that this year,” Coyle said. “It’s upsetting.”
Redemption was special later in the day.
“With about 30 meters to go, my legs started to lock up,” Coyle said. “They were locking up big time. But I couldn’t let the medley team down.”
Sophomore Sabrina Ewing of Coeur d’Alene Charter captured a State 1A title, vaulting 5-4 in the high jump.
Ewing will be favored to add titles today in the triple and long jumps.
Coeur d’Alene freshman Kinsey Gomez, who upset Nicole Nielsen of Borah to capture a state title in cross country last fall, finished second to Nielsen in the 3,200.
Nielsen finished in 11:10.45, nearly 12 seconds ahead of Gomez.
“It’s not the pace I’m used to going out at,” Gomez said. “I had a strategy and I tried to stick with it. It felt like it was a slow pace, but I couldn’t pick it up. She ran the perfect race. She did exactly what she wanted to do.
“I had a strategy to stay behind and try to make a move. I guess I didn’t reach deep enough to make that move.”
In 4A, the Sandpoint girls medley team of Brooke DeMers, Melinda Van Dyk, Nicole Van Dyk and Desi Hutchings finished in second place (1:54.63).
Also in 4A, Moscow swept the pole vault titles. Jeremy Klas vaulted 14-6 while Ariel Johnson went 10-6.
Travis Porter of Timberlake won a 3A title in the triple jump with a leap of 43-21/2.