Mead boys win Pasco Invite despite no individual winner

PASCO – The Mead boys track team captured the championship at the 55th Pasco Invite without the benefit of an individual winner Saturday.

And it brings Mead’s team title total at Pasco to a baker’s dozen. The Panthers finished with 45 points, seven ahead of Blanchet. Defending champ Wenatchee tied for third with Rocky Mountain of Meridian, Idaho, with 30.

“I think that’s kind of a mark of good teams – that you find points and find ways,” Mead coach John Mires said. “Our best teams have always been those teams that find a way to make a contribution. A little nickel here, a few points there and everybody knows that they’ve got a role. We thought close to 50 would win it. That’s the goal we set last night in the motel room.”

The Panthers’ 13 titles are the most in meet history. The invite annually features state-quality competition.

“This is our ‘big daddy’ meet,” Mires said. “Here is where Eastern Washington comes to shine. It’s in our backyard. We respect our league in a dual meet on Thursday by not doing too little and then getting ready for this. The kids are the ones who are making it happen.”

Certainly Mead’s workhorse in perfect sunny conditions Saturday was senior hurdler/sprinter Bryan Anderson.

Anderson ended up doing five things, including a qualifying heat in the 110-meter hurdles. He took second in the 300 hurdles (39.02), ran a leg on the third-place 400 relay, was fourth in the 110 final and had the starting leg on the 1,600 relay that finished fourth.

“Bryan just loves to compete,” Mires said. “He hates losing more than he likes winning. He has that same kind of spunk in all that he does.”

It could be seen when he finished second in the 300.

“I really wanted to break 39,” said Anderson, whose time was a season best.

As usual, the Spokane area was well represented. Nick Johnson of Gonzaga Prep, Noah Martin of University, the West Valley boys 400 relay and Jack Ammon of Northwest Christian captured titles. And Angel Nkwonta of Pullman defended her title in the shot put.

Johnson had to fend off several incidental elbows from Tanner Conner of Kentridge, who was in the lane to Johnson’s right, to win what would be a photo finish.

It was a repeat win for Johnson, who finished in a season-best 14.38 seconds. It wasn’t announced that he had won for two hours.

“From about the third hurdle on, he (Conner) kept elbowing me as we went over the hurdles,” said Johnson, who plans to sign with Washington State in the next few days. “I got frustrated. At the end, I veered to the right a tad and I got him by leaning. The start did it for me.”

Johnson is on pace with how his season developed a year ago.

For Martin, Saturday was redemption in the high jump. He won by clearing 7 feet – or to put it in perspective, jumping over Shaquille O’Neal.

A year ago, Martin didn’t make his opening at height at 6-4.

Martin, who broke U-Hi’s school record when he jumped 7-½ two weeks ago, had plenty of air clearing 6-4, 6-6, 6-8 and 6-10. He clipped the bar on his first attempt at 7-0 and then made it easily on his second.

He had the bar raised to 7-3 – a half-inch above the meet record. He came close on two attempts.

“I thought I was over it on the second and third ones,” Martin said. “I watched the video and at my highest point I was over the bar a foot in front. Now it’s just a matter of getting my timing down. My plant (foot) has to be closer and I have to lean to account for the closeness to the bar and not hit the bar on my way up.”

Ammon captured the 800 (1:55.52). It was a second off his personal best in what he called his first “real” race of the season.

“I went out slower than I was hoping for but I was going to sit and wait and see what happened,” Ammon said.

Zecheriah Herford, Tevin Duke, Jake Jordan and Caleb Simpson teamed to win the 400 relay (42.40) for WV.

“We were a little sore from a hard week,” Herford said.

They’re .16 off the school record set last year.

Nkwonta defended her title in the shot put (42-9).

She did so despite suffering a hip flexor in a 100 prelim.

“It’s not that bad but I couldn’t pop my right hip (through) like I wanted,” Nkwonta said.