Prep track notebook: Greater Spokane League dual season opens Thursday

Spring break has passed and that generally means the high school track and field season begins with earnest.

Mother Nature, though, decided to let us know that spring weather can be fickle by snowing overnight on Monday.

Ready or not, Greater Spokane League duals begin Thursday afternoon. The most interesting opener has Ferris and Rogers at Mead.

In other duals, University and Mt. Spokane visit Lewis and Clark at Hart Field while Gonzaga Prep, North Central and Shadle Park are at Central Valley.

All the duals begin at 3:30.

The winner between the Ferris and Mead boys will take a step toward the league title. Mt. Spokane and CV should have a say in the crowing of a league champion.

Most GSL teams will turn around and travel to Pasco on Saturday for the 56th annual Pasco Invite. About 1,500 athletes representing 105 schools will compete, making it one of the biggest invitationals in the Pacific Northwest.

Shadle shines

While most teams took last week off, Shadle Park’s boys captured the title at the Arnie Young Invitational in Renton last Saturday.

Jakobe Ford led the Highlanders with victories in the high jump (6 feet, 8 1/2 inches), long jump (23-0) and triple jump (47-5 1/2). He set meet records in each event and was named the field athlete of the meet.

Top early feats

Grady Leonard of Coeur d’Alene, 64-3 in shot put and 188-5 in discus; Noland Wick of North Central, 22.71 seconds in 200 meters; Clay Somes of Ferris, 14-6 1/2 in pole vault; Cade Neumann of Mt. Spokane, 14-6 in pole vault; Charles Johnson of Cheney, 10.93 in 100; Rodrick Fisher of East Valley, 10.98 in 100; Zella Conley of Mead, 12.93 in 100; Kearan Nelson of Central Valley, 5:08.67 in 1,600; Samara Nelson of CV, 39-2 in the shot; Hailey Christopher of CV, 5-4 in high jump; Lexi Rolan of Medical Lake, 12.09 in 100; Sienna Swannack of Lakeside, 5-4 in high jump; Jack Ammon of Northwest Christian, 1:56.62 in 800; Berlyn Hunt of Almira/Coulee-Hartline, 130-5 in javelin; and Julia Hayes of Valley Christian, 5-4 in high jump.

NOTE: Coaches, if you have any athletes post exceptional times or marks, please call Greg Lee at 509-844-8168 or email at: gregl@spokesman.com.