Track and field notebook: Talented transfers boost area teams

Cole Omlin is still wearing red, just for a much bigger school.

Omlin was a freshman sensation at 2A Cheney a year ago, leaping as high as 6 feet, 6 inches in the high jump before placing fifth at state.

He’s continued his ascent – literally – at 4A Ferris.

Omlin has boosted the Saxons, posting the top mark in all of Washington this season in the triple jump (47-4) and the second-best leap in the high jump (6-7).

Ferris track coach James Fisher believes Omlin could soon break the school’s triple jump record (48-3), held by current Carroll College athlete Shamrock Campbell.

“He’s still growing,” Fisher said. “And his dad (Ferris jump coach Bob Omlin) has been working with him. He’s been easily clearing 6-6 at practice and continues to move the bar up.”

Omlin is one of a few area track and field standouts who is representing a different team than they were last year.

Lewis and Clark sprinter Samiah Kuntz, North Central athlete Elisa Tosetto, Central Valley sprinter Zack Jongeward and Mt. Spokane pole vaulter Hana Hill are other major additions to their programs.

Two years ago, Kuntz starred at Northwest Christian as a freshman, placing third and fourth, respectively, in the 200 and 100 meters at the State 2B meet. Last spring, Kuntz was at Mead, and placed third in the 100 at the District 8 4A championships.

Now a junior at LC, Kuntz has been tops in the Greater Spokane League throughout the season, setting personal bests in the 100 (12.23 seconds) and 200 (25.58).

NC’s Tosetto, a senior from Italy, ranks among the best in the 3A classification in the long jump (17-0), high jump (5-4) and javelin (119-5).

She won the junior heptathlon at the 2018 Italian Athletics Championships, according to Luno Nuova, an Italian publication.

“(Tosetto is) a great athlete who can really help us, points-wise, in the big meets,” NC coach Kelly Harmon said.

Jongeward, a standout running back who transferred to CV from Cheney, is one of the GSL-leading Bears’ top sprinters (11.50 in the 100). He was on the Blackhawks’ state champion 400 relay team last spring.

Hill was at Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) last year, winning a State 1A title in the pole vault (12-6) as a freshman.

Her lone attempt at Mt. Spokane this season, according to Athletic.net, was at a junior varsity meet. She vaulted 11-0, the second-best mark at Mt. Spokane since at least 2007.

Central Valley hosts Strandberg Invitational

The annual Strandberg Invitational at Central Valley takes place Saturday.

Around 30 boys and girls teams from the area are expected to compete, CV coach Charles Bowden said.

“It’s a fun meet,” Bowden said. “It’s where the best small-school kids from the area can mix it up with the GSL kids.”

The event, which began in 1983, was named after Marty Strandberg, who was a teacher, coach and administrator for more than 40 years in the CV district.