Boys track: Capsules for Greater Spokane League 2022 season
Capsules for 2022 boys track and field programs in the Greater Spokane League.
4A/3A
Central Valley: The Bears have plenty of momentum coming off last year’s GSL culminating title. Led by sophomore sprint star Kole LeGrant and defending GSL high jump champion senior AJ McGloflin, CV has the pieces to contend for third straight league championship.
Cheney: The move up to 3A last season appeared to be tough on paper, but Cheney competed well despite COVID impact. Losing Ryan Reickmann and Beckett Schoenleber to graduation hurts the Blackhawks, but the return of Braxton Hinton in the 200 and the addition of freshman Calvin Hilton in the distance races should fill the void.
Ferris: Lost 12 seniors from last year, including 2019 state high jump champ Cole Omlin, leaving Ferris with a cohort of young talent. Saxons should be strong in jumps again, led by senior pole vaulter Taige Rowley and junior long and triple jumper Kenlove Oakley, both of whom placed top six in the spring championships.
Gonzaga Prep: With almost an entirely new team forming this spring, G-Prep will be led by senior Caleb Richardson, coming off a great cross country season in which he placed 18th at state. Andrew Bennett is another key contributor, looking to build on his 800 time after running a personal best at the GSL championships.
Lewis and Clark: The Tigers will have one of the largest and most competitive teams in the GSL this season. Leading is senior sprinter Noah Barbery, expected to have a breakout year after an incredible indoor track season in which he won a national title at the AAU National Indoor Championships in the 60 meters earlier in March.
Mead: First-year coach James Lehr has quite a group. Junior sprinter Keenan Kuntz transfers from West Valley while junior transfer Johnny Talarico (Ferris) is coming off top-five GSL finishes in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. Senior Brycen Gardner (800 and 1,600) led Mead to third place at State 3A cross country meet.
Mt. Spokane: A group of experienced throwers and distance runners headlines the team for first-year head coach Danny Figueira. Junor Jarom Liljenquist is the top returner in the GSL for shot put and discus, finishing second in both. Junior Ben Sonneland took second in the 800 last season.
North Central: Seniors Jonah Aden and Andrew Steinhart are already making an impact. Aden opened up at the Rogers Jamboree running 3:16.67 for 1,200 meters, and Steinhart surpassed his best height by a foot from last spring in the pole vault, going over 13 feet, 6 inches, at the same early season event.
Ridgeline: The theme has been the same all school year for Ridgeline athletics – a mystery of young competitors. But a jamboree at U-Hi has given us an idea of who to look out for this season after first-place finishes from sophomore Mason Fouty in javelin and sophomore Kale Kardonsky in shot put.
University: The Titans struggled some last season, but there is hope with Jack Martin and Isaiah Shaw back in jumping events. Martin was the runner-up in the pole vault and fourth in the triple jump. Shaw was fifth in high jump. Both boys are at the top of the GSL as returning athletes in their respective events.
2A
Clarkston: The Bantams’ fourth-place finish at the GSL championships last spring was one of their best finishes in recent memory, but Terrell Lawson (first in 300 hurdles, second in long and triple) graduating leaves a void. Sprinting brothers Ethan and Ryken Craber hope to step up this season for Bantams.
East Valley: The Knights return strong group of throwers and jumpers that scored a good number of points at the GSL championships. Senior Cody Lewis (shot put) earned EV’s win, while also placing sixth in discus. Senior Jacob Coffin, sixth in long jump and fourth in triple, leads a trio of jumpers with potential.
Pullman: The Greyhounds are relying on momentum from their cross country team, which qualified for state, to carry over for spring. Other to watch are junior thrower Cotton Sears, GSL runner-up in discus, and junior Tanner Barbour, fourth in the 400. Both came away with personal best marks at the final meet of the year.
Rogers: The Pirates’ sprint core is the biggest strength, led by senior Anthony Dearfield. The GSL runner-up in the 100 and 200 last spring has already run a lifetime best this season of 11.04 in the 100 – which not only ranks No. 1 in the league, but is also the third-fastest time in the state in all classifications.
Shadle Park: Coach Nathan Clayton is confident with his returners despite losing distance star Marcus Lemon, who scored 26 points at the GSL championships, to graduation. Senior Hawkeye Day hopes to have a much-improved year in shot put and discus. Senior Liam Johnston will lead a big group of sprinters.
West Valley: The 2A runners-up have another good turnout this season and it showed at the Lakeside Jamboree. Senior Trent White stepped up for the sprint group with a season best in the 100 and a personal best in the 200. Sophomore distance runner Tony Belko surpassed last year’s best time in the 1,600 by 23 seconds.