1B track championship picture should include Odessa
CHENEY — Columbia Basin track and field athletes from the 2B and 1B ranks will be converging on Eastern Washington University's Woodward Field this Friday and Saturday.
The Lind-Ritzville Broncos and Odessa Tigers are sending the biggest numbers to state. The Bronco boys have seven individuals and two relay teams, with the Bronco girls qualifying four individuals and two relay squads for the 2B meet.
In the 1B meet, Odessa's boys have a legitimate shot at the state title, sending 14 individuals and two relays. Odessa's girls have three individuals and one relay.
2B/1B boys preview
Odessa's boys have several multi-event qualifiers, including senior Aaron Wilson, who will be competing in the 110-meter high hurdles, triple jump, high jump and pole vault. Freshman Aaron Bruya and junior Josh Allen are in three events apiece, with seniors Jason Jasman and Logan Luiten, junior Matt Cronrath and sophomore Andy Read each qualifying in two events.
Additionally, the Tigers' 1,600-meter relay foursome of Travis King, Jasman, Jacob Schmidt and Cronrath are a favorite for the state title. They come into state with the fastest qualifying time among the eight squads, running a district time of 3 minutes, 38.68 seconds. Trout Lake-Glenwood is the next fastest qualifier, over four seconds back.
Odessa has several other good possibilities for a state title, with Jasman coming in as the fastest qualifier in the 400-meter dash (51.70 seconds) and Cronrath as the fastest in the mile run (4:44.30).
In the field events, Wilson has the best mark of five finalists in the triple jump (38 feet, 11 1/4 inches) and second-best among eight in the high jump (5-08).
Lind-Ritzville junior Alex Pfeifer will be in the boys' 200 and 400 dashes. He's a favorite for the title in the 400, having qualified in a state-best time of 50.82 seconds.
Bronco sophomore Jordan Bilodeaux qualified for both hurdling events. His 110-meter time of 16.40 is second-best in his heat, while his 300-meter time of 42.51 is fourth-best for his heat.
The Broncos should also be in the running for first with both of their relay teams. The 4x100 team of Cory Whitmore, Bilodeaux, Nolan Miller and Pfeifer turned in a strong qualifying mark of 44.79. The 4x400 team of Bilodeaux, Miller, Pfeifer and Jon Donaldson is also near the top of the qualifying sheet at 3:32.97.
Bronco junior Erik Hille is third among discus qualifiers at 144-01, and figures to be chasing South Bend's Tim Lazelle and Willapa Valley's Drew Ege for the title. Whitmore is 4 inches back of the state leader, Tekoa-Oakesdale's Kris Widman, in the high jump. Bronco freshman Marshall Fryberger is tied for third among 2B qualifiers in the pole vault (11 feet).
The Soap Lake Eagles have two athletes in the 2B meet. Senior Bryan Allen is third among javelin qualifiers at 171-06, trailing only Liberty Bell's Cody Hutchinson and Nick Lyons of Desales. Allen will also compete in the shot put alongside teammate Derek Dailey, who is sixth in the 16-athlete field at 44-05 3/4.
2B/1B girls preview
Lind-Ritzville's best shot at a title could be senior long jumper Jenna Kragt. She comes into state fresh off a leap of 16-02, second among the 16 qualifers. Riverside Christian's Natalie Nobbs might be tough to catch, however, having turned in a qualifying mark of 16-11 1/4. Kragt also has a good shot at a medal in the 100 hurdles, coming in with a time of 16.46.
Bronco freshman Kelsey Arlt could medal in two events. She has the ninth-best qualifying mark in the shot put (32-06 3/4) and the eighth-best in the discus (101-06). Teammate Heather Hunt, a junior, has the 10th-best mark in the discus (92-11).
Sophomore sprinter Courtney Flynn will likely need a big improvement to medal in the 400, coming in at 1:04.35. Flynn is also a part of the Lady Broncos' two relay teams at state. She'll team with Kragt, Danielle Sackmann and Suzanne Gust in the 400 and 800 events.
Odessa's Jana Jasman is another of the meet's jack-of-all-trades. The junior will compete in the 110 and 300 hurdles, the triple jump and pole vault. Jasman has the second-best mark among 100 hurdle qualifiers (17.44), a second back of Northport's Kaprina Goodwin. Jasman's mark of 32-07 in the triple jump is third in the eight-athlete field.
Lady Tiger freshman Mallarie Bramer will be in the shot put, having gone 30 feet, 5 1/4 inches at districts. Teammate Jaylene Jasman is in the 400 and 800 runs, having qualified in 1:05.97 and 2:39.74, respectively.
Odessa's 4x400 relay squad of Stephanie Wilson, Corinne Kinney, Casey Winfrey and Jaylene Jasman comes into state with a qualifying time of 4:43.81, well back of top qualifier Pateros.
The Almira-Coulee/Hartline Warriors have two girls at state. Senior Andrea Edwards will be in the 100-meter dash and javelin events, while junior Britney Domangue will compete in the long jump and high jump.
Edwards has a good chance at the javelin championship with a mark of 122-05 1/2 at districts. That's second in the state behind Neah Bay senior Alyssa Greene (125-01).