Ephrata hosts sub-district meet
EPHRATA — The Ephrata boys and girls track teams cruised to undefeated Central Washington Athletic Conference (CWAC) titles this season and the Tigers look to maintain their momentum during Friday’s sub-district meet.
The Ephrata girls have been dominant this season, cruising to victories at the Ray Cross, Cascade, Quincy, and Connell Invitationals this season and Ephrata head coach Dan Martin said he is proud of his girls team.
“Every (event) the girls went to that was scored, they won,” he said. “It is unique to have a year like that.”
The Ephrata girls have been overpowering on the track this season and they have been just as impressive in the classroom.
The girls track and field team was named the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association academic state champions this spring with a 3.754 team grade point average.
With an academic state championship in hand, the girls track team is looking to maintain their stellar season and Ephrata is led by a myriad of star performers.
Lexi Lange helped lead the Tigers on the track on her way to earning CWAC track Athlete of the Year honors. Lange was also a second-team All-CWAC selection sprinter.
Lange wasn’t the only member of the girls track team to earn all-conference recognition. Danielle Friend was a first-team pick in the distance races, Daiam Navarro was a first-team hurdler, and Kendhal Hintz was a first-team jumper.
Although the girls team cruised to four invitational titles and a conference championship, the boys team has been dominant as well.
The Ephrata boys cruised to an undefeated CWAC season and the Tigers look to take numerous individuals to the district track meet next Friday in Prosser, Wash., Martin said.
“The top eight kids move on to the district championships on Prosser next Friday night,” he said. “If everything works out we should take a large number to Prosser.”
Ephrata senior Mike Mandeville, junior Jerome Prescod and pole vaulter Wes Chamberlain are just a few of the Tigers track members hoping for strong performances Friday afternoon in Ephrata.
Mandeville ran the fastest 2A time this season in the 300 hurdles and was named the Seattle Times male 2A Athlete of the Week on April 30 for his performance at the Quincy Invitational, Martin said.
“(Mandeville) is a really hard worker, a good student, and a good kid,” he said. “He has already broke the school record in the 300 hurdles.”
Prescod was named the CWAC’s field event Athlete of the Year and Chamberlain has pole vaulted 15-feet this season — the top 2A vault in the state.
Ephrata is hosting the sub-district meet Friday afternoon and the boys and girls teams look to continue their impressive seasons. Martin said his teams wouldn’t have been as successful without dedication and perseverance.
“We had 107 kids turn out at the beginning of the year and we finished with 104,” he said. “What has helped us is that our No. 2 people are just as good as the No. 1s at other schools.”