Sunday, Apr. 20, 2008

Prosser's Wandling, Ki-Be's Leavitt highlight Pasco Invite

By Rene Ferran, Herald staff writer

Cade Wandling exited the Edgar Brown Stadium track Saturday afternoon following his final race, a disgusted look on his face.

"I've been better," the Prosser senior said after finishing second in the 200 meters to Benson's Nycole Griffin at the 47th annual Pasco Invitational.

A couple hours later, Wandling truly was feeling much better about his day after he was selected the meet's Outstanding Male Athlete in leading the Mustangs to a tie for second in the team standings.

"This is really an honor, just because of all the great athletes that were here," said Wandling, who anchored Prosser's victorious 4x100 relay team -- the lone Mid-Columbia boys titlists -- and also took second in the 100. "It's nice to be chosen, but I still need to do some work."

Kiona-Benton junior Whitney Leavitt had long since exited Edgar Brown by the time it was announced she was selected the Outstanding Female Athlete of the meet for her win in the 100 and close second in the 200.

It was sweet redemption for Leavitt, who a year ago face-planted near the finish of the 200.

"I came into the meet this year, and it didn't feel so big like it did when I was a freshman," Leavitt said. "I feel like I belong."

Central Valley won its first-ever boys title with 41 points, edging Jesuit of Portland and 2007 champion Prosser by six points.

Bellarmine Prep, led by a trio of champions, won the girls title with 65 points, with Richland second with 57.5.

"We got points everywhere: running and in the field," said junior Martha Sanford, who aided the Bombers' cause with a fifth in the 300 hurdles and running on the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. "We have a good future ahead of us ... maybe even a shot at state."

The 4A/3A state meet, to be run at this same facility in five weeks' time, was on the back of many athletes' minds as they braved the chilly, windy conditions -- which were still better than on the westside, where the Eason Invite in Snohomish was snowed out.

"This is pretty much a dress rehearsal for state. It's an opportunity to prove to yourself that you're a contender," said Redmond's Sarah Lord, who repeated as Invite 3,200 champion in the girls, holding off Jesuit's Adrienne McGuirk to win in 10:53.52.

Two-time 4A boys state 3,200 champion Joey Bywater of Lake Stevens finally added an Invite title to his collection, blowing past Mead's Kelly Lynch on the final straightaway to win in 9:23.07.

It was Bywater's first 3,200 this season, and he pronounced it a good kickoff to what he hopes will be a three-peat.

"This is a good mark to start working off," he said. "This track has been great to me."

Lord was one of three repeat champions on the day. Pullman's Anna Albrecht won a second girls shot put title with a throw of 42 feet, 81/2 inches, while Othello's Courtney Kirkwood captured the girls javelin in 143-11.

"I've been throwing well in practice, and I was kind of hoping for better marks today," said Kirkwood, the Mid-Columbia record-holder in the event (160-11). "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

Two other area athletes won titles Saturday -- Kamiakin senior Olivia Johnston staved off a pair of rivals to win the girls 300 hurdles in 45.37, and Richland junior Jessica Christian won the girls pole vault by clearing 11-9.

A pair of distance runners coming off big performances at last week's Arcadia (Calif.) Invitational posted victories.

Mount Rainier's Ryan Prentice, the reigning 3A state cross country champion, followed up a 14:41 in the 5,000 at Arcadia -- No. 5 all-time in the state -- by kicking past Lake City's John Coyle to win the 1,600 in 4:17.66.

"After last week, this just felt like nothing," Prentice said.

Bellarmine's Nicole Cochran, who broke 5 minutes in the mile last week, held off Bellingham's Becca Friday to win the 800 in 2:14.41.

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