Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

Fast times for All-Area track MVPs

By Rene Ferran, Herald staff writer

Whitney Leavitt didn't remember being nervous before the final two races of her high school career.

The Kiona-Benton senior was vying to become just the second girl in state history to sweep the 100- and 200-meter state titles in her career, and she was going for it on what would be her future home track at Eastern Washington University.

"I did think about that," she said.

She won both races easily.

The times were ordinary -- 13.05 seconds in the 100, 25.49 in the 200 -- thanks to running into a strong headwind, but they take nothing away from her accomplishment, which made her a worthy choice as a repeat winner of Herald All-Area girls track athlete of the year honors.

"To only be the second person ever is pretty cool," Leavitt said. "To think how lucky I was, to always be in such good health and to always have a good race at state, it's pretty exciting."

Leavitt, who ran area-bests of 12.18 in the 100 and 25.37 in the 200, now will take the summer off from competition to help with the cherry crop. She'll take part in Ki-Be's volleyball and cross country conditioning sessions, though, "so I'm not dying when I get to college."

Pasco junior Marques Avery earned boys MVP honors after winning the 4A Eastern Regional titles in the 100 and 200, taking fourth at state in the 100 and making the 200 finals before a hip flexor injury left him grimacing to the finish line in eighth.

"That was not the way I wanted to go out," Avery said. "The 100 was almost perfect for me. The 200, what can you do with injuries? It was just bad timing."

Avery showed what he could do by moving into a tie for seventh on the all-time area list with his 10.90 in the 100 final, and sixth all-time in the 200 with his 21.95 in the prelims.

Avery now plans on using his disappointment in the 200 final as motivation for next season.

"I want to show up next year and do something big," he said.

Walla Walla coach Harvey Wellington was named boys coach of the year in his final season before retiring after a 40-year career. The Blue Devils went undefeated in league duals for the fourth straight year, and in the past 10 years Wa-Hi went 104-3.

Wa-Hi also had a pair of runners -- state qualifiers Jordan Ness (400) and Garrett Gerling (110 and 300 hurdles) -- on the first team. Hanford, Waitsburg-Prescott and Hermiston also had two athletes on the first team.

Southridge coach Sheila Smith was named girls coach of the year after leading the Suns to a third straight undefeated dual-meet season and a first-ever regional title.

The Suns also landed a pair of state-placing runners, Kasey McNeill and Chelsea Bourque, on the first team, while Leavitt was joined by fellow double state champion Katharine Lotze. Hanford, Pasco and Richland also had two athletes on the first team.

First team boys

Boys sprints -- Marques Avery, Jr., Pasco, MVP: Regional champion in 100, 200; fourth at state in 100; Jordan Ness, Sr., Walla Walla: Area leader in 400 ran at state in event; also ran 100 at regionals; Steven Piippo, Sr., Richland: headed to Boise State as a decathlete; sixth at state in 200.

Boys distances-- Evan Fiske, Jr., Kamiakin, first Brave to run 3,200 at state since 2000 placed eighth.; Andrew Gonzales, Sr., Southridge, WSU signee won district, regional 3,200s; fourth at state; Jordan Ringe, Sr., Hermiston, Portland signee took second in 1,500, third in 3,000 at state.

Boys jumps-- Joseph Babcock, Sr., Grandview, second at CWAC districts, fifth at state in triple jump; Josh Bland, Sr., Hanford, regional high jump champ; fifth at state in triple jump. Blair Collins, Sr., Royal, Area leader in LJ; second at state in long, fourth in triple.

Boys throws-- Cody Humphrey, Sr., Hermiston, area leader in shot took third at state in both shot, discus; James Lehr, Jr., Waitsburg-Prescott, area leader in discus won 2B state titles in shot, discus; Kyle Wagar, Sr., Hanford, area leader in javelin won district title, took third at state.

Boys hurdles-- Morgan Baker, Sr., Waitsburg-Prescott, took second at 2B state in 300s, sixth in 110s; Garrett Gerling, Jr., Walla Walla, area leader in both 110s and 300s; qualified for state in both.

Pole vault-- Robert Jesop, sr., Kennewick, area leader cleared 14-3; finished sixth at regionals.

Coach-- Harvey Wellington, Walla Walla, team unbeaten in league duals for fourth straight season.

Second team

Sprints-- Andrew Bloom, sr., Walla Walla; Tyler Bowers, jr., Richland; Cori Nickerson, sr., Kamiakin

Distances-- Anthony Armstrong, fr., Kamiakin; Peter Gilbert, sr., Pasco; Jose Marcial, sr., Kiona-Benton

Hurdles-- Joe Clements, sr., Hanford; Jason Yale, jr., Southridge

Pole vault-- Storm Shea, sr.,Grandview

Jumps-- Spencer Fackrell, sr., Moses Lake; Randy Koon, jr., Moses Lake; Colton Riner, sr., Connell

Throws-- Scott Christensen, sr., Richland; Lale Ena, sr., Hermiston; Ethan Morgan, sr., Kamiakin

First team girls

Girls sprints--Whitney Leavitt, Sr., Kiona-Benton, MVP, became second girl ever in state to sweep 100, 200 titles; Kasey McNeill, Sr., Southridge, seventh at state in 100; anchored area-record 4x200 relay; Yesenia Ortiz Sr., Pasco, district and regional champ in 400 placed fourth at state

Girls distances-- Nancy Cardenas, Sr., Umatilla, area leader in 1,500 took third at state; also second in 3,000; Erin Hegarty, Soph., Hanford, area leader in 3,200 won district title, took fifth at state; Marisa Vander Malle, Jr., Pasco, area leader in 1,600 but qualified for state in 3,200.

Girls jumps--Elise Jepsen, Sr., Kamiakin, EWU signee qualified for state in triple, high jumps; Shaniae Lakes, Sr., Richland, 39-0 triple jump won regionals, area's No. 2 ever; second at state; Taymussa Miller, Sr., Hanford, regional high, long jump titlist; third at state in HJ, eighth in LJ.

Girls throws--Mary Barnett, Jr., Hermiston, won Oregon 5A discus; area leader in shot - third at state; Christine Kirkwood, soph., Othello, won 2A state title in javelin with area-best throw of 151-10; Ana Zapien, Sr., Prosser, area leader in discus won districts, took second at state.

Girls hurdles--Chelsea Bourque, Jr., Southridge, district, regional champ in highs placed fifth at 4A state; Katharine Lotze, Sr., Kiona-Benton, CWU signee won 1A titles in 100 hurdles, triple jump.

Pole vault--Jessica Christian, Sr., Richland, South Dakota signee repeated as 4A champ; best vault 12-5.

Coach--Sheila Smith, Southridge, led team to third straight dual-meet t itle, first regional crown.

Second team

Sprints-- Megan Dart, sr., Hanford; Angelica Rodriguez, jr., Hermiston; La'Quilla Upton, jr., Southridge

Distances-- Lauren Dernbach, jr., Richland; Emily Hazen, soph., Richland; Janette Rodriguez, jr., Pasco

Hurdles-- Brianna Casper, jr., Connell; Martha Sanford, jr., Richland

Pole vault-- Mackenzie Hall, sr., Southridge

Jumps-- Brittany Hill, sr., Southridge; Kellisa Owens, sr., Dayton; Catherine Routson, soph., Umatilla

Throws-- Emma Murillo, jr., Southridge; Kenna Ross, sr., Walla Walla; Haley Tank, sr., Hanford