Thursday, Apr. 16, 2009

Small-school talent boosts field at Pasco Invite

By Rene Ferran, Herald staff writer

One of the aspects of the Pasco Invitational track meet on which director John Crawford prides himself is having some of the best small-school talent included in the field, getting perhaps their only chance to test themselves against top-flight competition.

This year's 48th edition taking place Saturday at Edgar Brown Stadium is no exception. Crawford not only has some top local small-school athletes in the field -- headlined by last year's Female Outstanding Athlete, Whitney Leavitt of Kiona-Benton -- but he also has scoured the Northwest for elite performers.

For example, Annie Wright (Tacoma) junior Li Murphy has the top time in the girls 400 meters among the 48 entrants, and Kaylee Uhlenkott of Prairie (Cottonwood, Idaho) is the top girls shot putter of 46 throwers.

The final heat of the boys 300 hurdles will spotlight three small-school speedsters in top seed Dana Wells of Riverside Christian (Yakima), No. 2 Mitch Simmonds of Cole Valley Christian (Meridian, Idaho) and No. 4 Morgan Baker of Waitsburg-Prescott.

The meet begins at 9:30 a.m. with the boys distance medley and pole vault. Opening ceremonies are set for 12:45 p.m., with the final event -- the 4x400 relays -- scheduled for 6 p.m.

Leavitt (100) and Richland senior Jessica Christian (girls pole vault) are two of nine returning champions in what is billed as the largest one-day high school invitational in the country.

Also back are Selah senior Brett Blanshan (100), Hockinson senior Colton Dunn (400), Central Valley senior Brad Whitley (800), Hazen senior Andrey Levkiv (shot) in the boys, and Benson (Portland) senior Kayla Smith (200), Mead sophomore Baylee Mires (1,600) and Mount Rainier sophomore Kathleen Mulligan (triple jump) in the girls.

Last year's girls champion, Bellarmine Prep, is not among the 96 teams scheduled to have entries in the field, but Central Valley's boys will defend their title.

This year's dedication is to the Pasco community for its "commitment to excellent schools," including the passage of the $83 million bond to remodel Pasco High and build Chiawana High, which opens next fall.