Saturday, May. 30, 2009

Wagar, Tank place high for Hanford track

By Rene Ferran, Herald staff writer

TACOMA -- A year ago, Kyle Wagar bombed out in the 3A state javelin, while Haley Tank didn't even qualify.

On Friday at Star Track XXVII, the Hanford seniors came up big to bring home state hardware from Mount Tahoma High.

Wagar threw a personal-best 188 feet, 8 feet to finish third in the boys competition, while Tank went 127-6 to finish fourth in the girls.

"My adrenaline was rushing. I was ready to go out strong," said Wagar, who will play football at Central Washington this fall and is talking with CWU coaches about throwing the javelin there.

Wagar finished 15th at state in Pasco last May, but a throw of 188-4 in the prelims erased that memory. He improved upon that in the first throw of the finals.

"It was just me and the coaches this week, concentrating on the things I needed to work on," Wagar said. "For example, keeping my arm back instead of pulling it in. And it paid off."

Bellevue senior Robert Hintz set a meet record with his winning 211-0 throw.

Tank was hoping for a little positive mojo after lending her shoes to Othello's Christine Kirkwood on Thursday for her winning effort in the 2A meet.

It wasn't to be. Tank's best throw proved to be her first of the day. Columbia River's Anna Adamko won with a throw of 141-4.

"I didn't feel it as much today as I did last week," said Tank, who will play basketball and throw the javelin at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., next year.

"Still, I improved so much this year. I came into the meet third, so fourth place works for me. I'm OK with it."

Hanford senior Josh Bland ensured himself a busy final day of the meet by easing through his 400 prelim. Bland will compete in the 400, triple and high jumps today.

Class 2A

Grandview had a pair of boys place fifth in their events -- seniors Joseph Taylor in the javelin (172-2) and Joseph Babcock (44-103/4) in the triple jump.

Taylor threw a 4-foot personal best on his second throw of the prelims.

"I'm pretty excited, because I didn't expect to place this high," said Taylor, who finished behind CWAC rival Anthony Galaviz of Toppenish (182-2).

Babcock was part of a triple jump field that took advantage of a tailwind to post some big jumps -- River Ridge's Miles Coats won in 48-61/2, while Ephrata's Jerome Prescod also went over 48 feet.

"My goal was to place in the top five," Babcock said. "Naturally, I would have liked to have done better, but I can't complain."

Prosser senior Shelby Moore took sixth in the girls hurdles in 16.21 -- well back of winner Sarah Schireman of Archbishop Murphy (14.71).

"I didn't do what I wanted. I was faster in my prelim," said Moore, who ran 16.09 on Thursday. "But it was fun."