Thursday, May. 28, 2009

Heading soon to Tacoma

In the past 48 hours, I've had the privilege of interviewing the best junior golfer in the nation and the best high school sprinter in the Mid-Columbia.

Both have made me feel woefully inadequate as an "athlete."

Watching Cameron Peck of Timberline -- and for that matter, all of the great golfers in town for the state championships -- makes me very jealous, because my golf game pales in comparison. These guys expect to birdie just about any hole. I'm hoping just to bogey every hole, with a par or two thrown in, to break 90.

So when I'm talking to Eastlake's Kevin Penner, who shot a 4-under 68 at Canyon Lakes, secretly I'm shooting daggers of jealousy at him.

What can I say? I'd kill to shoot an 88 at Canyon Lakes.

Then, I got to talk to Pasco junior Marques Avery, the reigning regional champion in the 100 and 200 meters, who'd probably lap me if we were to race in the 200.

Track is so elemental -- who's the fastest? who can jump the highest, or the farthest? who can heave an object the farthest? -- and that's part of what makes it so great. It's easy to understand, and thus easy to be impressed by what these guys are able to accomplish.

And the best part for me was getting to spend time with both golfers and tracksters. It's that variety that makes covering high school sports so great.

When the state track meet was held at Edgar Brown Stadium, one of my favorite pasttimes was to pick the favorites, contenders and darkhorses for each event.

But with the meet in Tacoma this year, I'm passing the torch to Doug Pacey of The News Tribune to get into the predictions game.

Instead, I'll tell you 10 athletes who are my "picks to click" from the Mid-Columbia at the two meets taking place this weekend -- the 4A/3A/2A meet at Mount Tahoma, and the 1A/2B/1B at EWU.

Marques Avery, jr., Pasco (4A boys 100) His coach, Randy Hoover, said he thinks Avery's best is yet to come ... specifically at state, where he'll be challenged by the best of the best. I tend to agree. I don't think he'll win the title, but a top-3 finish and a race in the 10.8-range is well within his grasp.

Andrew Gonzales, sr., Southridge (4A boys 3,200) He ran a big personal-record in winning the regional title last weekend. He didn't qualify this year in the 1,600, meaning he can go all out in the 3,200 and not have to worry about saving anything for another race. In this elite field, a sub 9-minute race isn't out of the question.

Chelsea Bourque, jr., Southridge (4A girls 100 hurdles) She's on the cusp of breaking 15 seconds in this race. She's definitely capable of running in the 14.8s this weekend -- if the 4x200 relay final Saturday doesn't sap her too much for the hurdles final.

Shaniae Lakes, sr., Richland (4A girls triple jump) The Mid-Columbia has never had a 40-foot triple jumper. With Andrea Geubelle in the field to push her, and Lakes finally at 100 percent health, I think that stat goes by the wayside Thursday night.

Jessica Christian, sr., Richland (4A girls pole vault) I'm not sure that even clearing 12-9 would bring a smile to the South Dakota-bound Christian. But I think I'll find out this weekend.

Josh Bland, sr., Hanford (3A boys triple jump) Bland is under the tutelage of Clay Lewis, who I consider the best jumps coach in the state. He popped a big PR last week at regionals. I think he gets another big one this week and gets into the mid-45s. ... And if not here, he'll go at least 6-6 in the high jump.

Taymussa Miller, sr., Hanford (3A girls high jump) She's consistently clearing 5-5, and like Bland, she's got Lewis to tutor her. Can you say 5-8?

Ana Zapien, sr., Prosser (2A girls discus) She's another athlete who has consistently hit a certain range -- 125-130 feet -- and is dying to get past that plateau. I think she does it this week and gets into the low 140s to win.

Christine Kirkwood, soph., Othello (2A girls javelin) I started to type in Courtney Kir... then stopped myself. But Christine is definitely following in her big sister's footsteps, and she has another big throw left in her this high school season -- say, something in the high 150s.

Whitney Leavitt, sr., Kiona-Benton (1A girls 100 and 200) Leavitt will be running on her soon-to-be home track in Cheney. She is bidding to become only the second Washington girl ever to sweep the 100 and 200 titles in the same year. And mark my words ... she'll do it.

I read about what happened to Nate Remillard of River View in last Saturday's 1A state quarterfinal game, and I was reminded once again of the difference between boys and girls sports.

Remember the Central Washington softball players who carried the Western Oregon player around the bases after she tore her ACL on a home run?

The Naches Valley players weren't allowed to help Remillard, who was called out because he was unable to round the bases.

However, here's what I don't understand about the play. Why doesn't this scenario out of the NFHS Baseball Case Book not apply?

5.2.1 SITUATION C: B1 (a) hits a home run over the fence ... B1 is unable to reach his awarded base because of an injury sustained during the play. RULING: In (a) ... because bases are awarded, a pinch runner may replace the injured player and continue to the awarded bases.

In my opinion, Remillard was cheated out of a home run. If someone can explain to me why this does not apply here, please do so.

As I expected, Jill Meliah was named the new girls basketball coach at Walla Walla. She was the top assistant to former coach Jack Mehn, who had to give up the job when he became assistant principal at Pioneer Middle School. ... The hiring of winter and spring head coaches in the Pasco School District for next season is on hold as the district grapples with budget concerns. Pasco and Chiawana were able to name their coaches for the fall, but Pasco (for instance) has to find new boys and girls basketball coaches because Chad Herron and Steve Davis moved to Chiawana starting next year.

OK, that's enough musings for now.

Til next time ...