Regional track: Kamiakin girls pick up another 3A title
The Kamiakin girls weren’t sure they had the depth to win their fifth consecutive 3A regional track meet.
But with four wins each by Heather Donais and Mirannda Shulman, the four-time defending state champion Braves were able to cobble together 170 points Saturday for the title at Fran Rish Stadium in Richland.
“This is awesome. We didn’t have any disappointments,” Kamiakin coach Cheryl Schauble said. “Heather and Mirannda each had four firsts, and they all ran their guts out. I’m proud of the freshmen, I’m proud of Lindsey Lowe (1,600) — they have fight in them. The kids came in and did what they had to do.”
Donais won the 100 meters (12.63 seconds), 100 hurdles (14.88), 300 hurdles (44.18) and ran the opening leg of the 4x200 relay team (1:43.02) that won by 3 seconds.
Choosing the 100 meters over the 4x100 relay, Donais said she was hesitant at the start of the year to run the event. She had the choice to run the relay at regionals, but chose to stay in the 100.
“I was mad at the start of the year when Schauble put me in it,” Donais said of the 100. “She said just try it. I warmed up to it. I’d always done the 4x100, but I wanted to try something different today. I practice my starts like I do the hurdles. It’s just the same, but no hurdles. Turns out I’m pretty fast.”
Shulman ran to first-place finishes in the 400- and 200-meter races, then ran legs on the winning 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
A rain storm began as Shulman’s 400-meter final was getting under way, but she said it didn’t bother her as much as Mt. Spokane’s Kelly Brown breathing down her neck.
“It felt good,” she said of the rain. “It calmed me down and gave me something else to think about. I knew she would be there — I tried not to look back.”
Lowe, who hadn’t run in practice for the past 17 days because of a calf injury, turned in a personal-best time of 5:18:14 to place second in the 1,600 and earn her first trip to state.
“I really wanted to go last year, but I turned my ankle in the 3,200 the the night before and I finished third,” the Kamiakin senior said. “It has haunted me for a year. Friday, I was third in the 3,200 by like 3 seconds. I cried. I used that to push myself. It was now or never.”
Allison Stapleton was a double winner for Braves, winning the long jump (17-9 1/4) and the triple jump (37-1 1/2).
Hanford’s Amanda Andersen dominated the pole vault event with a winning height of 11-3, Morgan Rasmussen took top honors in the high jump at 5-2, Kara Shibley won the shot put with a mark of 38-5 3/4, and Rachel Schmidt won the 800 (2:24.20).
The Falcons also placed second in the 4x400 relay, and Lele Williams was second in the 300 hurdles, helping Hanford to a third-place finish in the team standings.
Pasco’s Angela Cardon punched her ticket to state in four events — 100, 200, long jump and triple. She won all but the long jump, in which she placed third.
“It’s a major improvement from last year,” Cardon said. “I’m speechless. Yesterday, I broke the school record in the 200 (24.53) in prelims, and I broke the 100 (11.79) record last week at district. I’m blessed to do this well.”
Bree Skinner previously held Pasco’s 100 (11.94) and 200 (24.64) records.
The Walla Walla boys placed second in the 4A teams standings, led by senior javelin thrower Andrew Granchukoff, who threw a personal best 194 feet, 5 inches to earn a trip to state.
“It’s my first regional title and I’m really excited,” said Granchukoff, who placed fifth at state last year. “I did a little seven-step, I felt a great pull in my arm and it took off.”
Chiawana senior Roman Ruiz qualified for state in four events. He won the pole vault (15-0), was third in the shot put (50-2 1/4) and was fourth in both hurdle events, but turned in a state qualifying in both in the finals to punch his ticket.
“Running against really good competition gets your adrenaline going, but that can be bad because you don’t run your race and you lose your form,” Ruiz said. “I know that now. I have another week. That’s when it all counts. There (at state), I’ll be competing over three days instead of all in one. I just have to take care of myself.”
Joshua Wilson also had a productive day for the Riverhawks, winning the 200 (22.55) and placing second in the 100 (11.17) and 400 (50.80).
“I’m very happy,” Wilson said of going to state. “Last year, I pulled a hamstring, and when I came back I wasn’t the same. This has been my first healthy year. I was a little stressed for the 100, but I was confident in the 200 and 400. I’m happy to be going in anything.”
Richland struggled to earn points Saturday, but its 4x400 relay team placed second (3:25.19), as did junior shot putter Matthew Christensen, who unleashed a personal-best throw of 50-11 3/4 to earn his first trip to state.
The Kamiakin boys got some key points in the relays, the middle and long distances, the hurdles and in the weight events to pick up second place.
Wyatt Musser won the 3A shot put (50-8 3/4) and was second in the discus (163-11), while Braxton Gutierrez won the 800 and ran a leg on the 4x400 relay team that placed third.
“I didn’t think it would happen that way,” Musser said of winning the shot and placing second in the discus — his marquee event. “I’ll take first, go to state and hopefully place. My goal is to place in both.”
Gutierrez turned in a personal-best time of 1:54.32 in the 800, shattering the Kamiakin school record of 1:56.08.
“I was so excited,” Gutierrez said. “It’s been a long way to get there. I have wanted to beat the school record. I feel pretty humbled.”
Gutierrez didn’t know if he would be able to run Saturday after waking up in the middle of the night with a fever and and not feeling well. A little medicine and a few more hours of sleep, and he was good to go.
“I was scared I wouldn’t be able to run,” he said. “I woke up and I felt fine.”
Kennewick freshman Johan Correa finished second in the 800 with a personal-best time of 1:56.11, which ranks as the fourth-best time in the nation by a freshman this year.
“I was so happy for him,” Gutierrez said of Correa. “State will be a great experience for him.”
Hanford, fourth in the team race, saw Reilly Smith win the 110 (15.41) and 300 hurdles (40.25).
The Falcons also got second-place finishes from Joe Gauthier in the 100 (10.70) and 200 (22.27) and Nicolas Fraga in the 400 (51.20).
Kamiakin’s Garrett Paxton was second in the 110 hurdles (16.07), and Benson Smith in the 300s (40.26), while Darreon Moore was second in the long jump (21-5 3/4).
At Richland HS
4A (top three in each event go to state)
BOYS
Teams scores: Mead 126.75, Walla Walla 94.75; Chiawana 40, Gonzaga Prep 70, Ferris 67, Richland 59.5, Central Valley 52, University 42, Lewis & Clark 23, Pasco 8.
100: 1, Samson Brown, Mead, 11.03; 2, Joshua Wilson, Chiawana, 11.17; 3, Tyler Kinney, Walla Walla, 11.29; 200: 1, Joshua Wilson, Chiawana, 22.55; 2, Bailey Hiebert, Mead, 22.77; 3, Malacki Griffen, Ferris, 22.89; 400: 1. Justin Evans, Walla Walla, 50.78; 2, Joshua Wilson, Chiawana, 50.80; 3, Fernando Ortiz, Walla Walla, 51.21; 800: 1, Isaac Barville, University, 1:55.45; 2, Will Medellin, Mead, 1:56.06; 3, Jack Sloan, University, 1:56.81; 1,600: 1. Isaac Barville, University, 4:17.11; 2, Alex Iben, Walla Walla, 4:17.17; 3, Amir Ado, Ferris, 4:17.24; 3,200: 1, Zak Kindl, Lewis & Clark, 9:28.32; 2, Johnny Cooney, Gonzaga Prep, 9:28.57; 3, Gabe Romney, Central Valley, 9:28.84; 110H: 1, Nick Johnson, Gonzaga Prep, 14.03; 2, Bryan Anderson, Mead, 14.45; 3, Ben Craig, Central Valley, 14.51; 300H: 1. Nick Johnson, Gonzaga Prep, 38.64; 2, Joseph Heitman, Mead, 38.66; 3, Bryan Anderson, Mead, 39.36; 4x100 relay: 1, Lewis & Clark (David McKinzy, James Aragon, Rashad Hill, Tae Davis) 43.31; 2, Walla Walla (Fernando Ortiz, Weston Wernette, Bryar Jensen, Tyler Kinney) 43.50; 3, Richland (Aarek Walters, Benjamin Stanfield, Jacob Stanfield, Tsega Macduff) 44.29; 4x400 relay: 1. Mead (Bryan Anderson, Bailey Hiebert, Samson Brown, Joseph Heitman), 3:23.9; 2, Richland (Benjamin Stanfield, Tsega Macduff, Tyler Kurtz, Jonah Sandoval), 3:25.19; 3, Walla Walla (Fernando Ortiz, Ben Tompkins, Jared Mcalvey, Justin Evans), 3:27.14; Shot: 1. Kirk Unland, Ferris, 55-4 3/4; 2, Matthew Christiansen, Richland, 50-11 3/4; 3, Roman Ruiz, Chiawana, 50-2 1/4; Discus: 1, Kirk Unland, Ferris, 154-1; 2, John Hardy, Richland, 153-2; 3, Kurt Blackman, Walla Walla, 145-11; Jav: 1. Andrew Granchukoff, Walla Walla, 194-5; 2, Erik Fitzgerald, Central Valley, 185-1; 3, Josh Farr, Mead, 178-6; HJ: 1. Mitchell Jacobson, Walla Walla, 6-7; 2, Nick Johnson, Gonzaga Prep, 6-0; 3, Logan Simpson, Richland, 6-0; PV: 1, Roman Ruiz, Chiawana, 15-0; 2, Kaleb Taylor, Gonzaga Prep, 14-6; 3, Parker Bell, Mead, 13-6; LJ: 1, Mitchell Jacobson, Walla Walla, 22-2.75; 2, Joseph Heitman, Mead, 21-5.75; 3, Dominic Lee, Chiawana, 21-0; TJ: 1. Dominic Lee, Chiawana, 44-9 3/4; 2, Shamrock Campbell, Ferris, 44-8 1/2; 3, Mitchell Jacobson, Walla Walla, 43-2.
GIRLS
Team scores: Central Valley 201, Lewis & Clark 117.5, Walla Walla 83.5, Mead 76.5, Richland 64.5, Ferris 61, Pasco 37, University 23, Chiawana 21, Gonzaga Prep 15.
100: 1, Angela Cardon, Pasco, 11.87; 2, Anna Rodgers, Lewis & Clark, 12.27; 3, Michele Olsen, Mead, 12:51; 200: 1, Angela Cardon, Pasco, 24.84; 2, Anna Fomin, Central Valley, 25.77; 3, Katie Hawkins, Central Valley, 25.83; 400: 1. Anna Fomin, Central Valley, 57.52; Anna Pecha, Central Valley, 58.53; 3, McKenna Cutler, Ferris, 59.20; 800: 1. Anna Pecha, Central Valley, 2:16.45; 2, Briegan Bester, Central Valley, 2:16.69; 3, Erica Pecha, Central Valley, 2;17.01; 1,600: 1. Katie Thronson, Lewis & Clark, 5:05.69; 2, Briegan Bester, Central Valley, 5:05.86; 3, Kearan Nelson, Central Valley, 5:08.15; 3,200: 1, Katie Thronson, Lewis & Clark, 11:04.83; 2, Erika Leinweber, Walla Walla, 11:07.79; 3, Kearan Nelson, Central Valley, 11:09.12; 100H: 1. Zalla Conley, Mead, 14.97; 2, Brielle Crump, Central Valley, 16.09; 3, Allicia Chalmers, Richland, 16.30; 300H: 1. Zella Conley, Mead, 45.78; 2, Brielle Crump, Central Valley, 47.15; 3, Paige Gardner, Walla Walla, 47.78; 4x100 relay: 1, Lewis & Clark (Grace Ellis, Emily Greene, Isabella Millsap, Anna Rodgers) 48.39; 2, Richland (Breezy Horne, Devyn Dittmer, Claire Aurand, Logan Jackson) 50.03; 3, Walla Walla (Camryn Holbrook, Madelyn Knight, Abigail Snyder, Lilliana Craig-Ewoniuk) 50.64; 4x200 relay: 1. Central Valley (Ahna Duggan, Katie Hawkins, Hayden McAuliff, Anna Fomin), 1:42.83; 2, Lewis & Clark, 1:42.86; 3, Ferris, 1:45.76; 4x400 relay: 1. Central Valley (Anna Pesch, Kearan Nelson, Katie Hawkins, Ana Fomin), 3:58.31; 2, Leiws & Clark, 4:05.52; 3, Walla Walla (Paige Gardner, Emma Wenzel, Madelyn Knight, Abigail Snyder), 4:06.40; Shot: 1, Tia Clemenson, University, 39-1.5; 2, Samara Nelson, Central Valley, 37-9.5; 3, Joselynn Tensley, Central Valley, 36-11.5; Discus: 1. Tasha Seymour, Walla Walla, 119-07; 2, Skylar Druffel, Walla Walla, 118-1; 3, Joselynn Tensley, Central Valley, 116-2; Jav: 1, Chrissy Fitzgerald, Ferris, 126-7; 2, Emma Wenzel, Walla Walla, 124-8; 3, Koreejo Kinder, Mead, 121-4; HJ: 1, Hailey Christopher, Central Valley, 5-3; 2, Amanda Chan, Mead, 5-2; 3, Annika Briggs, Ferris, 5-2; PV: 1. Sydney Johnson, Central Valley, 10-0; 2, Olivia Stockman, Central Valley, 10-0; 3, Kayla Wyatt, Gonzaga Prep, 9-9; LJ: 1, Anna Rodgers, Lewis & Clark, 18-5.25; 2, Lacie Hull, Central Valley, 17-4.25; 3, Angela Cardon, Pasco, 17-4; TJ: 1. Angela Cardon, Pasco, 38-7 3/4; 2, Maya Lebar, Lewis & Clark, 36-3 3/4; 3, Madison Rhoten, Richland, 35-9 1.2.
3A (top two in each event go to state)
BOYS
Team Scores: Mt. Spokane 125.5, Kamiakin 104.5, Rogers 87.5, Hanford 82, North Central 67, Kennewick 61.5; Shadle Park 61, Southridge 29.
100: 1, Khalil Winfrey, Rogers, 10.70; 2, Joseph Gauthier, Hanford, 10.70; 200: 1, Khalil Winfrey, Rogers, 22.16; 2, Joseph Gauthier, Hanford, 22.27; 400: 1, JJ Curry, Rogers, 50.41; 2, Nicolas Fraga, Hanford, 51.20; 800: 1. Braxton Gutierrez, Kamiakin, 1:54.32; 2, Johan Correa, Kennewick, 1:56.11; 1,600: 1. Justin Janke, North Central, 4:12.25; 2, Hayden Dressel, Mt. Spokane, 4:15.83; 3,200: 1, Justin Janke, North Central, 9:08.59; 2, Phillip Fishburn, Kamiakin, 9:19.09; 110H: 1. Reilly Smith, Hanford, 15.41; 2, Garrett Paxton, Kamiakin, 15.79; 300H: 1, Reilly Smith, Hanford, 40.25; 2, Benson Smith, Kamiakin, 40.26; 4x100 relay: 1, Rogers (Khalil Winfrey, JJ Curry, Eli Richardson, Shelton Teasley) 43.51; 2, Kamiakin (Benson Smith, Darreon Moore, Talmage Jacobson, Gavin Crow) 44.01; 4x400 relay: 1. Rogers (Khalil Winfrey, JJ Curry, Eli Richardson, Roberto Lopez), 3:25.57; 2, Mt. Spokane, 3:25.89; Shot: 1. Wyatt Musser, Kamiakin, 50-8 3/4; 2, Gage Gallagher, Shadle Park, 50-6 3/4; Discus: 1, Dillon Lionello, Mt. Spokane, 164-7; 2, Wyatt Musser, Kamiakin, 163-11; Jav: 1. Jacob Barnes, Mt. Spokane, 181-7; 2, Salvador Gonzalez, Kamiakin, 161-11; HJ: 1. Jakobe Ford, Shadle Park, 6-10; 2, Rashawn Lemery-Spencer, North Central, 6-2; PV: 1, Cade Neumann, Mt. Spokane, 14-6; T2, Raymond Volk, Rogers, and Derek Gunter, Kamiakin, 13-0; LJ: 1, Jacob White, Mt. Spokane, 21-7.75; 2, Darreon Moore, Kamiakin, 21-5.75; TJ: 1. Jakobe Ford, Shadle Park, 45-2 1/2; 2, Jacob White, Mt. Spokane, 43-0 1/4.
GIRLS
Team scores: Kamiakin 170, Mt. Spokane 155.5, Hanford 153, North Central 74.5, Southridge 64, Shadle Park 36, Kennewick 27, Rogers 8.
100: 1, Heather Donais, Kamiakin, 12.63; 2, Mertece Hatchett, Southridge, 12.88; 200: 1, Mirannda Shulman, Kamiakin, 26.15; 2, Lele Williams, Hanford, 26.27; 400: 1. Mirannda Shulman, Kamiakin, 59.05; 2, Kelly Brown, Mt. Spokane, 59.88; 800: 1. Brooke Hansen, Southridge, 2:19.03; 2, Rachel Schmidt, Hanford, 2:19.04; 1,600: 1. Micaela Kostecka, Mt. Spokane, 4:58.33; 2, Lindsey Lowe, Kamiakin, 5:18.14; 3,200: 1, Micaela Kostecka, Mt. Spokane, 11:37.32; 2, Hailey Cleavenger, Hanford, 11:37.96; 100H: 1. Heather Donais, Kamiakin, 14.88; 2, Nyenuchi Okemgbo, Hanford, 15.39; 300H: 1. Heather Donais, Kamiakin, 44.18; 2, Lele Williams, Hanford, 45.07; 4x100 relay: T1, Kamiakin (Mirannda Shulman, Britney Donais, Katherine Petsch, Isabelle Conover) and Southridge (Sarah Tucker, Brinley Palmer, Makenna Behrens, Mertece Hatchett) 49.96; 4x200 relay: 1. Kamiakin (Mirannda Shulman, Britney Donais, Katherine Petsch, Heather Donais), 1:43.02; 2, Mt. Spokane, 1:46.17; 4x400 relay: 1. Mt. Spokane (Shawnee Konrad, Liv Sargent, Micaela Kostecka, Kelly Brown), 4:05.30; 2, Hanford (Jennifer Lentz, Nyenuchi Okemgbo, Rachel Schmidt, Lele Williams), 4:05.80; Shot: 1, Kara Shibley, Hanford, 38-5.75; 2, Hailey Leeking, North Central, 35-11.75; Discus: 1. Delaney Warren, Mt. Spokane, 116-8; 2, Hailey Leeking, North Central, 116-4; Jav: 1, Emily Stites, Mt. Spokane, 121-1; 2, Olivia Prewitt, Mt. Spokane, 117-8; HJ: 1, Morgan Rasmussen, Hanford, 5-2; 2, Monica Kaylor, Kennewick, 5-0; PV: 1. Amanda Andersen, Hanford, 11-3; 2, Shawnee Konrad, Mt. Spokane, 10-6; LJ: 1, Allison Stapleton, Kamiakin, 17-9.25; 2, Mikal Sanchez, Hanford, 17-8; TJ: 1. Allison Stapleton, Kamiakin, 37-1 1/2; 2, Bayley Welk, Mt. Spokane, 34-1.
This story was originally published May 21, 2016 at 9:03 PM with the headline "Regional track: Kamiakin girls pick up another 3A title."