These Mid-Columbia track and field athletes would have been the best this spring

Had we had a high school track and field season this spring, the Mid-Columbia could’ve had kids from 11 different high schools represented among the best.

We’re basing times and marks off of what happened in 2019, and on that basis the talent is spread out.

On the boys’ side, Kamiakin seemed to have a lot of top guys, and it would be easy to see why the Braves could have repeated as Class 3A state champs as a team.

Walla Walla (the defending state 4A team champ) and Chiawana each had three representatives on the team.

In girls track, the team to beat may have been Hanford, who has four athletes on the girls list.

Hermiston is right behind with three athletes.

Overall, Kamiakin had six representatives on both teams, while Hanford and Walla Walla followed with five each.

Here is what the 2020 best of track team would have looked like:

Boys track team

▪ Cannon Angotti, sr., Walla Walla: Distance running star does well in the 3200 and cross country. He’s headed to compete for Grand Canyon University.

▪ Austin Bachman, sr., Chiawana: Really good 800 meters runner who also runs 1600. Was captain of Riverhawks’ cross country team last fall, and headed to Montana State.

▪ Jonathan Bennett, jr., Hanford: Fastest returning 110 hurdler and second-fastest returning in 100 meters.

▪ Neal Berkey, sr., Kamiakin: Multi-talented athlete who helped Braves to state 3A team title last year. He’s the top returning long jumper (22-4.5) and the top pole vaulter (15-0).

▪ Cameron Breier, jr., Chiawana: Standout linebacker has already committed to the Air Force Academy football team. But in track, he might be the region’s best 300 meter hurdler (38.84 seconds last year) and best 400 meters runner (50.00 seconds).

▪ Arnaldo Cabrera, sr., Kennewick: An outstanding sprinter who starred in the secondary for the Lions successful football team. His 22.52 second time in the 200 meters is one of the region’s best.

▪ Jagger Childs, sr., Kennewick: Came on late last season to throw a 180-8 in the javelin. Was expected to be among state’s best this year. Headed to Weber State this fall to play football.

▪ Cooper Cortinas, sr., Walla Walla: Has the best 1600 meters time (4:12.80) among returners, the second-best 800 meters time (1:57.22), and one of the best 3200 meters times. That’s why he’ll be competing next year at WSU.

▪ Derek Fischer, sr., Kamiakin: Top returning sprinter in region, with 11.02 seconds in the 100 meters. Also a good triple jumper, he’s headed to Western Washington University.

▪ Haden Hicks, jr., Prosser: His ticket is pretty likely basketball in college. But as a sophomore, he cleared 6-6.50 inches and finished tied for fourth at 2A state meet.

▪ Sylvanus Hunt, jr., Kamiakin: One of the better sprinters coming back, especially in the 200 meters.

▪ Dion Lee, sr., Chiawana: Outstanding football player for Riverhawks who was among the state’s best triple jumpers last year (46-5.25). Also one of the best long jumpers in the region.

▪ Michael Perez-Villalobos, sr., Royal: Placed second in the state 1A discus and third in shot put last year. Might even be a better football player as a lineman for powerhouse Knights.

▪ Dash Sirmon, so., Walla Walla: As a freshman, placed sixth in state 4A meet in javelin in 2019. Top throw is 188 feet, 5.75 inches.

▪ Stanford Smith, sr., Kamiakin: Another one of those standout cross country stars the Braves keep producing, Smith shines in the 3200 meters too. He’ll be competing this fall for Gonzaga University.

▪ Isaac Teeples, so., Kamiakin: Last year, as a freshman, he had some solid times in the 1600 and 3200 – in fact, his 9:21.27 is the best in the region among this year’s competitors.

But he really opened eyes last November when he won the 3A state title in cross country.

Honorable mention

Bennie Alferness, sr., Chiawana; Payton Collins, sr., Hanford; Mason Eacker-Rude, sr., Walla Walla; Ben Fewel, jr., Richland; Ryan McCartney, jr., Kamiakin; Ryan Moore, sr., Walla Walla; Myles Newhouse, so., Sunnyside; Konnor Oberman, sr., Hanford; Case Reinmuth, sr., Prosser; Mike Rivera, sr., Sunnyside; Elijah Ruiz, sr., Chiawana; Billy Simpkin, jr., Kiona-Benton; Elias Torres, sr., Pasco; William Vernon, sr., Columbia-Burbank; Garrett Walchli, sr., Hermiston; Eddie Werner, jr., Hanford; Emmit Whitby, sr., Richland.

Girls track team

▪ Eliana Coburn, jr., Walla Walla: Has cleared 5-4 in the high jump, and is a standout hurdler (15.77 seconds in the 100 hurdles, 46.48 in 300s) and would have scored a lot of points for the Blue Devils this season.

▪ Geraldin Correa, sr., Kennewick: One the top mid-distance to long distance runners in our area. Her 2:15.70 time is the best 800 meters mark. She’s headed to Lewis-Clark State College to run both cross country and track.

▪ Nevaeh DeNune, so., Kennewick: As a freshman, she tossed the shot put at 41 feet, 3 inches. That’s the best returning mark in the region.

▪ Camryn Dezember, jr., Hanford: As a sophomore last season, she ran a 12.49 seconds time in the 100, and 25.84 in the 200. Both are the fastest times among returning athletes.

▪ Amanda Fraga, sr., Hanford: Perhaps the best of the Falcons girls, she’She runs the best 400 meters at 58.10 seconds, and runs a 26.02 time in the 200.

▪ Katelynn Gelston, so., Hanford: Scored a lot a points in all throws for the Falcons last year as a freshman. She is by far the best discus thrower in the region, with a best mark of 136 feet, 2.75 inches.

▪ Rachel Harper, jr., Kamiakin: Multi-talented athlete who cleared 11 feet, 9 inches, in the pole vault last year.

▪ Katelynn Hassler, jr., DeSales: Doesn’t matter that she competes in Class 2B. As a sophomore, she ripped off a 45.63 seconds time in the 300 hurdles. Best in the region.

▪ Olivia Lee, sr., Southridge: Outstanding triple jumper cleared 35 feet, 2 inches, last season as a junior – the best mark among returning athletes.

▪ Ella Nelson, jr., Walla Walla: Amazing talented runner who can score points in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meters. In fact, she has the best area times in the 1600 (4:52.52) and 3200 (10:42.97).

▪ Paige Palzinski, jr., Hermiston: Her marks of 40 feet, 10.75 inches in the shot put and 34-8.75 in the triple jump are among the best in the region. It also makes her a very versatile athlete.

▪ Jazlyn Romero, sr., Hermiston: She’s headed to Oregon State University to throw the javelin. Her toss of 151-9 is the best mark among returning athletes. She also won the 3A state title in the event last spring.

▪ Natalie Ruzauskas, so., Richland: As a freshman, she played soccer. But she turned out for track last spring, and clocked a 2:16.39 in the 800 meters. Then she opened eyes last November when she finished second at the 4A state cross country meet.

▪ Sophia Sherman, sr., Hanford: Outstanding hurdler, especially in the 100 highs at 15.07 second. She has second-fastest 300 lows time at 46.21 seconds.

▪ Emma Summers, jr., Richland: She’s the best returning long distance runner in the Mid-Columbia not named Ella Nelson. Summers has the second-best times in the 1600 (5:08.08) and 3200 (11:00.24).

▪ Makayla Young, jr., Hermiston: Top returning long jumper in region at 17 feet, 5.5 inches, but she’s also an outstanding sprinter for the Bulldogs.

Honorable mention

Emma Andrewjeski, jr., Connell; Taryn Bohannon, jr., Walla Walla; Madi Carr, jr., Richland; Hannah Chang, so., Richland; Allison Coleman, sr., Hanford; Madeline Gebers, jr., Kennewick; Maelyn George, sr., Richland; Gina Grant, sr., Royal; Sariah Hepworth, so., Walla Walla; Lyqualah Kinsey, jr., Pasco; Olivia Mancinelli, sr., Kamiakin; Skyln Munson, so., River View; Graison Oberman, so., Hanford.

This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 6:53 PM.