CHS track teams score top finishes at state
By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
Cheney's track and field squad made the best of miserable weather conditions to finish in the top third of teams at last weekend's Star Track XXVIII Track and Field Championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma. The Blackhawks girls scored 29 points for seventh out of 47 teams in the 2A state classification, with the boys 21 points placing them 11th among 42 teams.
The boys were led – literally – by the leaping abilities of DeAngelo Jones. The senior scored 21 of the team's points by winning the 2A state title in the high jump with a vault of 6 feet 4 inches, besting Ephrata's Jerome Prescod by 2 inches. Jones also had a leap of 44-04 for third in the triple jump, and went 21-08 3/4 for fourth in the long jump.
“DeAngelo was huge once again and winning the high jump was a lot of fun for everyone,” boys head coach Todd Hering said. “He's a great competitor and it showed.”
Dakota Condos was the only other Blackhawks' male to score, placing eighth in the javelin with a throw of 149-05. Nash Springberry placed 13th overall in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4 minutes, 34.5 seconds.
Senior Darez Meriwether just missed the finals in the 100 and 200, as did senior Michael Stralser in the 110 high hurdles and 300 low hurdles, setting a new personal record of 16.45 in the former. Michael Payne was close to a PR in just missing the finals in the discus while Brennen Wynd matched his PR of 12-06 in the pole vault, with some good attempts at 13 feet for 13th overall in an event that windy conditions postponed to Saturday.
“Brennen Wynd vaulted well despite having to compete a day later than expected and at PLU (Pacific Lutheran University) 10 miles from everything else,” Hering said.
The legs of Shelby Maurer once again led the girls. The senior finished fourth in the 200 with a time of 26.59, 25/100ths of a second faster than her preliminary.
Maurer also anchored the 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams that finished second against some outstanding competition. The 4x200 team of Maurer, Briana Estrellado, Emily Stralser and Shaley Ham were just over a second behind a Blaine team led by sprinting sensation Cherish Morrison – who scored 40 of the second-place Borderites' 53 points – for second in 1:47.08. The 4x400 team of Maurer, Estrellado, Janessa Day and Chelsie Breen finished with a time of 4:01.70, getting caught on the third lap by a Sehome team whose time of 3:59.64 set a new meet record.
“We got beat by a team that set a new meet record,” girls' head coach Tom Stralser said. “What can you say? Our girls ran very, very well.”
Sanne Holland was the only other Blackhawk female athlete to score points. The freshman finished fifth in the 3,200 with a time of 11:21.87 and was fifth in the 1,600 with a time of 5:13.71 in a race where state champion Ruby Roberts shattered the previous meet record by almost eight seconds, winning with a time of 4:53.27.
Stralser said the Blackhawks also got good performances from seniors Shaley Ham and Olivia Dehner, both placing ninth overall and just out of the points in the high jump and triple jump.
“Any time you can break into the top-10 at state, you've had a great season,” Stralser added.
Both Stralser and Hering said it's been a great year for Blackhawks track and field, with both squads likely reloading for another run at Great Northern League and District 7 titles next season.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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