Medical Lake runners rule day at Super One

Medical Lake's runners have done a good job so far of backing up their coach's boastful predictions.

The latest example came last Saturday when the Cardinals won the small school division and finished just three points behind Coeur d'Alene, 36-33 in the overall standings of the Coeur d'Alene Super One Invitational at Hayden Lake.

Medical Lake took three of the top four spots in the small school division, but had three of the overall top six placings with a first, third and sixth.

In the small school finish, the Cardinals' Jacob Dingfield placed first overall in a time of 16 minutes, 46.2 seconds, followed by Domenic Rehm's 16:55.9 and Noah Kroeze 17:08.2 in fourth. Overall Dingfield clipped Sam Powell of Sandpoint, who clocked a 16:50.1.

Cardinals' head coach Gene Blankenship has said his team would successfully defend the 1A state title his boys won last November in Pasco. This comes as the Northeast A League where Medical Lake competes recently added a pair of former 2A schools, including cross country power Deer Park.

Saturday Medical Lake's 36 points were ahead of the 46 earned by runner-up Riverside and third-place Deer Park's 59.

"We went out a little conservative in the first quarter-mile," Blankenship said. "At the 3/4-mile mark Dingfield, Rehm and Kroeze were all in a pack together running 2-4."

The course was pretty tough with a lot of hills, Blankenship said of the true 5,000-meter layout. That hampered times a little.

"But somewhere between 2 and 2.5 miles Dingfield broke away and he and Rehm ran that way to the end," Blankenship said. "Noah basically got out-kicked at the finish or we would have gone 1, 2, 3."

Following the Hayden finish, the latest 1A poll shows the Cardinals No. 1, Riverside No. 3, Deer Park 4 and Lakeside 9.

"Even on the girl's side I thought we looked pretty good," Blankenship said. There, the Cardinals were third with 52 points behind Timberlake (33) and Riverside (37).

Maleeka Wegner was fourth in the small school division at 20:59.7. Timberlake's Kassidy Hammond was first in a time of 20:10.8. Two other Medical Lake girls, Mariah Pena at 21:03.5 and Bradyn Wegner with a 23:06 rounded out the top-20.

Perhaps the most pleasing news came out of the Highlander Invitational in Spokane where the Cardinal freshmen beat 4A Ferris 43-48. Richland (54 points), Pullman (71) and Mary Walker from Springdale (108) rounded out the top-5.

Mason Williams turned in a top time of 14:20.8, edging the Saxons' Wilson Ladd's at 14.21.8. Tanner Henry ran a 15.08.83 (14th) and Evan Peterson with a 15:14.35 (17th).

"We sent our freshmen boys there to see how they run as a group," Blankenship said. They did very well their coach said.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].