Cheney tracksters off to state

CHENEY — There will be plenty of cheering to be done for Cheney athletes during this week’s state 2A, 3A and 4A track and field championships at Tacoma’s Mount Tahoma High School.

The Blackhawks are represented in a dozen events following District 8 championships staged last week at Central Valley High School.

“We had a better year at districts this year,” head coach Derek Slaughter wrote in an email. “It wasn’t 100 degrees and we had one more allocation for state.” The Greater Spokane League — a.k.a. District 8 — was awarded berths from three finishers.

Cheney won three individual events as Natalie Richards’ PR in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 15.51 seconds qualified. Richards was third in the 300-meter hurdles with a 46.90 PR.

Joy Assonken had a 127-foot, 7-inch PR on the way to a javelin win.

Eugene Hennequin’s 21-8.75 topped 3A long jumpers. He was also third in the high jump with a 5-10.

State diving champion Alma Smith hit a 13-foot even for second place and a trip to Tacoma.

Calvin Hilton will run in a pair of events after third place finishes in both the 1,600 (4:16.42) and 3,200 (9:30.72).

Tucker VanWormer lands a berth individually in the 100 meters with his third-place PR of 10.97 seconds. VanWormer is also part of Cheney’s 4x400 relay which placed third in 3:24.94. Others in the sprint contingent are Mason Stinson, Cameron Johnson and Trevor Ewert.

Assonken also qualified following a third in the shot put at 39-03 while Clara Browne was third in discus at 122-10.

“Last year was sparse and this year we have a chance to do well on the track and in the field,” Slaughter said. “The girls have a chance to have a lot of athletes on the podium next week,” he added.