The Ray Ryan Memorial Grays Harbor All-County Track Championships will return to its roots Saturday at Aberdeen’s Miller Junior High School.
Aberdeen hosted the first all-county meet (when it was an elementary school event) in 1923 at Stewart Field, according to former North Beach coach and meet historian Bob Wiley. It has never staged the high school version of the event — an omission partly due to maintenance problems at the Miller track. The track was resurfaced and replaced a couple of years ago.
This weekend’s meet will technically begin with the boys and girls pole vaults at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Hoquiam’s Sea Breeze Oval. Aberdeen has no pole vault facility.
On Saturday in Aberdeen, field events begin at 11 a.m. Running events are scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
This will be the 59th renewal of the all-county meet, named in memory of the late Daily World sports writer Ray Ryan. All Grays Harbor County schools that offer track are scheduled to compete.
North Beach’s boys and Ocosta’s girls made meet history last year by becoming the first Class 2B schools to capture team titles.
This year, East County rivals Elma and Montesano probably rank as the meet co-favorites, although North Beach’s boys are again expected to make a strong showing due to their prowess in the throwing events.
Hoquiam, which has made limited use of its standouts in early season meets, is expected to be close to full strength this weekend and could make a run at team honors.
Aberdeen junior Faith Cardenas, who earned Female Athlete of the Meet by winning the girls 100 and 400 meters and setting a meet record in the latter event last year, is among several standouts expected to compete.
That list also includes three athletes top-ranked in their respective state classifications.
Montesano’s Jordan Spradlin, the reigning state 1A champion in the girls shot put and discus, again has the best marks statewide (45 feet in the shot and 127-6 in the discus) in the 1A class.
North Beach’s Seth Bridge is the state’s top-ranked male 2B discus thrower at 173-5 and teammate Tawni Blankenship, who has cleared 9-6, owns the same distinction among 2B female pole vaulters.
Hoquiam’s Devin Merksick, a transfer from Nebraska, has the state’s second-best mark in the boys high jump.
North Beach sisters Natasha and Nannette Fruh are second-ranked in the 2B class in the girls shot and discus, respectively, while Taholah’s Levi Jackson is second-ranked in the 1B boys javelin.
Harborites with the third-best state marks include Montesano’s Shayla Floch in the girls high jump, Bridge in the boys shot and Taholah’s Celisha Ralston in the girls 1B discus.
Hoquiam’s Anthony Nash and Elma’s Ira Hartford are expected to duel in the boys sprints, with North Beach’s Miguel Eastman also possessing strong marks in the 100, 200 and 400 meters.
