Hoquiam’s boys, Elma’s girls nab all-county track titles

A historic first-ever all-county track meet at Aberdeen was enjoyed particularly by Hoquiam’s boys — and belatedly by Elma’s girls.

The Grizzlies and Eagles made off with team honors in the 59th annual Ray Ryan Memorial Grays Harbor All-County Track &Field Championships on Saturday at Miller Junior High.

Powered by Anthony Nash’s three victories, the Grizzlies outpointed runner-up North Beach, 123-109, in the boys team competition. Aberdeen was third with 108.

At the conclusion of festivities on Saturday, North Beach was reported as nipping Elma, 130-129, in the girls team standings. But a Hyak girl intended to be a junior varsity performer was erroneously entered in varsity events, resulting in the subtraction of North Beach points from four events (including an apparent winning effort in the 4×100 relay).

After lengthy recalculations (which including rectifying scoring errors in several other events), meet officials determined Elma’s girls had compiled 125 points, 20 more than runner-up North Beach.

Hoquiam senior Nash, who won the 100 meters in 11.1, the 200 in 23.58 and ran a sizzling anchor leg on his team’s victorious 4×100 relay team, was an obvious choice as the Male Athlete of the Meet.

Female honors were shared by Aberdeen’s Faith Cardenas, a triple winner in the girls 100 (12.99) and 200 (27.11) and as a member the Bobcat sprint relay foursome and Montesano senior Shayla Floch. The latter took the girls long jump at 16-3 and tied a meet record shared by five others with a 5-2 high jump.

The other meet record was established Friday night. Despite battling a virus that sidelined her for Saturday’s competition, North Beach junior Tawni Blankenship obliterated the meet girls pole vault record by clearing 10-6 at Hoquiam’s Sea Breeze Oval. The previous mark was 9 feet, shared by Hoquiam’s Mackenzie Smith and Mandie Bowen. Blankenship’s vault was also a school record.

Hoquiam coach Tim Pelan, who had been utilizing his troops in small doses due to inclement conditions in early season meets, made good on his pledge to cut loose at the all-county extravaganza.

“We’re pretty strong in the sprints and relays and pretty strong in the jumps,” Pelan said. “We’re not a particularly good dual meet team, because we do have some holes (in some events). But in these big invites, we can get multiple places. Today was the first time we really opened up.”

Nash accounted for three of Hoquiam’s five boys victories. Although impressive in the individual events, his highlight was probably overhauling Elma ace Ira Hartford in the closing strides of the 4×100 relay. Chris Smith, Artimus Johnson and Jonah Doll rounded out the winning squad.

Devin Merksick, the much-touted senior transfer from Nebraska, easily won the high jump at 6-4 and barely missed tying Cole Smith’s 6-6 meet record. Teammate Antonio Garcia won the long jump at 19-6.

On the girls side, Hoquiam’s Karlie Krohn uncorked a winning throw of 100-3 in the javelin.

Elma’s deep, well-balanced girls overcame several near-misses to eventually emerge with the team title.

Unaware of the team result in the immediate aftermath of the meet, Eagle coach Bryan Schneider expressed mixed emotions.

“We probably have more sprint depth than we’ve ever had,” Schneider said. “But we’re still young and we made some mistakes. There were some good things and some bad things today.”

Elma freshman Jillian Bieker was a double individual winner in the girls 100 (17.11) and 300 hurdles (48.99). Seemingly second to North Beach in the girls sprint relay, the Eagles inherited the title in that event as well due to the participation of the aforementioned ineligible Hyak runner.

Eagle sophomore Maddie Clark outleaned North Beach’s Reilly Moore for a razor-thin victory in the girls 400 meters and freshman Reina Schneider took the girls 3,200.

The Eagle boys received individual wins from seniors Brandon Butcher in the 400 (53.38) and Sohtye Tep in the 800 (2:14.16). Butcher also joined Hartford, Jaydn Edenstrom and Cody Vollan on a victorious mile relay team.

Tep, who surged in the final 400 meters, was singled out by Schneider for a strong showing.

Until the corrections were made, it appeared that North Beach’s girls owed a debt of gratitude to Hoquiam freshman Savannah Lutz.

Apparently needing in the concluding 4×400 relay (the last event of the program) to beat out North Beach for team honors, Elma led the Grizzlies entering the final lap.

Running the event for the first time with Elyse Goulet sidelined due to an infected knee, Lutz overtook Elma’s Cheyanne with about 300 meters remaining. Jines rallied around the final curve and appeared on the verge of regaining the lead. But the seemingly weakening Lutz found her second wind to withstand the challenge by a couple of strides. Courtney McCormick and the Delahanty twins, Alexis and Kayla, were the other members of the winning unit.

With Montesano’s state 1A champion Jordan Spradlin missing the meet to compete in the prestigious Pasco Invitational, North Beach’s Fruh sisters dominated the weights. Natasha Fruh edged older sibling Nannette to take both the shot and discus.

North Beach’s Mariah Vogler captured the girls triple jump with a mark of 31-3/4.

Plagued by scratches (or fouls), North Beach senior Seth Bridge mustered only one legal throw apiece in the boys shot and discus. He nevertheless won both events at 46 feet and 153-1 1/2, respectively.

“It only takes one,” said North Beach assistant Todd Bridge, Seth’s father. “And (the legal throws) were what we call pinwheels, not full throws.”

North Beach’s other win came from Brendan Chaney, who established a school record of 13-1 in Friday’s pole vault at Hoquiam.

Like most of his brethren, North Beach coach Peter Fry attributed his team’s performance in part to Saturday’s mild, mostly dry weather conditions — an exceedingly rare condition during this soggy spring.

“We’ve been waiting for a break in the weather and a break in performance,” Fry said. “Both things go together.”

Montesano senior Jake Mustard was a double winner in the boys 1,600 (4:53.2) and 3,200 (10:53.36). Aberdeen’s Kyle Hurd, who has dominated the all-county distances in recent years, is not turning out this season.

Monte freshman Sam Winter won the short hurdles.

“Not that many wins, but we had pretty good performances from a lot of different people,” Bulldog girls coach Doug Schupbach said. “It was nice to have a meet without rain or wind.”

Like Nash, Aberdeen’s Cardenas had perhaps her best showing in a relay. She came from well back on the final lap to edge Bieker in the opening 4×200 event. Kennedy Pruett, Emmy Walsh and Madi Niemi were the other members of the Bobcat unit.

Aberdeen’s lone boys win came from Jeshua Manwell in the boys triple jump (40-9 1/2). Bobcat coach April Meissner cited a huge personal best from Braden Castleberry-Taylor in the boys javelin.

“I think they competed well,” Meissner said. “And it was nice to see really tough competition from schools on the Harbor.”

Ocosta senior Kathryn Anderson won a pair of superbly paced girls distance races, taking the 800 in 2:38.53 and 1,600 in an even six minutes.

Versatile Wildcat senior Cosmo Silver, better known as a pole vaulter, was a somewhat surprising winner of the boys long hurdles in 44.84.

“We’ve been sort of waiting for that to happen,” Ocosta coach Aaron Anderson said. “He knocked about two seconds off his personal best.”

Coach Anderson also praised the performance of high jumper Dustyn Taylor.

Taholah’s Levi Jackson, the reigning state 1B champion in the boys javelin, captured his specialty with a throw of 159-10.

Wishkah did not produce any event winners, but Logger coach Bob Eager noted several personal bests on the part of his troops.

This was the first time Aberdeen had hosted the all-county meet, named in honor of the late Daily World sports writer Ray Ryan.

BOYS

Hoquiam 123, North Beach 109, Aberdeen 108, Montesano 83, Elma 74, Ocosta 63, Taholah 13, Wishkah 5.

100 — 11.1 — Nash (H), Hartford (E), Sidor (A), Butcher (E), Eastman (NB), Whipple (M). 200 — 23.58 — Nash (H), Hartford (E), Sidor (A), Smith (H), Eastman (NB), Salas (A). 400 — 53.38 — Butcher (E), Albert (M), Sidor (A), Eastman (NB), Vollan (E), Muro (NB). 800 — 2:14.16 — Tep (E), Bailey (O), Brockhoff (O), Quinby (O), Belcher (E), Anderson (O). 1,600 — 4:53.2 — Mustard (M), Clements (M), Barragan (A), Bailey (O), Aschenbrenner (A), Palmgren (W). 3,200 — 10:53.36 — Mustard (M), Clements (M), Shaw (A), Aschenbrenner (M), Barragan (A), Mitby (O). 110 H — 18.03 — Winter (M), Garcia (H), Kawashima (A), Johnson (NB), Kaczmarczyk (H), Butcher (A). 300 H — 44.84 — Silver (O), Johnson (H), Edenstrom (E), Butcher (A), Winter (M), Johnson (NB). 4×100 R — 44.93 — Hoquiam, Elma, North Beach, Aberdeen, Montesano, Ocosta. 4×400 R — 3:42.14 — Elma, Hoquiam, Montesano, North Beach, Aberdeen, Ocosta.

Shot — 46-0 — S. Bridge (NB), Castleberry-Taylor (A), Dianovich (NB), Louderback (NB), Murray (A), Brown (H). Disc — 153-1 1/2 — S. Bridge (NB), B. Bridge (NB), Dianovich (NB), tie between Brown (H) and Murray (A), Louderback (NB). Jav — 159-10 — Jackson (T), Castleberry-Taylor (A), Louderback (NB), Sears (H), Flores (T), Larsen (A). HJ — 6-4 — Merksick (H), Washington (NB), Garcia (H), Silver (O), Taylor (O), Lowder (H). LJ — 19-6 — Garcia (H), Manwell (A), Merksick (H), Whipple (M), Shale (A), Washington (NB). TJ — 40-9 1/2 — Manwell (A), Washington (NB), Davis (A), Anderson (O), Billerbeck (E), Mitby (O). PV — 13-1 — Chaney (NB), Silver (O), Johnson (H), Felten (H), Espedal (H), Palmgren (Wish).

GIRLS

Elma 125, North Beach 105, Hoquiam 92, Montesano 77, Aberdeen 68, Ocosta 67, Taholah 16, Wishkah 8.

100 — 12.99 — Cardenas (A), Cox (NB), Barre (M), Mason (E), Pruett (A), Scott-York (H). 200 — 27.11 — Cardenas (A), Cox (NB), Floch (M), Scott-York (H), Lensegrav (E), Niemi (A). 400 — 1:05.25 — Clark (E), Moore (NB), Niemi (A), K. Aiken (E), Sackrider (E), Hartley (E). 800 — 2:38.53 — Anderson (O), Vogler (NB), Lutz (H), Moore (NB), Holm (O), Rojas (E). 1,600 — 6:00.0 — Anderson (O), Ballo (O), Lutz (H), Peterson (M), Burgher (E), May (A). 3,200 — 14:04.03 — Schneider (E), Hutchings (M), Rojas (E), Burgher (E). 100 H — 17.11 — Bieker (E), Schupbach (M), Sandstrom (H), Martin (O), Diaz (M), Hendricks (A). 300 H — 48.99 — Bieker (E), Cardenas (A), Jines (E), Denny (O), Sandstrom (H), Diaz (M). 4×100 R — 53.97 — Elma, Montesano, Ocosta, Aberdeen, Wishkah. 4×200 R — 1:53.97 — Aberdeen, Elma, Hoquiam, Ocosta, Wishkah. 4×400 R — 4:29.22 — Hoquiam, Elma, Ocosta, Aberdeen.

Shot — 36-11 — Natasha Fruh (NB), Nannette Fruh (NB), Ray (E), Ralston (T), Heikkila (A), C. Spradlin (M). Disc — 108-6 — Natasha Fruh (NB), Nannette Fruh (NB), Bates (A), Spradlin (M), Sorensen (W), Ralston (T). Jav — 100-3 — Krohn (H), Dolan (T), Ray (E), Fruh (NB), C. Spradlin (M), Walsh (A). HJ — 5-2 (ties meet record) — Floch (M), McCormick (H), Marsh (O), Martin (O), Orona (A), Denny (O). LJ — 16-3 — Floch (M), Bieker (E), Capoeman (H), Scott-York (H), Delahanty (H), Barre (M). TJ — 31- 3/4 — Vogler (NB), Cox (NB), Capoeman (H), G. Aiken (E), K. Aiken (E), Ferry (W). PV — 10-6 (meet record) — Blankenship (NB), Capoeman (H), Pinnell (H), A. Delahanty (H).