Freeman teams looking strong

The Freeman Scotties are ready for the big time.

The Class 1A school’s boys track team has finished among the top three teams at state the past three seasons, including the 2003 state championship and a runner-up finish last spring.

Looking at the numbers of returning state veterans coach John Hays has on his roster, it’s easy to project a return climb up the trophy platform at the conclusion of this year’s state meet.

“I think you can say that,” Hays said. “We’ve got a strong group of returning athletes and I have some pretty strong freshmen coming in. We’ve had good success at the state meet and I think, barring injury, that’s going to continue.”

In fact, of the team that scored 60 points at last year’s state track meet, Freeman has lost only one athlete, senior sprinter Jon Dresback.

Heading the list of returning athletes is senior Kevin Hatch, who won both the state high jump and pole vault and finished second in the triple jump last year, and won the pole vault and triple jump and finished third in the long jump as a sophomore.

“Kevin is a quadruple threat,” Hays said. “I really think he could compete in college in the decathlon, he’s that versatile. This year, he’s giving up the triple jump – that can be so hard on the body. He’s going to concentrate on his first love, the pole vault, the long jump, the high jump and maybe run one of the hurdles. He was an accomplished hurdler in junior high.”

Hatch, a three-sport standout and the Inland Empire Junior Athlete of the Year as a football running back, wants to continue with track.

“His first love is football,” Hays said. “But he also wants to continue with track. Some schools have been talking to him about track and he’s been offered some (scholarship) money for track. If it works out that way, he wants to walk-on in football while he does track.”

Also back from last year is state discus champ Andrew Wilkerson.

“Andrew will double in the discus and shot put and help out on the 4x400 relay,” Hays said. “He’s already throwing well.”

The team’s depth is impressive.

Junior sprinter Michael Witwer is a state veteran in the 100. Senior Bryan Riggs has competed in the past two state meets in the 400 and 800 and sophomore Greg Emtman qualified for state last year in the 800. Junior distance runner Peter Olmsted ran the 3,200 at state last year. Junior Luke Heinen qualified in both hurdles.

Senior Conor Sayres finished second to Hatch in the pole vault and third in the high jump a year ago, and senior Malcolm Soelberg is back out for track after a year off, but qualified for state in the long jump as a sophomore.

The girls also have been successful at state, placing third in 2002, sixth in 2003 and ninth a year ago.

“Our numbers are down a little bit this year,” Hays said. “I’m working with just 16 girls this year, but we have some outstanding athletes. We have Jessie Depell, who can pretty much do anything she sets her mind to. She’s going to concentrate on the pole vault and long jump and help us on a couple relays.”

Junior Mara Grubb will run the three longest distance races and junior Jenessa Miller will run the hurdles and help on a pair of relays.

The Scotties will get a chance to flex their big-meet muscles Saturday when the host the 21st Annual Freeman Invitational meet.

“We’ve got 28 teams coming in – from Class 4A all the way down to Class B,” Hays said. “We’ve got most of the Class 2A teams in the area coming in. East Valley, Central Valley and Cheney from the Greater Spokane League are going to be here, and we’re getting some of the better teams from North Idaho – Timberlake, Bonners Ferry and Lakeland.

“We’ve also got Seattle Academy coming over, Tonasket is coming down, Colville will be here and so will Wilbur-Creston.”