4A track preview
Lakeland Hawks
Coach: Lee Libera
Top returners: Boys – Casey Asher, senior, sprints/relays; Tyler Beck, sr., s/r; Brendan Biggs, sr., s/r; Dylan Cloyd, sophomore, s/r; Wade English, soph., distances; Ross Heitstuman, junior, throws; Ian Kelsey, sr., jumps/hurdles; Lynn Mallory, jr., t; Chase Roberts, jr., hur/r; Charlie Harster, jr., dist; Drew Hooper, jr., t; Scott Underdahl, jr., middle distances; Todd Underhill, sr., mdist. Girls – Brigitte Boucher, sr., t; Tianne Darnell, sr., j; Melissa Phillips, soph., s/r.
Top newcomers: Boys – Brandon Crow, freshman, s; D.J. Edwards, jr., mdist/j; Josh Hann, soph., j/hur; Steven Hanni, jr., j; Brian Hannibal, soph., pole vault/hur; Shawn Hiebert, soph., pv/mdist; Zach Horsley, jr., mdist; Kevin Ramus, jr., j. Girls – Sammy Cossairt, soph., mdist; Lauren Coyle, jr., s; Myrlie Duarte, soph., hur; Kim Heitstuman, fr., mdist; Danielle Jacobson, sr., hur; Jordan Kelsey, fr., j/hur; Kristine Leonard, soph., t/hur; Michelle McCullough, soph., s; Ashley McKee, jr., s/j; Kelsey Nagle, sr., mdist; Camille Reynolds, fr., s/r; Kari Rucker, fr., mdist; Anna Sheldon, soph., hur; Tonya Shove, jr., hur; Abby Skubitz, soph., hur.
Outlook: Lakeland has numbers but not the proven quality to challenge Moscow’s boys and girls for 4A supremacy. A handful of Hawks will contend for state medals.
Moscow Bears
Coach: Dean Walker
Top returners: Boys – Steven Farr, jr., dis; Mitch McGreevy, sr., dis; Anthony Williams, soph., s/r; Beau Mosman, jr., hur; Nash Ricci, jr., dist; Drew Law, jr., dist; Reid Thol, sr., s/r; Grant Furtado, sr., j/s; Paul Morgan, jr., t; Dan Lane, jr., t; Andy Gilder, jr., t. Girls – Caitlin Sanchez, jr., s/r; Meredith Dolny, sr., s/hur/j; Kaiya Ward, sr., s/r; Alexandra Fife, sr., dist; Molli Lee-Painter, sr., dist; Lexi Kendall, sr., s/r; Adriana Foreman, soph., dist; Tannah Christopher, sr., r; Kelly Scott, sr., t; Kelsey Taylor, sr., t; Mariah Bieker, sr., t; Cally Wilson, jr., r/j.
Top newcomers: Boys – Sam Johnson, sr., mdist; Kyle Legoll, sr., r; Patrick Bender, sr., hur. Girls – Jo Byrne, jr., s/hur.
Outlook: Moscow’s boys and girls have each won two straight regional titles, and they’ll be heavily favored to make it three consecutive championships. Walker is blessed with quality and quantity. The girls hope to improve on their runner-up finish at state and the boys, sixth a year ago, believe they’ll be in the mix for a state trophy.
Post Falls Trojans
Coach: Wade Quesnell
Top returners: Boys – Nick Mehalechko, sr., s/r; Seth Hyde, sr., long sprints/r; Bryce Derrickson, soph., s/r; Kyle Turpin, sr., j; Brad Reynolds, jr., hur; Ben Behrends, sr., dist; Casey Schooley, sr., pv; Vinny Hell, sr., t; Jeff Demery, sr., t; Steven Hudec, jr., mdist.
Girls – Circe Cansino, jr., lj/s/r; Dana Werner, jr., s/r; Heather Koepl, sr., s/r; Michelle Allen, soph., r/j; Jessica Croll, jr., hur; Melissa McFadden, sr., dist; Collette Kerby, sr., pv; Laura Feasline, sr., t; Jackie Murinko, sr., t; Kara Johnston, sr., s/r; Alecia Townsend, sr., r/s.
Top newcomers: Boys – None. Girls – Angie Whalen, fr., dist; Hailey Byrne, fr., s/r; Katrina Hourova, sr., t; Katie Berberick, soph., mdist.
Outlook: The Trojans boys and girls will likely chase Moscow. But Post Falls doesn’t have enough events covered to seriously challenge for regional titles.
Sandpoint Bulldogs
Coach: Dave DeMers
Top returners: Boys – Charlie Hirning, sr., hj/r; Kurt Stoll, jr., s/r; Sheldon Cramer, sr., t; Erik Stoll, sr., r. Girls – Brooke DeMers, soph., hj/r; Katie Adams, jr., hur/relays; Courtney Adams, sr., hur/s/r; Christine Miller, jr., dist/r; Chanel Garcia, jr., mdist/r/j.
Top newcomers: Boys – David Househalter, jr., dist. Girls – Megan Bartlett, jr., dist.
Outlook: The Bulldogs have good numbers, but no proven depth. Still, the Bulldogs boys and girls will be in a competitive mix with Post Falls and Lakeland. Hirning, who has already vaulted a school-record 6-8 in the high jump, is a state title contender, and Brooke DeMers will emerge as a state contender.