Poston posts Pasco double
PASCO – Kaitie Poston was unknown when she came to the Pasco Invitational as a sophomore last year and left with everyone asking who she was after winning the shot put and discus.
This year the Bonners Ferry junior was the one everyone was talking about and gunning for at the 45th annual event, but the results were the same.
On a cool, windy and wet Saturday, Poston easily outdistanced her big-school rivals with a throw of 143 feet in the discus – her event of choice – and 42-3 1/2 in the shot put.
“I don’t think I (feel pressure), but I’m sure I do because I have to throw up to my potential,” Poston said. “At home meets I don’t have to, but I don’t mean to sound cocky.”
Poston quietly goes about her business.
It took her one throw to set the standard in the discus and only a late personal record of 130-7 by University sophomore Dana McClendon made the event somewhat competitive.
Gonzaga Prep senior Erica Chaney got Poston’s attention in the shot put, going an inch past her with a 40-8 throw in the second round, but that lead was short-lived.
“When she threw an inch farther on her second throw, I had an adrenalin rush,” Poston said. “I told myself, ‘I’ve got to do better than that.’”
Her marks last year were just a shade better, but then so was the weather.
There was a 25-minute rain delay in the late afternoon, before Poston had to throw the shot.
“It was a good day,” Poston said. “My last couple of meets I haven’t been throwing up to what I can. Today I threw what I can throw.”
Poston was the only double winner among local athletes, but not the only standout, especially among the girls.
Mt. Spokane’s Megan O’Reilly set a meet record in the 1,600 meters (4 minutes, 47.98 seconds), as did Mead junior Nikki Codd in the 800 (2:12.92), though she was nipped by hard-charging Jessica Pixler of Eastlake (2:12.64) at the line. Those were the only two meet records on the unpleasant day.
East Valley junior Eleaya Schuerch was a last-jump winner in the long jump, Ferris sophomore Kelly McNamee won the high jump and Pullman junior Lindsay Myron lived up to her top ranking in the triple jump.
Behind Poston and Chaney in the shot put were McClendon and Mead’s Ashley Hutchinson. North Central’s Ashlee Michelson and Mt. Spokane’s Samantha Damiano also placed.
In the discus, Michelson was third and Hutchinson, Chaney and EV’s Kenzie Carter also placed.
Richland’s Kayla McKeirnan won the 200 and 400 to be named athlete of the meet and her Bombers won the team title.
The only local individual champion for the boys was surprising. Long jump rookie Anthony Zachery of Ferris had a huge PR (22-7 1/2) to beat state leader Kyle Schauble of Kamiakin.
It was the only blemish for Schauble, who won both hurdles and anchored the Braves’ winning 1,600 relay to earn athlete of the meet honors. Kamiakin also won the team title.
Mead opened the day by winning the distance medley, with Mt. Spokane second, Central Valley fifth and Ferris eighth.
Among the notable performances was Mt. Spokane’s Beau Carrillo clearing 15 feet in the pole vault only to get upstaged when Ryan Vu of Interlake, who missed twice at 15 to fall behind, jumped up and made 15-3.
“(Vu) looked good all day,” said Carrillo, who has only been vaulting for one calendar year and was pleased with his school-record PR. “He was capable. I wasn’t doubting him.”
Ferris’ Robert Cosby, EV’s Nick Atwood and CV’s Sean Coyle finished right behind Bellingham’s Chris Kwiatkowski in the 3,200.