Hurdling to title
BOISE – Kootenai girls track coach Shannon LaFountaine dashed down the cement stairs from the first concourse at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium and out the north gate looking for Darcy Collins.
LaFountaine was seeking to console Collins, who had just done something other than win in her final event of a gold-laced career. But the coach also wanted to make sure that Collins understood that by finishing second in the 200 meters she had clinched the Warriors’ fifth consecutive State 1A track and field championship Saturday afternoon.
They exchanged three hugs and wiped away multiple tears.
Collins added a fourth career state title in the 300 hurdles, a third career title in the 100 hurdles Saturday to go with a fourth career title in the high jump Thursday as she finished with 14 state championships out of 15 events. She accounted for 38 of Kootenai’s 75.5 points as the Warriors topped runner-up Cole Valley Christian by 12.
Collins didn’t know how to react after junior Nicole Nida of Prairie beat her by .37 of a second. Counting regionals and a state preliminary heat, it was the third time in a week that Nida beat Collins.
Collins choked away tears, not wanting her reaction to come off in the least bit as selfish.
“It’s kind of a disappointing way to end your season,” Collins said trailing off and dabbing tears. “I think I was still feeling the 300 hurdles.”
The fact is Nida, who also captured titles in the 100 and 400, had too much sprint speed for the hurdles specialist to overcome. While Collins didn’t offer it as an excuse, LaFountaine noted that Collins wasn’t running on the healthiest legs. She said Collins aggravated a career-nagging shin injury about three weeks ago and she was just trying to nurse her way through state.
Still, of the three races against Nida, the state final was the closest. Collins drew even with Nida with 80 meters to go, but Collins couldn’t find any extra speed.
Collins ran a season-best 46.91 to win the 300 about 30 minutes before the 200. Even on fatigued legs, she ran a season-best in the 200 (26.59). Her winning time in the 100 hurdles was 15.57.
“She just had that much more speed,” Collins said. “I could really feel that I was dying with about (150 meters) to go.”
“She’s hurting pretty good right now,” LaFountaine said. “She’s got a shin that she can’t walk on right now. If you watch her walk, she’s got a good limp going.
“She almost feels selfish, feeling like she’s feeling. I told her that if she were 100 percent it would have been a different race. She can hold her head high and look at the big picture. We wouldn’t have had the success we’ve had without her to anchor us.”
For the second straight year, the same five state qualifiers for Kootenai – Collins, fellow seniors Nikita Amy and Jordan Kincheloe, and juniors Stephanie Blackburn and Kendra Willms – each scored points.
“Those three seniors have been state champions all four years. That’s incredible,” LaFountaine said. “It’s something they can take with them forever.”
Kincheloe and Blackburn scored big points late Friday in the pole vault. Kincheloe defended her state title and Blackburn took third.
Collins wasn’t going to celebrate her team’s success on the bus ride home because she had to ride back with her parents to start a summer job today at Jamba Juice in Coeur d’Alene.
Raft River’s boys claimed a fourth straight state title.
The Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy earned its first state title as the girls 800 relay won in 1:51.98.
Other area top placers were: freshman Bailey Hewitt of Clark Fork, second in the 100 hurdles (16.98); sophomore Mark Weller of CdA Charter, second in the 200 (23.32) and third in the 400 (51.74); sophomore Seth Grey of Mullan, second in the 100 (11.88); senior Brian Young of Clark Fork, fifth in the 300 hurdles (42.34); and the Kootenai boys 800 relay took fourth (1:36.89).