State track: Mt. Spokane boys out fast behind Cade Neumann, Hayden Dressel

TACOMA – Cade Neumann wanted one more jump Thursday.

Not that it would have made a difference in the outcome of the State 3A pole vault. The Mt. Spokane junior had it wrapped up when he cleared 14 feet, 9 inches at Mount Tahoma High School.

Neumann took three attempts at 15-4, which would have broken the school record by an inch. Two of his three tries were close.

“I knew it was there,” Neumann said, smiling. “One more attempt; I guarantee I would have got it.”

Neumann wasn’t going to fool around at a lower height after clinching the title. His career best, 15-1, came a week before district. So for the fourth time this spring he asked the bar be put at 15-4.

“You’re going to bomb that if you get that pole to move,” Neumann’s coach, Shawn Gumke, said after the first try at 15-4.

A year ago, Neumann tied for eighth, clearing 13-6. So he made a 15-inch improvement year to year.

He didn’t flinch when asked if he wanted a state title or the school record more.

“I’m more happy to be a state champion,” said Neumann, the youngest of three vaulters among four brothers.

Mt. Spokane secured 21 points in the event. Wildcats Docker Davis (14-6) and Jared Mehring (14-0) finished third and fourth respectively.

“It’s so tough for him to win the meet and then try for a (personal best),” Gumke said. “On his last attempt there was six-inch hip clearance. At that height everything has to be dialed in just right. It’s tough to rally yourself when it’s in the bag.”

Neumann plans to jump at Community Colleges of Spokane where he wants to pursue a two-year degree as a utility lineman.

“If I want, after I get my degree, I might transfer and jump at another school,” Neumann said.

It was a good first day for Mt. Spokane. Hayden Dressel, second at state cross country, got a measure of revenge.

Dressel won in 4 minutes, 15.94 seconds – topping Matthew Park of Edmonds-Way by five hundredths of a second and knocking off state cross country champ James Mwaura of Lincoln. Dressel finished runner-up to Mwaura last fall.

As the runners approached the last lap, Dressel slipped from second to fourth. With 150 meters to go, he started to make his move.

Dressel was still 10 meters behind Park with 100 to go. He bounced outside to the third lane and turned on the jets, out leaning Park at the finish line.

“There really aren’t any words that can describe it,” Dressel said of his first state title. “Even today I felt like I had more in me (at the end). It felt so good. I worked so hard during the winter. Every runner dreams of becoming a state champion if they’re competitive.”

Dressel had confidence that his kick would bring home gold. He will go head-to-head with Mwaura and Park in the 3,200 on Saturday.

Jakobe Ford of Shadle Park got the first of what he hopes are three state titles. He leaped 23-8½ to win the long jump – an event he didn’t do last year.

It was a personal best by 2½ inches. His second jump in the prelims, 23-5¼, was good enough to win. He got his personal best on his last attempt in the finals.

“I was trying to get 24 but I was cool with the win,” Ford said.

Ford will be out to defend his title in the high jump on Friday and win the triple jump on Saturday. He took second last year.

“I want to go 7-5 in the high and 50 in the triple,” Ford said.

Mt. Spokane finished with 43 points Thursday – a huge start toward a run for a state title. Jacob White added eight points by taking second in the long jump behind Ford with a personal best (23-3). It came on his first try.

Delaney Warren of Mt. Spokane took third in the discus (127-7).

4A: Katie Thronson of Lewis and Clark broke 5 minutes in the 1,600 to take third (4:59.78).

Kearan Nelson of Central Valley took fifth (5:02.23).

Shamrock Campbell of Ferris took fourth in the triple jump (45-5), a personal best.

Bryce Bryant of LC took third in the shot put (57-5¼), a personal best by nearly two feet.

2A: Alsatta Bakana of Cheney took second in the high jump.

A week after going a personal best 5-7, Bakana did 5-4.

Drake Johnson of Cheney took second in the 1,600 (4:18.45), a personal best by eight seconds.

1A: Libby Mitchell of Deer Park finished third in girls 1,600-meter run (5:06.21). Lizzy Shaw of Riverside was seventh (5:12.13).

Deer Park’s Cody Bollum finished third in boys 3,00-meter run (9:42.36), while Cody Westerman of Deer Park placed seventh (9:57.50).

2B: Madison Ward of St. George’s won girls 1,600-meter run (5:16..16). Eliana Summer of Morthwest Christian was second (5:21.74) and Carmen Eggleston of Asotin placed third (5:28.40). St. George’s Mary Neder was eighth and Jacalyn Tague of NWC was 13th.

Northwest Christian’s Luke Schilter won boys 3,200-meter run (9:23.13). NWC also placed Tyler Shea (fifth), Corban Phillips (sixth), Noah Phillips (eighth) and Garrett McSheffrey (ninth).

1B: Gracie StrangeOwl finished second in girls 1,600-meter run (5:34.78), while Emma Perry of Oakesdale was fourth (5:43.59) and Elisabeth Perry of Oakesdale was fifth (5:43.86).

Tristan Carmen of Selkirk was 13th in boys 3,200-meter run (11:29.10).