Jump city: Spokane-area long, triple and high jumpers among the state’s elite

Names of the Spokane area’s most-decorated leapers litter the pages of the WIAA’s track and field record book, some marks more recent than others.

Jakobe Ford, a Shadle Park graduate, earned the distinction as the state’s all-time best high jumper after popping 7 feet, 2 inches in 2017, besting Central Valley grad Brent Harken’s 1980 record (7-1).

West Valley graduate Rashad Toussaint set a pair of state classification records in 2005 in the long jump (23-10 3/4) and triple jump (49-11 3/4) when the Eagles were a 3A school.

Melissa Mauro, another West Valley alum, set the 2A girls high jump record (5-7 1/2) in 2008.

The area’s spring-heeled talent has extended beyond Spokane County over the years. St. John-Endicott graduate Bob Swannack’s leap of 6-9 in 1989 is still the best mark in the 2B classification. Lacrosse-Washtucna’s Danielle Ayers-Stamper still has the best 2B long jump (18-9 1/2), set in 2001.

“There’s been a great jumping culture over the years in this area,” said Ferris jumps coach Bob Omlin, a former Whitworth and EWU coach and personal trainer.

“But I haven’t seen this many great jumpers in the area at once.”

Omlin was referring to the more than a dozen local high school boys and girls standouts in the triple, long and high jump, many who have a chance earn a medal or reach the top of the podium in their respective state meets the next two weeks.

His son, Ferris’ Cole Omlin, may be the most versatile of the bunch.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore’s top marks this season rank first in 4A in the high (6-7), second in the triple (47-7) and third in the long (23-1).

“Cole has been around (these events) since he was a young kid,” Bob Omlin said. “He continues to get better.

“He’s part of what I am seeing this year in which you could arguably take the area’s best jumpers and put together a collegiate-level jumps program.”

Mt. Spokane high jumper Katie Rhodes, the defending State 3A champion, has also noticed the talent around her.

“There’s a lot of good jumpers in the (Greater Spokane League),” said Rhodes, a senior whose personal best is 5-5. “It’s good to be pushed like that.”

Rhodes has signed to jump and play volleyball at Carroll College.

The GSL’s 4A and 3A athletes will vie for state berths on Friday and Saturday at the District 8 meet at Fran Risch Stadium in Richland.

Great Northern League athletes will compete at Central Washington University at the District 5/6/7 2A meet.

Like Omlin and Rhodes, here are a few of the other Spokane and North Idaho jumpers who rank in the top three of their classifications, per their top marks on Athletic.net.

Boys

Tyler Trengove, senior, Post Falls: Idaho’s defending 5A State high jump and long jump champion is favored to win all three of his events, including the high (6-9), long (22-7, personal best in 2018) and triple (45-0) jumps. Idaho’s 5A State meet is this weekend at Eagle High School.

Spencer Barrera, senior, Mt. Spokane: Barrera, who signed with Idaho, ranks No. 1 in the 3A boys long jump (22-6) after placing third at state last year. He ranks No. 5 in the 3A triple jump (44-3), a mark below his personal best in 2018 (45-5).

Chase Gardom, senior, Timberlake: Gardom won a Idaho 3A State triple jump title last year and will likely repeat. His best jump in the long this year (22-11) ranks second in all Idaho classifications and he ranks No. 1 again in the 3A in the triple (45-1 1/2). The 3A State meet is this weekend at Middleton High School.

Jared Hathaway, senior, East Valley: Hathaway’s best mark in the triple (45-6) ranks No. 2 in the 2A classification. The GNL champion also ranks No. 4 in the long jump (21-10).

Garrett Naught, junior, Tekoa-Rosalia: Naught ranks No. 1 in 2B in the high jump after leaping 6-6, a mark he’s recorded in three meets this season.

Justin Krabbenhoft, junior, Selkirk: A year after placing fourth at the State 1B meet, Krabbenhoft has the best high jump mark (6-3) in the state’s smallest classification.

Girls

Sativa Rogers, senior, Lewis and Clark: Rogers won the 100 meters (12.15 seconds) and long jump (19- 1/4) at last week’s GSL 4A district-qualifying meet. The leap ranks second in 4A.

Victoria Arnold, junior, Shadle Park: Arnold won the triple jump and long jump at the GSL 3A district-qualifying meet last week. Her best triple (37- 1/4) this season ranks No. 2 in 3A.

Elisa Tosseto, senior, North Central: Tosseto, an Italian exchange student, ranks No. 2 in the 3A high jump (5-4) along with Rhodes, her friendly league rival and defending state champ. Tosseto, a four-event standout, also had the the fourth-best long jump (17-11) in 3A this year.

Ash Campbell, junior, Pullman: A year after placing seventh at the State 2A meet, Campbell has the classification’s top leap in the triple jump this season (37-0). She has won seven meets this year.

Jaxyn Farmen, senior, Medical Lake: Farmen placed third at state in the 1A long and triple jump last season. She ranks No. 2 in the long (17-4) and the triple (36-10 1/2).

Julia Hayes, senior, Valley Christian: Hayes, who will jump at Idaho next year, placed second has the second-best 1B marks in the high jump (5-4) and long jump (16-8 1/2). She placed second at state in both events last year.

Janaye Wilkie, sophomore, Davenport: Wilkie’s best mark in the high jump this season (5-2) ranks No. 3 in 2B.