District 8 track and field championships: Mt. Spokane boys, Mead girls earn 3A titles; Central Valley boys take 4A top spot

RICHLAND – “Memorable” is the way Mt. Spokane boys coach Danny Figueira described how this track and field season has gone for the Wildcats.

This weekend’s district meet was just another storied moment.

Two weeks after clinching the Greater Spokane League regular-season title, the Mt. Spokane boys again hoisted a team trophy , winning the District 8 3A championship on another scorching Saturday to conclude the two-day meet at Fran Rish Stadium in Richland.

The Wildcats scored 138.5 points, besting Southridge by 18.5 points for the title, and taking down defending two-time State 3A team champion Walla Walla by 33.5 points.

“Pleasantly surprising is probably the best way to say it,” Figueira said. “We had lots of potential in lots of different areas. We peaked at the right time of the season and kind of continued on the fly throughout the postseason. Hopefully, we can continue that on next week, too, but it was nice for our kids to come through today for sure.”

The Wildcats secured four individual wins, a relay title and multiple placings over the two-day stretch. Their top individual performance came on the final day from sophomore Kade Brownell in the boys 1,600 meters during the hottest time of the day.

Following a second-place run in the 800 on Friday, Brownell dropped nearly 6 seconds off his personal best from late April to win in 4 minutes, 12.92 seconds, defeating the top 3A 1,600 runner in the state, Walla Walla’s Brody Hartley, by 3 seconds in 98-degree heat.

“I ran up next to Brody and I felt like I had so much energy,” Brownell said. “I was like, ‘I better go if I’m going to beat him.’… I figured I’d have fun today because I didn’t think I was going to qualify.”

Mt. Spokane also collected wins from Zachary Travis in the high jump (6 feet, 4 inches) and the 4x400 relay team in a state-leading 3:19.71 .

Mead’s Domnick Corley bounced back a day after a disqualification in the boys 100 with a win in the 200, running 21.49.

Mead’s Evan Berg threw 170-10 to win the boys javelin.

University’s Dylan Schauble won the boys ambulatory 200 in 29.48. Teammate Myles Wyatt finishing in third in 31.78.

Mead’s girls scored 109 points and won the 3A team title by 11 points over Mt. Spokane. Mead had six wins and strong showings from Charlotte Cullen and Dezlyn Lundquist.

“Everybody performed really well with less-than-ideal conditions,” Mead coach Dori Whitford said. “None of our girls went down and were taking care of themselves. Charlotte ran a PR, Raegan (Borg) ran a PR, 4x4 ran equal to their time last time. … Dezlyn, not a PR, but today was about placing.”

Cullen, who captured the 800 on Friday, won the girls 1,600 in a personal-best 5:00.50. She also anchored the Panthers’ winning 4x400 relay team (3:57.97).

“Biggest takeaway was really being dialed in,” Cullen said. “Even in the extreme weather, just have to dial in, stay focused no matter what and just go for it.”

Lundquist cleared 11-0 to win the pole vault, beating Walla Walla’s Kirsten Anderson by 6 inches.

University’s Addy MacArthur threw within 5 inches of her personal best to win the girls discus, throwing 133-3 for her second title of the weekend.

Mt. Spokane’s Dakota Lundquist ran a personal-best 46.61 to win the girls 300 hurdles. The Wildcats’ Karissa Lindner won the girls 200 in 25.31.

Cheney’s Catlin Shaffer won her fourth wheelchair event of the meet in girls javelin at 17-7. Ferris’ Jacinda Distel threw 29-11 in discus to win her third ambulatory event.

4A

Central Valley’s boys scored 135 points to fend off Chiawana (129.5) for the 4A title. The Bears collected three of their four individual wins on Saturday behind strong field performances from Brandon Gutzwiler, Canyon Smith and Rodney Minette.

“A really good group of kids that came together,” CV coach Chuck Bowden said. “That was the most fun in terms of watching them. Even with some of the setbacks today, it was a testament to them. Field event kids led the way.”

Gutziler won the high jump at 6-2, followed by Smith in javelin at 170-0 and Minette in shot put at 51-11¾.

Lewis and Clark’s Evan Bruce won the boys 1,600 in 4:19.66 for his second win of the meet.

On the 4A girls side, CV led the GSL with a fifth-place finish with 90 points. Nicole Bissell led the Bears, winning the 1,600 in 5:00.88 and anchoring the 4x400 team to victory in 4:01.68.

Gonzaga Prep’s Rhyan Madden won the girls 300 hurdles in 46.92, just short of her personal best by two-hundredths of a second.