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ORDER GAME PHOTOS
The 5A/4A Idaho high school state meet at Mountain View and the 3A/2A/1A meet at Middleton indeed produced performances as sizzling as the temperatures that topped 90 degrees in the Treasure Valley this weekend.
At the 4A meet, Burley's Gatlin Bair cemented his status as Idaho's fastest ever boys 100 and 200 runner with a pair of gold medals and blistering times.
A day after running an overall state meet record and Idaho all-time best 20.41 in 200 prelims, the junior won the 4A boys 200 title in 20.56 and the 100 title in an overall state meet record and Idaho all-time best 10.15. Those times put him at No. 4 in the U.S. this season for the 100 and No. 2 in the 200 as of Saturday evening.
He made stops at the Oregon Relays, Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and the BYU Invitational this season, going undefeated this entire spring in the 100 and 200.
Skyline senior and Utah State signee Claire Petersen had several repeats in final her high school state meet. In Friday's 4A girls 100 prelims, she ran a wind legal overall state meet record 12.01 and on Saturday, she won her third consecutive 4A girls 300 meter hurdles title in 43.06, a career second 4A girls 100 hurdles title in 14.34 and third consecutive 4A girls 100 title in an all-time Idaho best 11.81 (wind aided).
Petersen was one of several contributors to Skyline winning its first girls track title since 1993 on Saturday with 85 points.
"If you would've told me clear back my freshman year when I was starting track season all the things I'd do in high school, all the things we would've won, I probably wouldn't have believed you," Petersen said Saturday by phone. "I was kind of scared for high school track, honestly. I knew it was gonna be really good competition and the workouts were gonna be harder. Looking back, I'm super proud of myself and my team."
With temperatures in the 90s throughout the meet, coaches and athletes had to adapt to stay cool and safe. Petersen got a bit creative to escape the sun in between events.
"I had a lot of frozen water bottles with me and ice," Petersen said. "I had like a cooling towel that I got wet and put around my neck. One big thing I'm so grateful for is my family. My dad and my brother-in-law parked a car over right by where Skyline's tent was so I could have easy access to air conditioning. That's what saved me in between my races."
Other big point scorers for the Grizz were senior Alliya Parke (second place long jump 17-3.75), junior Amy Baczuk (high jump champion with 5-4), junior Nelah Roberts (third consecutive state title in the 3,200 in 10:55.67, third consecutive 1,600 state title in 4:58.13, fourth place in the 800 in 2:22.13), and junior Marina Renna (fifth place 1,600 in 5:17.47, fourth place in the 3,200 in 11:24.39).
Skyline head coach Chase Meyer said the 800 final made him confident they would win, and he opted to get 'state champions' printed on the team sweatshirts following the 300 hurdles final.
"After three second places in three seasons, to finally just have it happen was very cool for these girls," Meyer said Saturday by phone. "To have this opportunity, to be a part of this legacy is awesome to be part of that. it was cool to watch them thrive under pressure."
Petersen's wind aided 11.81 in the 100 finals is the fastest ever recorded Idaho girls 100 time. The second fastest came in Saturday's 5A final, where Rigby's Abby Hancock repeated as champion in a wind aided 11.82.
Those times come eight days after both girls broke 11.90 for the first time at districts in Idaho Falls.
"It's cool to think about that," Hancock said Saturday by phone. "That's honestly super cool. And Claire's such a sweetheart. Coming to state and PRing is just one of the best feelings."
Also in 4A, Century's Matejah Mangum won her third consecutive 4A 200 title in 24.92 a day after running an overall state meet record 24.68 in Friday's prelims. She went undefeated in the 200 this season and attained an all-time Idaho best of 24.59 in April's Tiger-Grizz Invitational.
The Bishop Kelly boys won their sixth 4A title in eight years, compiling 159 points. The Knights won the medley relay in 3:30.85, the 4x400 in 3:22.09 and attained individual titles from Rakeem Johnson in discus (175-5), Cam Davis in high jump (6-4) and long jump (23-3) and Cole Miller in triple jump (46-2).
Emmett's Tatum Richards cleared 11-6 to win her third consecutive 4A girls pole vault title and Columbia's Ethan Hammer won 4A boys pole vault upon clearing a 4A state record 15-7.
Twin Falls' Morgan Graham was part of the winning girls 4x400 team in 4:02.89 and won long jump with 17-4.25.
Skyview won the 4A girls 4x100 in a 4A state meet record 48.18.
Blackfoot's Matt Thomas repeated as 4A boys 1,600 champion in 4:14.51, returning to competition in April following time off due to a stress reaction and strained Achilles. Pocatello's Hailey Renzello was part of the winning medley relay in 1:51.36 and repeated as girls 800 champion in 2:17.89. Her teammate Brody Burch had a full day, winning the 4A boys 800 in 1:54.28 before leaving Meridian for Twin Falls to pitch in the 4A baseball state championship game, which Pocatello won 14-4 over Skyview.
Ridgevue had numerous event titles, claiming the 4A boys 4x200 in 1:29.30 and 4x100 in 42.36, the 4A boys 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles (Augustas Haynes in 14.37 and 38.18, respectively) and 4A girls discus (Kaylee Wuest with 120-6).
In 5A, the Boise girls three-peated with 135 points and the Rocky Mountain boys won their seventh consecutive title with 109 points.
Rocky Mountain senior Tyler Sainsbury and junior Landon Heemeyer were on the winning 5A boys 4x800 (7:48.22), Sainsbury won the 800 in 1:52.82, repeated as 1,600 champion in 4:09.37 and placed second in the 3,200 in 9:12.78 while Heemeyer placed second in the 1,600 in 4:09.37 and won the 3,200 in 9:10.76. Rocky Mountain's Crew Nelson won the 300 hurdles in 38.10 and was second in 110 hurdles in 14.43.
Boise senior Lydia Nance led a 1-2-3 finish in the 800, winning in 2:15.22, with junior teammates Samantha Smith and Allie Bruce placing second and third also under 2:16. Sophia Clark won the 400 in 56.69, Autumn Shomaker won girls long jump with 18-6.75, Bruce won the 1,600 in 4:55.87 and Alexandra Gustavel cleared 5-4 to win 5A girls high jump. The Brave also had three medalists in pole vault (Suzi Woodall, Michaela Gier, Mia Nelson) and repeated as champions in the 4x800 in 9:15.21.
Boise practiced in various locations all season while their new track is under construction. Boise distance coach Aaron Olswanger said the entire team had not practiced together since team picture day.
He added that there were surprises at the state meet from his athletes.
"Our junior class is just ridiculously talented," Olswanger said Sunday by phone. "Our freshman Audrey Orme in the 1,600 getting second, that girl is a competitor. She just believed in herself."
Boise's Seth Nelson repeated as 5A boys pole vault champion upon clearing 16-8 to take down Donovan Kilmartin's overall state meet record of 16-6 from 2003 and send Boise pole vault coach Asa Sims into retirement on a high note.
"First and foremost, he is the best kid," Olswanger said of Nelson. "Great, tremendous leader. He's broken the school record multiple times. The cool thing is when that's the only thing going on in the stadium, everyone is watching. Everyone is engaged."
Boise repeated as 5A boys state runner-up, an accomplishment Olswanger said he was proud of considering how the Brave graduated Mason Lawyer, Liam Murray and Porter Coffield from last season.
"It's huge for this program," Olswanger said."We had to find points in new areas this year."
Rigby's Hancock also repeated as 5A girls 200 champion in 24.84, placed second in long jump and contributed to the winning 4x100 in a school record 48.26 to end an undefeated season in the event. Her 4x100 teammate Abbie Scott, a junior, won 5A girls pole vault upon clearing 12-0.
The 4x100 title came 10 years after Hancock's older sister Jaimee was part of 4A state gold in that event for Rigby in what was then a school record time.
"(Abby) got that girls 4x100 motivated," Rigby head coach James Parrish said Saturday by phone. "Those girls never lost this year. It's rare."
Like Petersen, Hancock found creative ways to stay cool throughout the meet. She said Mountain View allowed athletes inside the school to get out of the sun.
"We had to play it smart," Hancock said. "I also did go to my parents' car. My team had a cooling stand and rags we'd dip."
Highland's Ruby Jordan concluded an undefeated season in shot put by winning the 5A girls title with a mark of 41-7.5 to end an undefeated season in the event and Highland girls won the 4x400 in 3:57.42 to claim the fourth place trophy.
Parrish expressed genuine enthusiasm for Highland, which lost its gym, cafeteria and music room in a fire in April.
"They had to win the 4x400 to get a trophy," Parrish said. "Good for their school after everything they've been through the last month."
Rigby collected two 5A state track trophies for the first time since joining 5A in 2016, third place girls and fourth place boys. Parrish said it was grueling to collect two trophies, especially with making numerous adjustments on the boys side.
"We did it," Parrish said. "We had a couple bad breaks, couple injuries. It was crazy, but we did it."
Hancock was excited for her teammates and for Parrish.
"Going in as a senior, you really want to draw the team with you," Hancock said. "Parrish was super, super ecstatic. It was super cool to take part in that, and to see the boys get fourth."
Timberline had event champions in Alex Lowe (5A boys high jump, 6-4), Ashlyn Sandow (5A girls triple jump, 37-5.75), Lauren McCall (repeat 5A girls 300 hurdles, 44.23) and the 5A girls 4x200 (repeat winners in 1:41.68).
Colton Osborn and Jacob Webster went 1-2 for Centennial in the 5A boys 100 (Osborn won in 10.73) and Webster was 200 champion in 21.67. Both contributed to the 4x100 win in 41.88.
Sugar-Salem brought head coach Brett Hill's career total state titles to 52 on Saturday between track and cross country at Firth and Sugar-Salem. The Diggers piled on 149 points to repeat as 3A boys state champions in MIddleton at the 3A/2A/1A state meet, taking a 17-point lead after day one and extending it to 60 after Saturday's 400 finals.
Hill described the 2023 Sugar-Salem boys as the 'most dominant' team he's coached at Sugar-Salem, and he would rank them No. 2 all-time among teams he's coached, right behind the 2006 Firth team.
"These times they're running now are faster than Firth was running in 2006," Hill said. "It was an incredible day. It ranks right up among the best."
The Diggers had field event champs in Adam McCoy (pole vault,14-0) and Ryan Bingham (shot put, 54-2). The success continued onto the track with individual wins by seniors Porter Holt (repeat 800 champion in 1:59.07, 400 champion in 49.20) and Trevon Holman (100 champion in 10.95, 200 champion in 21.98). Sugar-Salem won three relays: the medley in 3:37.55, the 4x200 in 1:29.95 and the 4x100 in 43.68. Holt was a member of the medley relay and second place 4x400 while Holman anchored the 4x100 and 4x200. Holt and Holman broke their own school records several times this season.
Hill said Holman ran down Marsh Valley in both his anchor legs, and the 4x100 finish is the best relay comeback he has seen as a coach. Holman was 20 meters behind Marsh Valley upon taking the baton and ran down the Eagles for the win.
"Trevon Holman had two anchor legs that would rival anything," Hill said.
Weiser won the 3A girls 4x400 in 4:07.91, the medley relay in 1:53.67 and had the 400 champion in Kailee Lerew (59.36), scoring in 10 events en route to claiming the team title with 96 points for its first title since 1990.
Mattie Shirts (fourth in the 400, second in triple jump, first place 4x400, second place 4x200), Kylee Quinton (third in 300 hurdles, second in the 800, first place medley relay, first place 4x400 relays) and Claire Matthews (fourth in the 800, fourth in the 1,600, second in the 3,200) were all major contributors.
Fruitland sophomore Lydia Lindsey repeated as 3A girls 100 champion in 12.76, 200 champion in 26.01, contributed to the winning 4x100 in 49.55 and won long jump (17-4.5). Fruitland claimed three boys individual event titles also: Marcus Jones (boys discus, 149-10), Caleb Davis (boys 110 hurdles, 15.23) and Luke Barinaga (long jump, 21-7).
Bonners Ferry's Asha Abubakari swept 3A girls throws titles, repeating as both 3A girls shot put champion (42-1.5) and discus champion (132-3).
Marsh Valley's Lydia Townsend won three 3A golds--high jump with 5-0, 100 hurdles in 15.10, 300 hurdles in 46.08--and placed second in pole vault.
Melba won its fifth consecutive 2A girls title with 145 points while Aberdeen claimed its program first boys title with 92 points.
Aberdeen won the boys 4x100 in 44.44 and got massive points from Seth Hall (high jump champ with 6-4, third place 110 hurdles, third place long jump, third place 300 hurdles) and Cale Adamson (discus champ with 162-4, shot put champ with 53-5.75).
Melba had a multitude of point scorers: Kendall Clark (high jump champion with 5-2, repeat triple jump champion with 38-0.75), Meya Young (long jump champion with 18-7.25, repeat 100 champion in 12.59), Rozzlyn Cazier (1,600 champion in 5:23.45, second place 3,200), Brooklyn Dayley (fourth in 300 hurdles, 800 champion in 2:22.39) and Ahna Shaffer (second in the 100, second in the 200). Clark, Shaffer, Young and Hallie Arnold won the 4x100 and 4x200 in respective 2A meet record times of 49.55 and 1:44.79.
Melba's McKoy Richardson repeated as boys 300 hurdles champion in 38.11 and ran a 2A meet record 37.76 in prelims and had second-place finishes in the 400, long jump and 110 hurdles.
Orofino's Lindi Kessinger repeated as 2A girls discus champion with a mark of 140-6.
Soda Springs collected golds from Jinettie Garbett (threepeat 2A girls 400 champion in 58.68, repeat 2A girls 200 champion in 25.41), the girls 4x400 (4:07.72), Tanner Brown (2A boys 110 hurdles, 14.75) and Izzy Shelton (2A girls shot put champion, 38-9).
North Fremont's Zack and Corbin Johnston, who are brothers, compiled 54 points with 1-2 finishes in the 2A boys distance events. Corbin won the 3,200 in 9:44.42 (Zack second) and 1,600 in 4:23.36 (Zack second) and Zack won the 800 in 1:58.70 (Corbin second). They were also members of the winning medley relay in 3:36.41.
Raft River won its fifth consecutive 1A girls state title with 113.83 points while the Victory Charter boys won a program first state title with 79 points.
Raft River piled on the points all weekend thanks to Libby Boden (repeat girls 100 champion in 12.46, repeat girls 200 champion in 1A state meet record 25.11, second place girls long jump), Abigail Rex (second place in trile jump and 300 hurdles), Allie Black (girls 3,200 champion in 11:51.35, sixth place girls 800, second place girls 1,600), Heidi Harper (third place girls 400), Casady Ward (fourth place girls shot put) and Ashlee Christensen (fourth place girls high jump). Harper was on the repeat champion 4x200 (1:46.97) and fourth place 4x400, Harper and Boden were on the repeat champion medley relay team which recorded a 1A state meet record time of 1:49.50 and Raft River also placed third in the 4x100.
Victory Charter won the 1A boys 4x100 in a 1A state meet record 43.91 and placed second in the 4x200. The Vipers got several points from Luke Stockett (boys 3,200 champion in 9:39.84, second place boys 1,600), Ian Stockett (boys 1,600 champion in 4:29.51, third place boys 3,200), Connor Robbins (second place boys 3,200) and Kaydon Gibbs (second place 300 hurdles).
Carey's Shayli Smith won three individual 1A girls gold medals: high jump (5-2), 300 hurdles in a 1A state meet record 45.41 and repeated as 100 hurdles champion (15.35).
A pair of eastern Idaho athletes again claimed the top spot on the podium for a field event final. Butte County's Rebel Beard cleared 13-6 to repeat as 1A boys pole vault champion and Mackay's Megan Moore had a winning mark of 41-0 to repeat 1A girls shot put champion (41-0).
Kamiah's Brady Cox won two individual golds, clearing 6-2 in 1A boys high jump (6-2) and running 15.77 in 110 hurdles.
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