Hoquiam’s boys, North Beach’s girls nab all-county track titles

A historic first-ever all-county track meet at Aberdeen was enjoyed particularly by Hoquiam’s boys and North Beach’s girls.

The Grizzlies and Hyaks made off with team honors in the 59th annual Ray Ryan Memorial Grays Harbor All-County Track &Field Championships on Saturday at Miller Junior High.

In a battle that literally came down to the final strides of the concluding 4×400 relay, North Beach’s girls edged Elma, 130-129, for the team title.

Powered by Anthony Nash’s three victories, the Grizzlies outpointed runner-up North Beach, 119-110, in the boys team competition. Hoquiam senior Nash, who won the 100 meters in 11.1, the 200 in 23.58 and ran a sizzling anchor leg on his team’s victorious 4×100 relay team, was an obvious choice as the Male Athlete of the Meet.

Despite battling a virus that sidelined her for Saturday’s competition, North Beach junior Tawni Blankenship obliterated the meet girls pole vault record by clearing 10-6 at Hoquiam’s Sea Breeze Oval. The previous mark was 9 feet, shared by Hoquiam’s Mackenzie Smith and Mandie Bowen. Blankenship’s vault was also a school record.

North Beach, which was the first Class 2B school to earn an all-county boys team title last year, became the second straight 2B girls team titleholder. Ocosta won the girls crown last year.

Like most of his brethren, North Beach coach Peter Fry attributed his team’s performance in part to Saturday’s mild, mostly dry weather conditions — an exceedingly rare condition during this soggy spring.

“We’ve been waiting for a break in the weather and a break in performance,” Fry said. “Both things go together.”

The Hyak girls won five events and their victory over Elma in the 4×100 relay loomed large in the final standings. But they also owe a debt of gratitude to Hoquiam freshman Savannah Lutz.

Needing a victory, as it developed, in the 4×400 relay (the last event of the program) to take the team title, Elma led the Grizzlies entering the final lap.

Running the event for the first time with Elyse Goulet sidelined due to an infected knee, Lutz overtook Elma’s Cheyanne with about 300 meters remaining. Jines rallied around the final curve and appeared on the verge of regaining the lead. But the seemingly weakening Lutz found her second wind to withstand the challenge by a couple of strides. Courtney McCormick and the Delahanty twins, Alexis and Kayla, were the other members of the winning unit.

With Montesano’s state 1A champion Jordan Spradlin missing the meet to compete in the prestigious Pasco Invitational, North Beach’s Fruh sisters dominated the weights. Natasha Fruh edged older sibling Nannette to take both the shot and discus.

North Beach’s Mariah Vogler captured the girls triple jump with a mark of 31- 3/4. Impressive Hyak freshman Lorin Cox, runner-up to Cardenas in both sprints, anchored the winning sprint relay foursome that included Vogler, Brooklynn Neal and Reilly Moore to victory.

Plagued by scratches (or fouls), North Beach senior Seth Bridge mustered only one legal throw apiece in the boys shot and discus. He nevertheless won both events at 46 feet and 153-1 1/2, respectively.

“It only takes one,” said North Beach assistant Todd Bridge, Seth’s father. “And (the legal throws) were what we call pinwheels, not full throws.”

North Beach’s other win came from Brendan Chaney, who established a school record of 13-1 in Friday’s pole vault at Hoquiam.

BOYS

Hoquiam 119, North Beach 110, Aberdeen 107, Montesano 80, Elma 75, Ocosta 64, Taholah 13, Wishkah 5.

100 — 11.1 — Nash (H), Hartford (E), Sidor (A), Butcher (E), Eastman (NB), Whipple (M). 200 — 23.58 — Nash (H), Hartford (E), Sidor (A), Smith (H), Eastman (NB), Salas (A). 400 — 53.38 — Butcher (E), Albert (M), Sidor (A), Eastman (NB), Vollan (E), Muro (NB). 800 — 2:14.16 — Tep (E), Bailey (O), Brockhoff (O), Quinby (O), Belcher (E), Anderson (O). 1,600 — 4:53.2 — Mustard (M), Clements (M), Barragan (A), Bailey (O), Aschenbrenner (A), Palmgren (W). 3,200 — 10:53.36 — Mustard (M), Clements (M), Shaw (A), Aschenbrenner (M), Barragan (A), Mitby (O). 110 H — 18.03 — Winter (M), Garcia (H), Kawashima (A), Johnson (NB), Kaczmarczyk (H), Butcher (A). 300 H — 44.84 — Silver (O), Johnson (H), Edenstrom (E), Butcher (A), Winter (M), Johnson (NB). 4×100 R — 44.93 — Hoquiam, Elma, North Beach, Aberdeen, Montesano, Ocosta. 4×400 R — 3:42.14 — Elma, Hoquiam, Montesano, North Beach, Aberdeen, Ocosta.

Shot — 46-0 — S. Bridge (NB), Castleberry-Taylor (A), Dianovich (NB), Louderback (NB), Murray (A), Brown (H). Disc — 153-1 1/2 — S. Bridge (NB), B. Bridge (NB), Dianovich (NB), tie between Brown (H) and Murray (A), Louderback (NB). Jav — 159-10 — Jackson (T), Castleberry-Taylor (A), Louderback (NB), Sears (H), Flores (T), Larsen (A). HJ — 6-4 — Merksick (H), Washington (NB), Garcia (H), Silver (O), Taylor (O), Lowder (H). LJ — 19-6 — Garcia (H), Manwell (A), Merksick (H), Whipple (M), Shale (A), Washington (NB). TJ — 40-9 1/2 — Manwell (A), Washington (NB), Davis (A), Anderson (O), Billerbeck (E), Mitby (O). PV — 13-1 — Chaney (NB), Silver (O), Johnson (H), Felten (H), Espedal (H), Palmgren (Wish).

GIRLS

North Beach 130, Elma 129, Hoquiam 95, Aberdeen 75, Montesano 72, Ocosta 68, Taholah 16, Wishkah 10.

100 — 12.99 — Cardenas (A), Cox (NB), Barre (M), Mason (E), Pruett (A), Scott-York (H). 200 — 27.11 — Cardenas (A), Cox (NB), Floch (M), Scott-York (H), Lensegrav (E), Niemi (A). 400 — 1:05.25 — Clark (E), Moore (NB), Niemi (A), K. Aiken (E), Sackrider (E), Hartley (E). 800 — 2:38.53 — Anderson (O), Vogler (NB), Lutz (H), Moore (NB), Holm (O), Rojas (E). 1,600 — 6:00.0 — Anderson (O), Ballo (O), Lutz (H), Peterson (M), Burgher (E), May (A). 3,200 — 14:04.03 — Schneider (E), Hutchings (M), Rojas (E), Burgher (E). 100 H — 17.11 — Bieker (E), Neal (NB), Schupbach (M), Sandstrom (H), Martin (O), Diaz (M). 300 H — 48.99 — Bieker (E), Cardenas (A), Jines (E), Denny (O), Sandstrom (H), Diaz (M). 4×100 R — 53.97 — North Beach, Elma, Montesano, Ocosta, Aberdeen, Wishkah. 4×200 R — 1:53.97 — Aberdeen, Elma, Hoquiam, Ocosta, Wishkah. 4×400 R — 4:29.22 — Hoquiam, Elma, Ocosta, North Beach, Aberdeen.

Shot — 36-11 — Natasha Fruh (NB), Nannette Fruh (NB), Ray (E), Ralston (T), Heikkila (A), C. Spradlin (M). Disc — 108-6 — Natasha Fruh (NB), Nannette Fruh (NB), Bates (A), Spradlin (M), Sorensen (W), Ralston (T). Jav — 100-3 — Krohn (H), Dolan (T), Ray (E), Fruh (NB), C. Spradlin (M), Walsh (A). HJ — 5-2 (ties meet record) — Floch (M), McCormick (H), Marsh (O), Martin (O), Orona (A), Denny (O). LJ — 16-3 — Floch (M), Bieker (E), Capoeman (H), Scott-York (H), Neal (NB), Delahanty (H). TJ — 31- 3/4 — Vogler (NB), Cox (NB), Capoeman (H), G. Aiken (E), K. Aiken (E), Ferry (W). PV — 10-6 (meet record) — Blankenship (NB), Capoeman (H), Pinnell (H), A. Delahanty (H).