Badgers send 12 to State; finish well at districts

One last time this season, the Badger track team made the journey to the Timberlake track for the Idaho District 1 3A championship meet.

At the two-day event last Thursday and Friday, Badger athletes competed for the chance to earn a trip to state and in many cases for one final chance at a personal best time. To qualify for state, the top three finishers in individual events would be allowed to go. Only the top finishers in the relays would be guaranteed a berth to state.

Thursday’s events moved along quickly. With few enough athletes to run prelims in most cases, the only finals were in the throwing events, relays, jumps, and the 3200m. In the 3200, Senior Tucker Cavender accomplished a long-time goal — an individual berth to state in track. Tucker ran a career best 10:58 to claim third place. “Tucker has put in so much off-season work for this opportunity,” said distance coach Tyler Warner.

Not far behind Tucker was junior Nolan Stidham who also ran a PR 11:01.

“We expect big things from Nolan next year,” Warner said.

On Thursday, first-year vaulter Victoria Smith came in third in the pole vault by clearing eight feet. Moments later, Senior Kendra Urbaniak cleared 8-06 to take second place. “Kendra had to muscle her way in, she worked really hard today,” said Coach George Hays.

Sophomore vaulter Jill Alexander did not qualify for state, but finished her season with PRs in the pole vault (7’) and the 100m (15.97).

The races of the day came in the sprint medleys. The girls’ medley, with strong performances all season, got a strong challenge from Timberlake and other IML teams that attempted new combinations with hopes of knocking off the Lady Badgers. Natasha Webster, Kendra Urbaniak and Mackenzie Mendenhall gave Jordan Young the baton with a slight lead. In the last 400m Timberlake closed the gap and attempted to make a move on the corner with 150m to go.

“Jordan did a smart thing by taking the inside and forcing them to go around the outside,” said Hays. “That could be a 5 meter advantage right there. Effort was huge too.”

Coming down the stretch, Jordan battled with Timberlake’s Taylor Hammond, going back and forth all the way. With only a few strides left, Jordan finally pulled away and secured the gold and a trip to state.

“I’m so proud of Jordan, she did so awesome,” Mackenzie Mendenhall said afterward. The team’s final time was 1:59.62.

In the boys’ medley the Badgers looked to knock off the strong Priest River team. With a last minute change in the line-up, Bonners Ferry saw an opportunity to surprise Priest River, but so did Timberlake. Bonners Ferry hit the splits coaches expected early on, but Priest River and Timberlake’s early legs had opened up a gap. When Jacob Perkins took the baton for the 800m leg, he was in third and nearly 90m behind second.

“Coaches timed me at a 55 second first lap,” said Perkins. With a smile and a shrug he said “I had some ground to make up.” With that power lap Perkins made up a lot of ground. Jacob caught Timberlake’s Brayden Menti in the last 300m and was coming up on Priest River’s Josh Marks. The 55 second lap proved draining, however, and Jacob was not quite able to make up the distance. In spite of finishing second with a 3:51.31, the time did qualify Warren Carle, Isaac Lavala, Jack Wade, and Jacob Perkins for an at-large berth to state.

Friday featured more berths to state and many personal bests among sprinters. Louis Balcaen achieved season best marks in the 100m and 200m races. Anthony Bernert achieved a best time in the 200m and Erin Brewington also sprinted to her best finish in the 100m. Ryan Mason, Malachi Rivkin, CJ McCulla, and Karla Horton also achieved season bests in their respective events. Although they did not qualify for state, the improvements from them and others is encouraging to coaches.

Two throwers joined the growing list of Badgers going to state. Jack Wade, who earlier qualified in the boys sprint medley, tossed a personal best 126-04 in the discus to claim second place. For the ladies a short distance away at the shot put pit, freshman Haley Wenk claimed second place with a throw of 31-02.

Natasha Webster, a member of the girls medley team, punched her ticket by taking third in the 200m. Also qualifying was Warren Carle who had to run a season best 44.48 in the 300 hurdles to claim third. Fellow hurdler Mackenzie Mendenhall won both the 100m and a season best 48.30 in the 300m hurdles. Mackenzie will go into state the top seed in both with the coveted lane four spot.

“She ran solid,” said Hays. “Her form was spot on.”

Mackenzie also qualified in the long jump and girls sprint medley.

In the 800m races, Jacob Perkins ran a 2:04 to claim first, but the surprise came from the battle for second place. Senior Chase Dinning came down the stretch battling Priest River’s Josh Marks, a constant top finisher. Chase’s previous best had been a 2:11, but with a chance for a state trip at risk, Chase dropped his time to an impressive 2:07 and outduelled Josh Marks to do it.

“Coach Hays actually told Chase earlier in the week, ‘why not run a 2:08?’ and he stepped up,” said Coach Warner. “Chase really impressed us and for him to get second is huge. I’m really excited for him and proud of his effort.”

Freshman Jordan Young in the women’s race did equally well and ran a 2:34 to second place.

In the boys pole vault Isaac Lavala punched his ticket with a second place vault of 11-06. He has continued to improve his technique through the season and once vaulted 12 feet in his first year vaulting.

“He’s gained a lot of confidence. It’s quite the accomplishment as a first year vaulter,” said Coach Hays.

While many Badgers can take pride in a season well done, for the twelve athletes who qualified the season rolls on. The state qualifiers will leave for the 3A Idaho State Championships at Middleton High School Thursday morning. Competition starts Friday morning and will finish on Saturday.

Results

Men’s

100m prelims

10. Louis Balcaen 13.66

11. Anthony Bernert 14.20

12. Ryan Mason 14.41

13. Bryce Nelson

200m finals

7. Nikolous Bertling 26.02

12. Alex Urbaniak 27.32

13. Louis Balcaen 28.05

14. Anthony Bernert 30.35

400m finals

5. Jacob Perkins 55.38

11. Ryan Mason 1:02.64

800m finals

1. Jacob Perkins 2:05.69

2. Chase Dinning 2:07.86

6. Malachi Rivkin 2:16.65

19. Anton Dorn 3:22.88

1600m finals

3. Jacob Perkins 4:57.09

5. Nolan Stidham 5:03.25

6. Tucker Cavender 5:12.37

7. Malachi Rivkin 5:18.55

8. Dawson Thomas 5:18.98

10. Alva Swanson 5:26.89

11. Nick Magdaleno 5:38.55

17. Brad Corson 5:50.36

3200m finals

3. Tucker Cavender 10:58

4. Nolan Stidham 11:01

6. Alva Swanson 11:39

8. Dawson Thomas 11:48

11. Brad Corson 12:36

13. Nick Magdaleno 12:58

300m hurdles finals

3. Warren Carle 44.48

7. Brad Corson 55.12

4x100 relay finals

4. Urbaniak, Bernert, Mason, Balcaen 52.24

4x200 relay finals

4. Bertling, Dinning, Carle, Lavala 1:43.48

4x400 relay finals

4. Urbaniak, Wade, Balcaen, Dinning 4:11.13

Sprint medley 2-2-4-8 finals

2. Carle, Lavala, Wade, Perkins 3:51.31

See TRACK, B-3

Shot put finals

7. Evan Ellis 37-07

10. CJ McCulla 33-10.5

11. Jack Wade 33-05.5

15. Jeffrey Abraham 31-09.5

Discus finals

2. Jack Wade 126-04

5. CJ McCulla 120-08

7. 103-05

11. Jeffrey Abraham 89-08

Pole Vault finals

3. Isaac Lavala 11-06

6. Alex Urbaniak 9-06

Long jump finals

11. Nikolous Bertling 16-01.5

12. Joseph Swanson 14-05.5

14. Brad Corson 13-05.5

15. Bryce Nelson 13-02.5

Women’s

100m finals

3. Natasha Webster 14.16

7. Karla Horton 15.47

100m prelims

2. Natasha Webster 13.85

7. Karla Horton 14.99

8. Amanda Bauer 15.33

9. Shaylee Ellson 15.37

12. Jill Alexander 15.97

14. Erin Brewington 17.69

200m finals

4. Natasha Webster 29.5

5. Anjolena Tucker 30.32

8. Karla Horton 32.05

200m prelims

4. Natasha Webster 29.19

5. Anjolena Tucker 29.93

8. Karla Horton 31.68

11. Erin Brewington 38.69

800m finals

2. Jordan Young 2:34.9

8. Sophia Claphan 3:55.45

1600m finals

5. Hannah Lysne 6:22.96

10. Sophia Claphan 9:02.09

3200m finals

4. Hannah Lysne 13:57.19

100m hurdles finals

1. Mackenzie Mendenhall 16.83

300m hurdles finals

1. Mackenzie Mendenhall 48.30

4x100 relay finals

3. Ellson, Bauer, Horton, Tucker 57.05

4x200 relay finals

2. Tucker, Urbaniak, Horton, Webster 2:00.36

Sprint medley relay 1-1-2-4

1. Urbaniak, Webster, Mendenhall, Young 1:59.62

Shot put finals

3. Haley Wenk 31-02.5

9. Olivia Whittaker 26-03

Discus finals

5. Breanna Copeland 84-11

7. Haley Wenk 82-03

9. Olivia Whittaker 78-03

High jump finals

4. Victoria Smith 4-00

Pole vault finals

2. Kendra Urbaniak 8-06

3. Victoria Smith 8-00

5. Jill Alexander 7-00

Long jump

2. Mackenzie Mendenhall 15-05

5. Shaylee Ellson 12-11

6. Anjolena Tucker 12-09

7. Victoria Smith 11-07

8. Amanda Bauer 11-02

Triple jump

5. Shaylee Ellson 27-05