5A/4A Idaho state track recap: Borah senior, ‘Olympic hopeful’ demolishes meet record
Nathan Green realized at the last minute that he’d forgotten to take off his sweatpants, which meant he was still tying his shoes in the infield as the rest of the 5A boys 3,200-meter field took to the starting line.
But the frantic rush didn’t hinder the Borah High senior’s performance once the gun went off.
Green set an overall state meet record in the 3,200 in a time of 8 minutes, 53.47 seconds over the eight-lap race Friday morning at Eagle High. His time ranks among the top 20 in the nation this season, which is an impressive feat considering Green crossed the finish line more than 100 meters ahead of second place.
“I don’t even know how to describe it. You’ve just got to go for it,” Green said. “I came through the first mile right where we wanted to be. ... My stomach started hurting and I just decided, ‘You can’t look back now. You can’t slow down. You can’t give up an inch, otherwise you’re not gonna get this title.’
“There’s nothing that meant more to me than getting the state record today.”
Elijah Armstrong of Pocatello held the previous overall meet record of 9:00.73, which he set at Dona Larsen Park in 2014. Green’s time also established a new 5A classification record, besting the mark of Bonneville’s Jed Barta that had stood since 1999 (9:06.58).
It was Green’s second straight state championship in the 3,200 after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out the 2020 spring track season. He took second in the event as a freshman. Green is also a three-time state champion in cross country and has signed to run for the University of Washington beginning this fall.
“I think he’s an Olympic hopeful,” Borah distance coach Tim Severa said. “... He’s going to (the University of) Washington, and they’ve got a really good staff there, and they’re really supportive of him. He’s running paces to qualify for the NCAAs right now. With a group of people to push him, he’ll race even better, because he’s at his best when he can follow and kick.”
Green added a fourth-place finish as part of Borah’s 4x800 relay team in the final event of the day Friday. He’ll compete in the 1,600 and 4x400 relay on Saturday.
Emmett thrower gets redemption
Emmett senior Axel Sanchez said he “fell apart” last week when he fouled three times in the discus throw and failed to qualify for the state meet.
Sanchez had posted the No. 4 mark in the country this season with a toss of 197-5 at a meet in New Plymouth earlier this month.
Still stinging from the disappointment, Sanchez found his silver lining with a victory in the 4A boys shot put. Sanchez threw his winning distance of 54-2 on his first attempt in the preliminary flight of Friday’s competition.
“I’ve been struggling with some injuries. My back has been hurting,” Sanchez said. “But I hoped I could get a good throw in the first couple throws and fortunately I got my best throw my first throw. I’m really happy it came out like that.”
The 4A All-Idaho first-team selection on the defensive line has committed to play football for Montana State-Northern, but his success in the discus this spring has led to interest from Division I track and field coaches as well.
Former Olympian makes an appearance
Long before he represented the United States in the discus at the Athens and Beijing Olympic Games, Ian Waltz was a high school kid from Post Falls.
The Olympian returned to his roots Friday to hand out medals at the state track and field championships, and he even took the time to visit with athletes after competition wrapped up.
Waltz still owns the overall state meet record in the boys discus with a mark of 203-9, which he set while attending Post Falls High in 1995.
Rocky Mountain senior Jarell Lucas was one of the lucky winners to shake Waltz’s hand. Lucas claimed the 5A boys discus title with a toss of 170. Friday’s wet weather forced athletes to wipe down the throwing circle between attempts, and competition was stopped periodically so an official could use a leaf blower to try to dry the area.
“The rain was kind of a curveball, but you have to adapt and go with the environment,” said Lucas, who will compete in the shot put Saturday. “I just tried to do my best, and that’s all I could ask for.”
Two other state champions were crowned Friday in the throwing events. Capital junior Gracie Strickland won gold in the 5A girls shot put (40-3), and Emmett senior Lacy Yates eked out a victory by 2 inches in the 4A girls discus (130-7).
Friday’s state highlights
▪ Boise freshman Sammy Smith won the girls 3,200 at last week’s district meet by three hundredths of a second over teammate Allie Bruce.
Smith found another gear at the state meet to take first in the event by more than 14 seconds in 10:33.71. She also came within 2.91 seconds of the state record. And track isn’t even her primary sport.
“Soccer’s kind of my priority right now, but I love to run,” Smith said. “I’ll just do everything I can for as long as possible.”
Smith is the reigning 5A state champion in cross country, and she took four firsts at the 5A District Three meet. After winning the 3,200 Friday morning, Smith collected another gold medal in the 4x800 relay with teammates Bruce, Jamie Hamlin and older sister Logan Smith. Their winning time of 9:09.64 set an overall state meet record.
Smith will run the 1,600 and 4x400 relay Saturday.
▪ Before he moved from Washington state to Idaho in September, Jacob Heileson was used to having a little more competition. But the Ridgevue High senior doesn’t mind leading by example.
Using a custom-made chair from the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Heileson won the challenged athletes shot put title with a throw of 17-2.5. He’ll go for a personal best in the discus on Saturday.
“If you’re disabled and you think you can do it, just do it,” Heileson said. “Even if you can’t do it really well, just try it. It’s a lot of fun. I strongly recommend people do it.”
▪ The state long and triple jump competitions were contested at Rocky Mountain High because the sand pits at Eagle did not meet the minimum 23-foot length. Treasure Valley athletes came away with three of the four gold medals handed out in the long jump: Eagle junior Barrett Davis (22-5, 5A boys), Meridian junior Kaila Mederios (18-5.25, 5A girls) and Bishop Kelly senior Paige Tekippe (17-4.25, 4A girls).
▪ Emmett junior Landon Helms was a repeat winner in the 4A boys pole vault with a clearance of 15 feet. Helms set the classification record in the event as a freshman in 2019, at 15-6. He had his eye on breaking his record Friday, but couldn’t clear 15-7 on three attempts.
▪ Four girls cleared 5-2 in the 5A girls high jump, but Centennial senior Miya Koch secured the title as the only one in the quartet to get over the bar at 5-4.
▪ Bishop Kelly sophomore Cole Miller hopped, skipped and jumped his way to gold in the 4A boys triple jump with a mark of 45-11. Miller nearly added a second event win in the high jump. Miller and Preston’s Taite Priestley each cleared 6-4, but Priestley won the title by clearing the height with fewer attempts.
▪ After finishing third at the district meet last week, Capital senior Lizzie Ramey matched her personal best with a clearance of 12 feet to win the 5A girls pole vault.
▪ Meridian junior Eli Lawrence repeated as the 5A boys triple jump champion with a mark of 46-3.5. He bested his nearest competitor by almost two feet.
▪ In a preliminary heat of the 5A girls 100 meters, Capital senior Megan Rose crossed the finish line in 11.92 seconds. Her time would have broken the state meet record of 12.07 set by Highland’s Julie Briggs in 1989 if not for the 2.7-mph wind at her back. That same favorable wind means Bishop Kelly’s James Onanubosi (10.66) and Skyline’s Claire Petersen (12.20) won’t get to keep their records in the 4A classification.
This story was originally published May 21, 2021 at 8:21 PM.
