Carey's boys sent a big, bold message along the lines of "We're Back!" Wednesday afternoon in their home track and field debut on a mild day at Derrick Parke Memorial Field.
Amassing 71 points in the distance events and sweeping the four relays, the deep and fleet Panthers dispatched three-time defending State 1A champion Raft River 163-115 to win the weekly 10-team Northside/Southside track meet.
"It was a really good showing since we haven't had many practices because of spring break," said coach Lee Cook about the Carey boys, who made their most impressive team showing in four years.
Powerful Carey was in the points in 14 of the 17 boys' events. The most dynamic showing was in the 1600-meter mile run where the Panthers placed five runners in the top six. Carey also went 1-2-3-4 in the 3200m run held earlier and swept the top two at 800m.
There were three different Carey winners in the distances—D.J. Simpson by 2.20 seconds in the 800m, Blake Whitby by 8.40 seconds in the 1600m and Kade Peterson by over two seconds in the 3200m.
Carey won the 4x200m relay by over eight seconds and captured the medley by 17.5 seconds. When the Panthers were challenged by Raft River in a very close 4x400m relay finale, freshman Gonzalo Zarate turned on the anchor afterburners with 200 meters to go and out-legged Raft River's Wyatt Holtman by two seconds.
Raft River (61 field) was outscored 71-4 by Carey in the distances and 40-22 in the relays.
The Camas County boys piled up 34 points in the field en route to a third-place 77-point outing Wednesday. Sprinter Ben McLam won the 100m dash (11.80) in a photo finish and high jumper Chase Lee (6-4) was unchallenged for the gold.
Raft River's girls, led by sprinter Nicole Harper, amassed 57 points in the sprints to edge Camas County 102-93 in the final accounting.
Harper won the 100m and 200m dashes, placed third in high jump and ran the third leg of Raft River's medley winner.
Musher girls did a good job with 93 points for second place including 22 in the hurdles, 26 relays and 26 field. Toni Wear won the 100m high hurdles (19.50) while the 4x100m relay team captured first place with Lindsey Peterson, Paige Davies, Mollie McLam and Wear.
Shoshone continued its distance success behind gold medalists Taylor Astle (1600m, 3200m) and Lacey Kniep (800m, 300m intermediates). And Richfield's Morgan Hubsmith won the long and triple jump.
Here are team results and Carey's point getters:
BOYS
Team standings: 1—Carey 162 (20 sprints, 25 hurdles, 71 distances, 40 relays, 6 field). 2—Raft River of Malta 115 (2 sprints, 26 hurdles, 4 distances, 22 relays, 61 field). 3—Camas County of Fairfield 77. 4—Dietrich 56. 5—Castleford 52.5. 6—Hansen 22. 7—Bliss 17. 8—Shoshone 16.5. 9—Richfield 2. ISDB of Gooding 0.
1st places—D.J. Simpson 800m (2:15.90); Blake Whitby 1600m (5:09.00); Kade Peterson 3200m (10:53.60); 4x100m relay with Baird, Connor Rivera, Heith Adamson, Gonzalo Zarate (47:40); 4x200m with Rivera, Zarate, Adamson, Baird (1:37.70); medley with Scott Ellsworth, James Carlson, Brad Hunt, Allen Peck (4:04.40); 4x400m with Baird, Ellsworth, Hunt, Zarate (3:48.90).
2nds—Heith Adamson 200m (24.70); Cody Baird 300m intermediate hurdles (44.40); Allen Peck 800m (2:18.30); Kade Peterson 1600m (5:17.40); and Blake Whitby 3200m (10:56.00).
3rds—Heith Adamson 100m (12.20); Scott Ellsworth 400m (55.10); James Carlson 300m intermediates (40.59); and Allen Peck 3200m (11:16.10).
4ths—James Carlson 110m high hurdles (18.10); D.J. Simpson 300m intermediates (46.10); Dillon Simpson 1600m (5:22.70) and 3200m (11:20.80); and Brad Hunt long jump (17-4 ¾).
5ths—D.J. Simpson 110m high hurdles (18.30); Allen Peck 1600m (5:20.70); and Tyler Parke high jump (5-6).
6ths—Nathan Lichuk 110m high hurdles (20.90); and Tyler Parke 1600m (5:25.60).
GIRLS
Team standings: 1—Raft River 102 (57 sprints, 12 hurdles, 0 distances, 16 relays, 17 field). 2—Camas County 93 (14 sprints, 22 hurdles, 5 distances, 26 relays, 26 field). 3—Richfield 65. 4—Shoshone 60. 5—Carey 57 (4 sprints, 16 hurdles, 2 distances, 30 relays, 5 field). 6—Dietrich 44. 7—Castleford 37. 8—ISDB 17. 9—Hansen 14. 10—Bliss 4.
1st places—4x400m relay with Serene Bingham, Jessica Parke, Kelsey Green, Kayla Bailey (4:59.30).
2nds—Serene Bingham 100m high hurdles (19.87); and 4x100m with Shelby Hansen, Kayla Bailey, Jennifer Cenarrusa, Candace Hennefer (58.90).
3rds—Jennifer Cenarrusa 100m high hurdles (19.90); 4x200m with Shelby Hansen, Kayla Bailey, Candace Hennefer, Kelsey Green (2:06.20); medley with Shelby Hansen, Taylor Whitby, Candace Hennefer, Kayla Bailey (2.10:90).
4ths—Jessica Parke high jump (4-8).
5ths—Taylor Whitby 100m (14.20) and 200m (29.30); Brooke Bingham 100m high hurdles (20.80); and Kelsey Green 800m (2:58.70).
6ths—Kelsey Green long jump (13-2).
Kayla Bailey, Carey junior, strides powerfully to the tape on the anchor leg of the winning Panther 4x400m relay Wednesday, encouraged at right by teammates Jessica Parke and Serene Bingham. Photo by David N. Seelig
