Over at Preston last Wednesday and Thursday, it was a productive Great Basin Conference track and field meet for Wood River High seniors Corbin Miniard and Micah Floyd along with Wolverine sophomore Delaney Fox.
Miniard won his first conference shotput title with a toss of 51 feet and 4.5 inches, over four feet farther than the next-best thrower. He was Wood River's best state track finisher last May, tying for third place in the shot with a 51-2.5 throw.
And Miniard didn't miss by much in the conference discus event, placing a close second to the winner with a throw of 134 feet and 8 inches. The big senior will be making his fourth state trip for Wood River.
Fox, a sprinter at state track in 2006, ran away with the 300-meter intermediate hurdles conference championship by 1.31 seconds en route to qualifying in four events for the 90th annual Idaho High School Track and Field Championships Thursday through Saturday in Boise.
Also a state qualifier this year in the 100m dash, 200m dash and 100m high hurdles, Fox accounted for 27 of Wood River's 43 girls' points during the seven-school Great Basin Conference meet at Preston.
Fox finished second in a high hurdles photo finish with winner Elena Riggenbach of Jerome. Delaney placed fourth in the 100m dash and fifth in the 200m sprint.
Meanwhile, Floyd ripped up the Preston hurdles courses with a third place in 110m high hurdles and a fourth in 300m intermediates. Floyd will be making his third trip to the state track and field meet.
Wolverine track coaches J.C. Nemecek and Jeannie Bradshaw were also pleased that three other athletes made it to state—senior Taylor Sundali and sophomore Julia Bowman in the 3200m distance runs, and Ashley Rendahl in the 800m and 1600m runs. Rendahl placed a strong third in the conference 800m test.
Nemecek said, "We had eight personal records and 43 points from just six girls. We were especially pleased with their team spirit and support."
Boise State University's Bronco Stadium will once again host the May 17-19 state track and field meet. Fans will have to sit on the east side of the stadium because of the construction of a new press box on the west side of the stadium.
State 4A 3200m runs begin Thursday at 4 p.m., with the 4A running prelims starting right after at 5:15 p.m. Boys' discus and shotput events are Thursday at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively. 4A running finals start Friday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m.
Based on state seedings, Miniard (5th best shotput qualifying throw, 7th best discus) and Fox (3rd best intermediate hurdles) have the best Wolverine chances of placing.
Wood River boys and girls will be trying to improve over the 2006 state meet, when they compiled only 12.5 points. Defending 4A team champs are Moscow (66 points last year) for girls and Bishop Kelly of Boise (74) for the boys.
Here are team standings and Wood River placers and finishers from the Great Basin meet:
Great Basin Conference girls
Team totals: 1—Jerome 195 points (30 sprints, 28 hurdles, 33 distances, 78 field, 26 relays). 2—Preston 113. 3—Minico 102. 4—Pocatello 98. 5—Century 54. 6—Burley 44. 7—Wood River 43 (9 sprints, 18 hurdles, 16 distances, 0 field, 0 relays).
Wood River placings (top five individuals to state):
100m: 4—Delaney Fox 13.48 (PR 12.6 in prelims). 200m: 5—Delaney Fox 27.54 (PR 26.6 in prelims).
100m high hurdles: 2—Delaney Fox 16.88 (PR 16.8 in prelims). 300m intermediate hurdles: 1—Delaney Fox 48.05 (PR).
800m: 3—Ashley Rendahl 2:41.95 (PR). 1600m: 6—Ashley Rendahl 6:10.45. 3200m: 4—Julia Bowman 12:42.27. 7—Ashley Rendahl 13:22.20.
Shotput: Bailey Ireland 27-9 (PR).
Great Basin Conference boys
Team totals: 1—Pocatello 146 points (29 sprints, 17 hurdles, 9 distances, 59 field, 32 relays). 2—Preston 140. 3—Jerome 125.5. 4—Century 98. 5—Minico 88.5. 6—Wood River 37 (0 sprints, 11 hurdles, 6 distances, 20 field, 0 relays). 7—Burley 34.
Wood River placings (top five individuals to state):
100m high hurdles: 3—Micah Floyd 16.48. 300m intermediate hurdles: 4—Micah Floyd (WR) 42.21.
800m: 8—Greg LeBlanc (WR) 2:12.08. 1600m: 8—Taylor Sundali 4:53.07. 3200m: 5—Taylor Sundali 10:26.29.
Discus: 2—Corbin Miniard 134-8. Shotput: 1—Corbin Miniard 51-4.5. Pole vault: 7—Dale McLaughlin (WR) 11-6.
WRHS state track qualifiers
Boys
Micah Floyd (senior) 110m high hurdles, 300m intermediate hurdles
Corbin Miniard (senior) shotput, discus
Taylor Sundali (senior) 3200m
Girls
Delaney Fox (sophomore) 100m dash, 200m dash, 100m high hurdles, 300m intermediate hurdles
Ashley Rendahl (senior) 800m run, 1600m run
Julia Bowman (sophomore) 3200m run
