Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Another Hershey national title for K.T. Martinez

Repeat winner in the girls’ 13-14 softball throw

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Kaitana Martinez, daughter of Ron and Angie Martinez, is on top of the podium for the second straight year in Girls’ 13-14 softball throw, this time at Saturday’s Hershey North American finals in Pennsylvania.

Don't get into a softball throwing contest with 14-year-old Kaitana Martinez of Hailey, or you're bound to settle for second place.

Incoming Wood River High freshman Martinez is now a repeat winner of the Girls' 13-14 softball throw contest at the Hershey Track and Field North American Finals. The nationwide competition was held Saturday, Aug. 2 at Hershey, Pa.

Martinez threw the ball 178 feet and 11.5 inches to win by nearly two feet over Michaela Mestl, 13, of Kearney, Neb.

That was pretty even with K.T's winning 179 foot-6 inch throw last August, a victory by five feet. The Hershey national class record is 244 feet set in 1981 by Rachel Green of Manitowoc, Wisc.

A 4.0 student and Citizenship Award winner at Wood River Middle School, Martinez has won the Idaho State softball throw five times in the Hershey program. In middle school, she was a conference champion in triple jump, high jump, long jump and 100-meter hurdles.

Carey School's Micaela Adamson, 14, placed 11th in the Girls' 13-14 standing long jump Saturday at Henry Hershey Field with a jump of 7 feet, 3.5 inches. Recording the winning jump of 8-4 was Mollie Gribbin, 14, of Montpelier, Vt.

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Adamson was making her fourth trip to nationals, where over 500 of the best young track and field athletes in North America compete. She is the two-time Idaho state girls' 13-14 champ in long jump, winning this year's state title with a jump of 7-4.5 June 7 on the Hailey track. At nationals she improved upon her 7-1.75 jump of 2007 and 7-0 jump of 2006.

This was the 31st year Hershey's Track and Field Games has provided the opportunity for kids ages 9-14 to learn basic track skills.