Senior sprinter/hurdler Delaney Fox had an off-the-charts performance during last week's Great Basin Conference prep track and field meet. She won three events, and nearly four.
Three times a regional gold medalist, Fox will lead nine Wood River High School girls and boys into the 92nd annual State High School Track and Field Championships Thursday and Friday in Boise.
Sparked by a powerful winning effort in the 100-meter high hurdles, Fox amassed 38 of a possible 40 points in her four events at the seven-school GBC track meet staged at Minico High School in Rupert.
Fox won the high hurdles by a wide 1.50-second margin in 15.20 seconds at Rupert and will carry the second-best qualifying time into the State 4A track meet Thursday.
The lanky Wood River senior had a couple of terrific races with Minico freshman Marlee Chandler—winning one and losing one. In the 100m dash, Fox (12.60) nipped Chandler in a photo finish. In the 200m, Chandler (26.30) got Fox (26.60) at the line.
Fox also won the 300m intermediate hurdles and will take the fifth-best qualifying time to state. In the 100m dash, Fox is tied for the fourth-best qualifying time going to state.
Besides Fox's three gold medals at the state-qualifying GBC meet, Wood River boasted two other district champions—senior Dale McLaughlin in the pole vault (13-2, 2nd-best jump going to state) and freshman Kaitana Martinez in the high jump (5-0, 2nd best state jump).
Martinez, who also placed second in triple jump, will carry Wood River's high jump banner to Bronco Stadium 25 years after Hailey's Lisa Bernhagen set Idaho's overall girls' high jump mark of 6-1. The Bernhagen record still stands.
Another Wolverine silver medalist was senior Rob Paris in long jump (20-8). Third place in discus went to freshman Cheyenne Swanson (97-3). Fourth-place winners were junior Grace Lagodich (100m high hurdles) and freshman Lucy Paisley (400m dash).
Meanwhile, the distance running tandem of junior Chase Caulkins and sophomore James Paris placed 4-5 in both the 3200m and 1600m runs.
The Wood River girls collected 25 points sprints, 25 hurdles and 25 field to finish the seven-school meet with 75 points, good for fifth place. The Jerome girls (6 golds) captured first place with 202 points topped by 84 in the field events.
Pocatello's boys (6 golds) edged Jerome 142.5 to 137 for the Great Basin Conference boys' title Thursday in a tight race between the top four schools. Wood River (46) had 18 points in distances and field.
Next: The State 4A track and field meet at Boise State University's Bronco Stadium starting Thursday, May 14 with field events at 3 p.m. and running preliminaries at 5:15 p.m. Friday's 5A and 4A final running events are Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Here are the team standings and Wolverine placings from last week's Great Basin Conference meet:
Girls results
Teams: 1—Jerome 202 (27 sprints, 15 hurdles, 42 distances, 84 field, 34 relays). 2—Preston 129. 3—Minico of Rupert 111. 4—Pocatello 78.
5—Wood River 75 (25 sprints, 25 hurdles, 0 distances, 25 field, 0 relays). 6—Century of Pocatello 40. 7—Burley 33.
<
100m: 1—Delaney Fox 12.60. 7—Kaitana Martinez 13.30. 200m: 1—Marlee Chandler (Minico) 26.30. 2—Delaney Fox 26.60. 400m: 4—Lucy Paisley 1:04.70.
100m high hurdles: 1—Delaney Fox 15.20. 4—Grace Lagodich 17.80. 300m intermediate hurdles: 1—Delaney Fox 48.40.
High jump: 1—Kaitana Martinez 5-0. Triple jump: 2—Kaitana Martinez 33-9.50.
Shotput: 8—Cheyenne Swanson 29-3.25. Discus: 3—Cheyenne Swanson 97-3.
Boys results
Teams: 1—Pocatello 142.5 points (38 sprints, 11 hurdles, 19 distances, 40.5 field, 34 relays). 2—Jerome 137. 3—Preston 131. 4—Minico 126.5. 5—Century 54. 6—Burley 52. 7—Wood River 46 (0 sprints, 0 hurdles, 18 distances, 18 field, 10 relays).
1600m: 4—Chase Caulkins 4:44.20. 5—James Paris 4:45.00. 3200m: 4—Chase Caulkins 10:29.20. 5—James Paris 10:31.90.
Pole vault: 1—Dale McLaughlin 13-2. Long jump: 2—Rob Paris 20-8.
4x200m relay: 6—Wood River (Nolan Arters, Ben Broderick, Josh Arters, Sean Bunce) 1:46.40.
Medley relay: 6—Wood River (Dale McLaughlin, James Paris, Ben Stout, Aubrey Tribble) 3:59.40. 4x400m relay: 5—Wood River (Chase Caulkins, James Paris, Ben Stout, Dale McLaughlin) 3:52.20.
WRHS state track qualifiers
From Wood River High School
Boys (4 boys in 4 events)
Dale McLaughlin (senior) pole vault
Rob Paris (senior) long jump
Chase Caulkins (junior) 3200m run, 1600m run
James Paris (sophomore) 3200m run, 1600m run
Girls (5 girls in 8 events)
Delaney Fox (senior) 100m high hurdles, 100m dash, 200m dash, 300m intermediate hurdles
Grace Lagodich (junior) 100m high hurdles
Kaitana Martinez (freshman) high jump, triple jump
Lucy Paisley (freshman) 400m dash
Cheyenne Swanson (freshman) discus
Wood River High School senior Delaney Fox, shown here winning the 100-meter high hurdles during the April 28 Bob Shay Memorial meet in Hailey, will lead the Wolverines into the State 4A track meet starting Thursday, May 14 at Boise’s Bronco Stadium.
Photo by David N. Seelig
