Prep boys track and field: Price returns to track, takes state lead in fastest events

May 11—DISTRICT QUALIFIERS

(Out of 17 events)

Adna — 12

Onalaska — 12

Morton-White Pass — 10

Rainier — 10

Napavine — 9

Toledo — 9

Winlock — 5

KALAMA — Tyler Price needed a mental reset.

The Adna High School senior opted not to run track last spring due to a combo of the inability to stay healthy and times not being where he wanted.

"The previous four years of doing track, I would get injured every year and I couldn't run for two-to-three weeks," Price said. "I didn't want to go down that route again."

In his return for the Pirates, he's been a steady force in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Even with battling shin splints, he hasn't missed a beat.

Yet he took his speed to another level on Friday night.

Price set new lifetime bests in winning the 100 (11.14 seconds) and 200 (22.66) at the C2BL Championships at Chinook Stadium. Those victories plus more were vital in helping Adna win the team title with 118 points, edging past Onalaska (101).

"Came out and really performed well," Pirates head coach Todd Penman said.

Morton-White Pass finished fourth with 80.5 points, four clear of Rainier and Toledo was sixth with 73. Napavine (55) and Winlock (40) finished seventh and eighth, respectively.

When the season started, Price wasn't sure what his times would look like. He's hovered around the mid-to-high 11s in the 100 and the high 23s in the 200.

One of the aspects he improved on during his one-year hiatus was strength.

"That allowed me to have better form and control myself better," Price said. "

With temperatures in the 80s and no clouds in the sky, Price put on a sprinting clinic.

The 100 was competitive with six guys finishing within half-a-second of each other. Price's time is tied for the state lead with Uriah Marcille, a freshman from Brewster.

"Having all the people so close together, it helped me push as hard as I could," Price said. "I'm satisfied now."

He got a lead in the 200 out of Lane 3 immediately and didn't falter. He owns the Class 2B lead by .12 seconds entering the District 4 meet next week at W.F. West High School.

Price also ran a leg on Adna's winning 1,600-meter relay with Kolton Moon, Cohen Hartley and Jordan Stout.

"You lose a junior year like that, it is hard to say what they're going to be when they come back their senior year," Penman said. "Sometimes he doesn't work out quite as well as they hoped. Luckily for us and for him, it is working out really well."

Now, Price wants to see how much faster he can get and see where it potentially lands him on the state podium in two weeks in Yakima.

"Since we've tapered off, we've been taking it really easy and focusing on technique," he said.

Stout won the 800 and 1,600 for the Pirates as they will send athletes in 12 of the 17 events to districts next week.

Onalaska's Justice Miller swept the shot put and discus, uncorking a throw of 49-03.50 to set a new PR. He heaved the discus over 154 feet to comfortably win.

It was a struggle in the middle of the season for Miller. He felt he plateaued in his performances.

"It worried me because I thought I was done," Miller said. "(I thought) I couldn't be coached anymore, but then I PR'd today and I improved."

What kick started his day in the field events was seeing his parents. Then, he unleashed his best shot put throw of the season.

Miller also qualified for districts in the 100 and anchored the Loggers' 400 relay that will run next week.

"Them being there motivated me," Miller said. "My mom is very comforting."

Onalaska will be in 12 events for districts. Morton-White Pass (10) and Rainier (10) reached double digit district qualifiers while Napavine (nine), Toledo (nine) and Winlock (five) will be well-represented.

The Timberwolves' Clark Henderson took both hurdle events in new lifetime bests. He won the 110s in 15.63 seconds and the 300s in 40.88, both slotting him third in the state.

"I always run better in the heat," Henderson said. "The fulfillment of getting a lot better, which was my goal."

He is re-trying the 110 hurdles after doing it just once as a sophomore. He admitted he didn't like the event.

Still, head coach Scott Draper convinced Henderson to try it.

"He works relentlessly on his technique," Draper said. "I (saw) the potential last year. The way he was improving that form, he could do the 110s and be successful at it. He's put in the work and here we are."

It marked the second time in the last three meets Henderson has broken 16 seconds.

"It turned out really well," Henderson said. "My block starts have gotten better."

MWP picked up a victory from Tony Belgiorno in the long jump while Toledo's Jordan Mckenzie won the 400 and Treyton Marty triumphed in the 3,200.

Rainier's Zander Peck cruised in the javelin and its 400 relay won in 44.86 seconds. Napavine's Austin Lyons leaped over 41 feet for a new PR to win the triple jump and Winlock's Chase Trodahl finished top-five in all three distance races.