Mead boys, Mt. Spokane girls place first at GSL track and field championships | Notebook

"I'm probably 80%," Alexander said.

GSL athletes compete in the district-qualifying subdistrict meet next week and then head to the District 6 meet at Central Valley in two weeks. State is May 28-30 at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

Alexander had built-in motivation for this season.

"I was a little (upset) because I should have won the 400 (at state) last year," Alexander said. "But I'm here now and I'm just grateful for it."

Mt. Spokane's Gardner, a state champ in the 200 and 400 and a member of the state champion 4x400 relay a year ago, never could recover from a soft tissue injury involving edema. Her absence had a trickle-down effect on the Wildcats.

But somehow Mt. Spokane found a way to eke out a league title. Leading the way was senior Jane Wycoff, a double winner in the 800 (2:14.95) and 1,600 (5:10.99), sophomore Eva Kalabova in the 3,200 (11:18.27), sophomore Kara Ritter in the 400 (57.37) and sophomore Brooklyn Keltz in the discus (113-5).

"This win is a huge deal for the team because it truly took the girls working together to win," Mt. Spokane coach Annette Helling said. "Not only did we not have Laine Gardner, we also were missing Kayli Eastham and Hannah Rash. The girls knew that every point mattered and we celebrated eighth places like they were first places."

Wycoff hopes to qualify for state in the 800 and 1,600 and may add the 3,200 to her possible four events.

"I wasn't sure how I would do (Tuesday) because I was feeling tired," said Wycoff, who has signed to run cross country and track at NCAA Division II Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio, where she plans to study nursing. "God gave me the strength (Tuesday). I just wanted to get points for my team."

Lewis and Clark sophomore Charlotte Dix was a double winner in the 100 (12.45) and 200 (25.91), and Ridgeline senior Kali Rothrock was a double winner in the long (17-6 3/4 ) and triple (35-1 3/4 ) jumps.

Rick Riley record revisited

The induction of former Ferris long-distance ace Rick Riley, 79, into the Pasco Invite Hall of Fame deserves an addendum.

Riley, who set the 2-mile record that still stands today, doesn't own the fastest 3,200 time run at the home of the meet, Edgar Brown Stadium. That honor belongs to former North Central standout Tanner Anderson.

Back when the 4A Regional state-qualifying meet was held at Edgar Brown Stadium in 2014, Anderson, then a junior, clocked 8:56.80.

Anderson went on to run at the University of Oregon and Washington. He's now an assistant coach at Missouri.

"He's a great young man," NC coach Mark Vandine said about Anderson. "He still stops by to visit my wife and I when he comes home. My wife gives him grief if he doesn't visit when in town."

Vandine believes Riley's record would be lower if he were running today.

"Both his time and Tanner's time are fantastic," Vandine said. "Rick was simply amazing. Can't imagine what he would do today with modern training and equipment."

Newport boys, Davenport girls take home 2B hardware

The 2B League championship meet was held Tuesday at Newport.

Newport's boys won with 104 points, Saint George's was second with 81 and Chewelah third with 80.

In the girls, Davenport won with 104.5 points, Freeman was second (98) and Northwest Christian (89) was third.

Lucas Croswhite led Newport's boys with wins in the 110 hurdles (14.53), pole vault (15-0) and long jump (19-8).

Glenna Soliday led Davenport's girls with wins in the 200 (26.74), 100 hurdles (16.23) and 300 hurdles (47.90).