Inexperienced Blackhawk boys battle in track and field arena
Last updated 4/25/2013 at 2:30pm
Despite being down in numbers, Cheney High boys track and field head coach Todd Hering said the 2013 Blackhawks have very good individual performers and a group of inexperienced athletes that are “knocking on the door” with some promise as the season develops.
The Blackhawks are led by seniors Calvin Berstler, Eric Igbinoba and Jesse Hallstrom. Berstler has been doing well in the 110 and 300 hurdles, posting the sixth and seventh fastest 2A state times this season. Igbinoba has been consistently over 42 feet in the triple jump, competing in the long jump as well, and should be near 44 by season’s end, Hering said.
Hallstrom has been running some good 800 times and hopefully will get sub-2 minutes soon. Junior Kyle Lerch has been doing well in the distance races, particularly the 3,200-meter, with freshman Samson Brown being a nice surprise in the sprints, coming on in the triple jump and showing a strong leg in the 4x100 relay.
In the field, senior Bradley Kinman has been throwing well in the javelin, as has Jordan Vivar in the discus and Brett Wyborney in the shot, with senior Joey Kowalski also showing improvement in the triple jump.
“We’re pretty spread out,” Hering said. “We have a lot of inexperience, first year guys, guys that sat out a year and decided to get back in. But they’re fighting hard. It’s a good group.”
Cheney’s Great Northern League dual meet record dropped to 1-2 with losses last Thursday to strong East Valley and Deer Park teams, 86-59 and 81-63. In a sign of Cheney’s growth, Hering said they set 47 personal records in the meet.
Berstler and Brown went 1-2 in the 100, with Igbinoba third in the 200 and Tom Trude second in the 400, Alex Maat fourth. Hallstrom was third in the 800 and Lerch second in the 3,200. Berstler edged Deer Park’s Jade Wilson to win the 110 hurdles, with the pair switching places in the 300 hurdles, Berstler just behind at 40.40. Sam Schreiber was fourth in both hurdle races, and Cheney’s 4x400 relay team was third.
In the field Igbinoba won the triple jump in 41-01 1/4, Kowalski third, Devon Waterman finished first in the shot put, Josh Baker fourth, and Kinman won the javelin, Baker fourth.
Saturday the boys competed in the 50th annual Mooberry Relays, finishing 14th out of 18 teams. Individually, Berstler captured the 300 hurdles crown in 40.59, placing third in the 110 hurdles while Igbinoba was fourth in the triple jump at 42-02, eighth in the long jump.
The 4x100 team of Marquis Diomede, Berstler, Brown and Igbinoba was fifth in 45.74.
Cheney continues GNL competition this Wednesday, traveling to Colville to face the Indians and West Valley, and then takes part in the multi-team Riverside Invitational Saturday.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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