RICHLAND — When it comes to handling the arduous task of competing in the 100-meter dash and triple jump at the same time, it all depends on Shene Davis\' mood.
On Saturday afternoon in the biggest meet of her season, the Selah junior couldn\'t stop smiling. Her mood on this day had her floating — almost literally — on air.
After winning the 100 convincingly in 12.60 seconds, Davis immediately hopped on the adjacent runway for the finals of the triple jump and flew to a huge career best of 38 feet, 13/4 inches — less than five inches off the Valley\'s all-time record — in the Class 3A regional track and field meet at Fran Rish Stadium.
The day was a feast for local girls seeking a trip to state, a prize earned by a top-three finish in the two-day meet that was beset with stormy weather Friday night followed by warm, breezy skies on Saturday.
West Valley\'s girls, who finished third with 106 points behind two Spokane teams, put on a show in the relays by winning the 4x200 and 4x400 back-to-back at the end of the meet. The Rams also dazzled with its youngest member, freshman Lisa Olander, who powered away for easy wins in the 800 and 1,600 and then sparked the 4x400 with a runaway third leg.
Ellensburg swept the hurdle races with sophomore Kayla Standish winning the 100 hurdles and senior Robyn Robblee capturing the 300 race.
It was, however, a special day for Davis, who was delighted enough to win her second regional title in the 100. But her big leap in the triple jump, which added over a foot to her school record, was a real surprise.
\"Sometimes I can do both at the same time, sometimes it messes me up. Today was awesome, just perfect,\" said Davis, who also anchored the Vikings to second place in the 4x200. \"I\'ve been adding a little bit to all three phases this season and today it all came together. My speed was good and I carried it all the way through.\"
Carrying speed, and all its varying gears, is no problem for Olander, a youngster who has yet to be seriously tested.
On a day when distance times were down because of the wind, Olander went about her business with ease, winning the 1,600 in 5:09.08 and the 800 in 2:18.11. Her previous best in the 1,600 was 5:11.1, which was also in the wind at Ellensburg last month.
\"I just told myself the other girls had to run into the wind, too,\" she said. \"It\'ll be nice to run that without the wind some time.\"
The Rams scored heavily in all 11 events on the track and their relays were stellar with times of 49.43 in Friday\'s 4x100 final, 1:46.16 in the 4x200 and 4:08.51 in the 4x400.
Robblee\'s regional meet started out on a downer Friday when she missed qualifying for state in the high jump, where she owns the best 3A mark in the state at 5-6. But she bounced back in a big way Saturday, advancing to state in the long jump with a career-best jump of 17-0, winning the 300 hurdles in 46.33 and helping the Bulldogs punch their state ticket in the 4x400 with a third-place finish.
\"I redeemed myself,\" she said. \"I just choked in the high jump, I guess. I had to run the (300) hurdles prelim and then we had the storm — I just didn\'t get my act together. But today was great, totally different. I felt so strong at the end of the hurdles.\"
Standish, too, overcame disappointment in the high jump. She handled the field in the 100 hurdles in 15.15, a time she was clocked three times this season, and she was third in the triple jump.
Sunnyside\'s girls finished fifth overall and second among Mid-Valley teams with 60 points. Senior Christy Linde placed second behind Standish and Robblee in the hurdles and she placed fourth in the triple jump.
Prosser junior Hilary Moore upped her school record in the pole vault to 11-6 while placing second.
The state qualifiers will reconvene in the Tri-Cities next Friday and Saturday at Pasco\'s Edgar Brown Stadium.
