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ST. MARIES – The Priest River Spartans track and field team qualified a dozen athletes for the state Track and Field Championships, including a first-place finish by high jumper Kylee Swoboda.
“The coaching staff is extremely proud of how all the athletes competed in St. Maries on Friday and Saturday,” Spartan head coach Jared Hughes says. “(Twelve) athletes in 19 different events punched their tickets to the 2024 State Track and Field Championships in Middleton High School next week.”
In addition to winning the high jump with a 5-foot jump, Swoboda also ran on the girls first place 4X200 meter relay team, along with Haley Braae, Ashlyn Korff and Jasmine Stark. In the relays, only the first place teams move on.
Brae also qualified in the 100-meter race, taking third place.
Stark also qualified in the pole vault, finishing second with an 8-feet, 2-inch vault, beating a 25-year-old school record set by her aunt, Emmy.
Marley Burgess-Duquette also qualified in the pole vault, finishing third with a 7-foot vault.
Lizzy McCracken qualified in two events, in the 800-meter and 1,600 meter races. She took second in the 800-meters and third in the 1,600 meters.
Chase Smith also qualified in two events, triple jump and long jump, finishing third in both events.
On the boys side, Carter Korff qualified in three events, the long jump, the triple jump and the 100 meter race. He won second in the long jump and third in both the triple jump and the 100 meters.
Brayden Lamanna qualified in two events, the 3,200-meter and 1,600-meter races, winning second in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200.
“Junior Brayden Lamanna ran an incredible PR in the 1600, of 4:42.81 to jump 10 spots to the 7th best time in school history,” Hughes says.
Ian Lamanna qualified in the pole vault, taking second.
Niki Porinchok is a two-event qualifier, in the high jump and discus. He won third in both events.
The state championships will take place May 17-18 in Middleton, located northeast of Caldwell.
