Spartans prep for 23rd-annual Priest River Invitational
(Photo by KYLE CAJERO) Teagun Holycross (center) tries to gain separation in the Bonners Ferry Invitational’s 100 meters on March 24.
One month into the track season, five Priest River Spartans are in the top-three of their respective events in the Intermountain League, plus Teagun Holycross, Cameron Parkes and Colby Poe are amongst the state’s top 10 performers in the 3A ranks.
On the heels of a Junior Olympics-qualifying sophomore campaign, Holycross has been Priest River’s top all-around athlete so far.
The junior has run a personal best in the 100 meters (11.63), and is inching closer to mid-season form in the 300 hurdles.
Yet even while not running his best in the 300 meters so far, Holycross is third in the 3A ranks so far. State-wide, his 11.63 in the 100 hurdles is eighth — good enough for making the finals in the event if state was today.
Aside from Holycross, Colby Poe (50-3 in the shot put) is Priest River’s lone first-place athlete in the IML.
As it stands, Poe has thrown over seven feet further than the next nearest competitor, meaning he’ll finally get some competition at the 3A level if and when he makes state.
He is second in the state behind Fruitland sophomore Weston Jeffries, who threw a 52-10 on April 5.
Elsewhere, Alaina Guevarra ranks second in the IML in the pole vault (7-0); Cameron Parkes is second in both the triple (39-0-75) and the high jumps (5-10), plus third in the 3200 (10:57.10); and Noah Martinez is third in the 100 meter hurdles (17.49).
The aforementioned Poe is also second in the discus with a 141-10.
The Spartans will be back in action this Saturday for the Priest River Invitational. Currently, 15 schools are signed up to compete in the 23rd edition of the meet.
Field events will start at 10 a.m., then the rest of the meet will run on a rolling schedule.