Warriors cut Dimond at Pro/Whit

WASILLA — It was the Morgan Dampier show Saturday under The Dome in Anchorage.

The Wasilla junior dominated the middle distances and showed versatile athleticism en route to being named Most Outstanding Female Athlete at the Pro/Whit Indoor Championships, an invitational meet featuring the top high school track teams in Alaska last year.

The meet was also a break-out performance for the Wasilla girls team, which out-pointed perennial state champion Dimond, 76 to 75.5.

“I think we look pretty good,” said a pleased Wasilla head coach Gary Howell after the meet. “It’s going to be really tough at the top of the state this year. It can go anybody’s way. It’s going to come down to the dilution factor. You want the teams that aren’t really deep to do really well individually and score (points). We don’t have a lot of depth, so the athletes we have, when they score they usually win their events.”

And Dampier led the way during the two-day meet. She won the 400 meters, breaking the minute mark with a time of 59.99, and dominated in her best event, the 800. With a time of 2:20.33, she finished more than 5.5 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Added to her wins was a third-place finish in the100 meters and a fourth place in the long jump — an event she had never competed in before, Howell said.

“We just stuck her in there to fill a hole,” he said. “She’s really good at just about everything she does. We just got to look at where she can score the best for us at state. We put her in the triple jump a couple weeks ago and she won it.”

Although it seems Dampier has some hops, her jumping days might be over, Howell said.

“We won’t continue to jump her,” he said. “We want to make sure she stays healthy and focused on her prime events, which are the 800 and 400.”

Along with Dampier, sophomore Dajanae Harris also scored well for the Warrior girls with a third-place finish in the 200. She’s the only girl in the state this year to break the 13-second mark in the 100, and for the first time this season she didn’t win her specialty event. Harris placed second to Alisha Allen of Lathrop by .02 seconds in a near photo finish.

The close loss could be a motivator for a sprinter with loads of untapped potential, Howell said.

“That’s the first time she’s lost this year, and I don’t think she’ll take that very well,” he said. “There’s a lot of room for her to get faster, too. She’s the only one to run sub-13 seconds this year, and if she works hard, there’s nobody who can run with her.”

While it’s still early in the season, the win is significant for Wasilla, the coach said. By topping Dimond, which has won the last four state championships, the Warriors know they can compete with the best in the state.

“I think it’s huge for our confidence,” he said, adding that it’s no accident. “A lot of our girls’ team is composed of our state champion cross country team and our state basketball team. They feed on big wins and coming back from that. Our kids are definitely relaxed and composed at the starting line. Once they win something big, they just get a different swagger in their step.”

It also might be a preview of the state meet, Howell said.

“I think it’ll be between Dimond and us on the girls side,” he said.

The most improvement that can be made between now and then is on the coaching side.

“First, we have to make sure we get our kids in the right events with the best chance to succeed in those events,” he said. “And we have to decide that pretty much now, so it’s time to stop jumping Morgan in the triple and long jump.”

Although the Warrior boys came up with only nine team points, Howell was pleased with many efforts, especially thrower Devon Teeling, who continues to only tap his full potential in the shot put.

Teeling placed second at the Pro/Whit, but his heave of 44 feet, 10.75 inches this early in the season was already 4 inches more than his previous personal best. And he can throw much farther, the coach said. He placed second to Chavous Levao of Bartlett, who won going away with a throw of 47-4.75.

“I think he’s a 50-footer,” Howell said. “He has the potential to be really strong and explosive. He (set a personal best) this week and this is only his second time throwing this year. He’s definitely one who can be in the mix. I don’t know if he can beat the big boy from Bartlett, but he can definitely make him throw honest.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

Pro/Whit Indoor

Championships

Friday and Saturday, The Sports Dome, Anchorage

“The Pan” overall winner

Dimond High School 150.5

Most Outstanding Female Athlete

Morgan Dampier, Wasilla

Most Outstanding Male Athlete

Silas Talbot, Service

Girls

Girls Team Scores

1. Wasilla 76, 2. Dimond 75.5, 3. South 46, 4. Lathrop 45, 5. Bartlett 40, 6. West Valley 38.5, 7. Service 36.5, 8. Kodiak 33, 9. West 30, 10. East 26, 11. Chugiak 20.5, 12. Grace Christian 14, 13. Juneau-Douglas 11, 14. Anchorage Christian 10, 15. Eagle River 5, Seward 0.

3,200 meters

1. Bethea, Kodiak 11:11.5; 2. Northey, Service 11:18.0; 3. Trujillo, Grace Christian 11:46.0; 4. Vania, South 11:46.5; 5. Vanoshek, South 11:54.3; 6. Burroughs, Wasilla 11:55.0; 11. Ford, Wasilla 12:20.0.

Shot put

1. Tufi, West 34-4.5; 2. Swanson, West Valley 33-7.5; 3. Dunbar, East 33-0; 4. Imoe, Wasilla 32-7.5; 5. Tuisaula, Wasilla 29-3.5; 18. Ferguson, Wasilla 22-10.5.

High jump

1. Kueter, Bartlett 5-2; 2. Mattson, West Valley 4-10; 3. Quinlan, Anchorage Christian 4-8; 4. Zakurdaew, South 4-8; 5. Warners, Eagle River 4-8; 11. Marman, Wasilla 4-2.

Long jump

1. Todd, Dimond 16-4.75; 2. Collins, Chugiak 15-9.25; 3. Allen, Lathrop 15-8; 4. Dampier, Wasilla 15-0.75; 5. Bennett, Anchorage Christian 15-0.5; 15. Harris, Wasilla 13-7; 19. Bohn, Wasilla 12-11.

100

1. Allen, Lathrop 13.01; 2. Harris, Wasilla 13.03; 3. Dampier, Wasilla 13.11; 4. Souders, Service 13.3; 5. Ferguson, Service 13.48; 14. Schleich, Wasilla 13.92.

200

1. Allen, Lathrop 26.72; 2. Todd, Dimond 26.82; 3. Harris, Wasilla 27.05; 4. Ferguson, Service 27.38; 5. Hoskins, East 27.67; 34. Marman, Wasilla 32.03.

400

1. Dampier, Wasilla 59.99; 2. Todd, Dimond 1:00.41; 3. Angell, Lathrop 1:01.42; 4. Reagle, East 1:01.76; 5. Mattson, West Valley 1:02.5; 23. Young, Wasilla 1:08.8.

800

1. Dampier, Wasilla 2:20.33; 2. Bethea, Kodiak 2:25.9; 3. Roelle, West 2:26.65; 4. Northey, Service 2:27.37; 5. Freistone, Dimond 2:28.2; 9. Pahkala, Wasilla 2:30.74; 17. Ringgenberg, Wasilla 2:35.89.

1,600

1. Bethea, Kodiak 5:21.08; 2. Hartke, Chugiak 5:28.99; 3. Roelle, West 5:29.01; 4. Yanoshek, South 5:29.52; 5. Freistone, Dimond 5:30.34; 6. Pahkala, Wasilla 5:31.56; 7. Burrroughs, Wasilla 5:31.76; 30. Wright, Wasilla 6:15.75.

100 hurdles

1. Smith, Bartlett 15.81; 2. Bohn, Wasilla 16.7; 3. Sharp, Juneau-Douglas 17.02; 4. Bassler, South 17.28; Oliver, Kodiak 17.31.

300 hurdles

1. Smith, Bartlett 48.56; 2. Rust, Dimond 49.56; 3. Kueter, Bartlett 49.59; 4. Bassler, South 50.23; 5. Vaitohi, Dimond 50.25; 9. Bohn, Wasilla 51.28; 25. Fichtner, Wasilla 55.52.

400 relay

1. West Valley 52.36; 2. Dimond 52.36; 3. East 52.38; 4. Service 52.48; 5. Bartlett 53.45; 7. Wasilla 54.73.

1,600 relay

1. Dimond 4:16.99; 2. South 4:23.76; 3. Lathrop 4:25.42; 4. Grace Christian 4:26.57; 5. Wasilla 4:31.49.

Boys

Boys Team Scores

1. Dimond 75, 2. Bartlett 61, 3. Service 60, 4. South 53, 5. West Valley 52, 6. Lathrop 42, 7. Kodiak 31.5, 8. Eagle River 29.5, 9. West 29, 10. Chugiak 16.5, 11. East 14.5, 12. Grace Christian and Anchorage Christian 14, 14. Wasilla 9; 15. Juneau-Douglas 1, 16. Seward.

3,200 meters

1. Talbot, Service 9:20.6; 2. Brewster, South 9:46.5; 3. Deer, Kodiak 9:59.9; 4. Huffman, South 10:06.8; 5. Farr, East 10:09.3; 13. Ripley 10:40.1; 16. Pahkala, Wasilla 10:53.1.

Shot put

1. Levao, Bartlett 47-4.75; 2. Teeling, Wasilla 44-10.75; 3. Cox, Bartlett 43-7.25; 4. Tulimasealli, West 43-3.75; 5. Hueners, Dimond 41-7; 20. Richardson, Wasilla 32-7.

High jump

1. Hassenbroek, West Valley 6-2; 2. Vealy, West Valley 6-0; 3. Brown, West 5-8; 4. Robinson, Service 5-8; 5. Rasmussen, Service 5-8.

Long jump

1. Vealy, West Valley 21-1.75; 2. Barnett, Lathrop 20-7; 3. Keith, Chugiak 19-10.25; 4. Tate, Lathrop 19-5; 5. Wheeler, West 18-11.5; 23. Thompson, Wasilla 15-7; 31. Pahkala, Wasilla 14-5.75.

100

1. Gray, Dimond 11.59; 2. Vealy West Valley 11.60; 3. Garrett-Queen, West 11.65; 4. Prince, Chugiak 11.69; 5. Summers, Eagle River 11.71; 26. Tracy, Wasilla 12.59; 36. Lessard, Wasilla 12.93.

200

1. Brunson, Bartlett 22.44; 2. Jack-Nixon, Dimond 22.56; 3. Bauer, South 22.89; 4. Gray, Dimond 23.21; 5. Prince, Chugiak 23.56; 23. Tracy, Wasilla 25.33.

400

1. Brunson, Bartlett 49.67; 2. Jack-Nixon, Dimond 49.93; 3. Owolabi, Eagle River 50.97; 4. McFarlin, Kodiak 52.60; 5. Wheeler, West 53.20; 15. Johnston, Wasilla 54.76; 26. Hecker, Wasilla 58.82; 30. Frick, Wasilla 59.83.

800

1. Lane, Service 1:58.77; 2. Klein, Grace Christian 2;01.49; 3. Hanson, Lathrop 2;03.28; 4. Chase, Seward 2;03.92; 5. Mockta, Service 2:07.29; 18. Thompson, Wasilla 2:11.51.

1,600

1. Talbot, Service 4:19.44; 2. Hanson, Lathrop 4:27.9; 3. Deer, Kodiak 4:29.86; 4. Brewster, South 4:30.77; 5. Grzeda, West Valley 4:35.64; 18. Ripley, Wasilla 4:53.26; 19. Pahkala, Wasilla 4:54.28; 38. Grice, Wasilla 5:32.5.

110 hurdles

1. Bauer, South 15.12; 2. Corr, Dimond 16.39; 3. Predmore, Bartlett 16.78; 4. McKoy, Anchorage Christian 17.04; 5. Esplin, Sough 17.19.

300 hurdles

1. Bauer, South 41.0; 2. Talbot, Service 41.71; 3. Corr, Dimond 42.91; 4. Predmore, Bartlett 42.97; 5. Hassebroek, West Valley 43.19.

400 relay

1. Dimond 45.0; 2. Lathrop 45.5; 3. East 45.53; 4. West Valley 45.97; 5. Eagle River 46.34; 13. Wasilla 50.46.

1,600 relay

1. Dimond 3:34.49; 2. Kodiak 3:35.64; 3. Eagle River 3:39.4; 4. Service 3:40.43; 5. Bartlett 3:42.58; 8. Wasilla 3:48.49.