Spokane, WA - Due to all the snow and crazy weather Spokane County has dealt with the last couple of weeks, West Valley High School was finally able to host a dual track meet yesterday, March 27, versus Deer Park.
Deer Park's Libby Michael highlights the meet as she wins two races, including a 1,600 meter race that was a battle to the finish line versus West Valley's Annika Esvelt.
Michael had the advantage going into the 1,600 as Esvelt had already run a race, which she won the 3,200 meter in 12:12.38, and was already fatigued from running solo.
From the start, Michael wasn't alone as Esvelt was right with her the entire time and wouldn't slow down.
When Michael would start to surge away to increase her lead, Esvelt responded back, which gave us an exciting 100 meters on the final homestretch.
After a while of waiting for results, it was determined that Michael beat Esvelt by .1 tenths of a second as the Deer Park senior ran 5:37.1 and Esvelt ran 5:37.2.
An hour later, Michael won the 800 meter race with a come-from-behind run crossing the finish line in 2:33.92 after trailing the majority of the first lap and passing the leader with 300 meters to go.
Andrea Loos was second in the 800 and third in the 1,600 for the Stags. She ran 2:43.99 and a personal best time 5:48.9. Marion George and Jocelyn McCollough were second and third in the 3,200 running 12:50.06 and 12:59.23.
West Valley's Allie Andrews placed third in the 800 in a time of 2:43.99.
Andrews, along with Esvelt, ran on the winning 1,600 meter relay too for the Eagles.
On the boy's side, Giovanni Raskell won the 1,600 and 3,200 races for West Valley running 4:40.22 and 10:00.22.
Raskell, a 10th place finisher at the 2A cross country state championships last fall, ran a three second personal best in the 3,200.
Both of Raskell's races were ran very evenly. He came through his first 800 of the 1,600 in 2:19 and the second half was 2:21. In the 3,200, he ran back-to-back five minute miles.
Another top performer from West Valley was Kolby Green who was second in the 1,600 and 3,200 races in which he ran 4:47.79 and 10:17.84.
Both Green and Raskall were also legs on the 1,600 meter relay team that placed first.
Lain Hyde made his high school track and field debut running the 3,200 and placed third in 11:10.44 for the Eagles.
Deer Park's top boy was Grant Avila as he won the 800 race running 2:14.24 and placed third in the 1,600 running 4:56.45.
David Gertsch was third in the 800 with a personal best time of 2:29.68.
Deer Park will host the Glenn Wolf Memorial Invite this Friday and West Valley will host the Howard Dolphin Invite this Saturday.
For more results from this meet, visit: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/MeetResults.aspx?Meet=370423&show=all