A good omen for Overberg

In a high-powered track meet in Portland, Ore., in April, Chloe Overberg did a remarkable thing. She set a personal record for the 1,600 meters while running in a 3,200.

It’s an unofficial PR, of course, just a first-half split noted by her coach as Overberg ran to a fourth-place finish in the 3,200 at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays on April 29.

But it bodes well for her final state meet.

The Asotin senior and Idaho Vandal commit is heavily favored in the Class 2B girls 3,200 and is ranked a possibly misleading second in the 1,600 as the Washington small-school meet begins today at Eastern Washington University’s Roos Field in Cheney, Wash.

She’s looking for her first state track titles, having won the Class 2B cross country championship in November.

Five individual entries and two relays will represent Pullman in the large-school meet starting today at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

It would be an exaggeration to say Overberg has only one speed, but her 3,200 time in Portland, probably the best for an area girl, was a marvel of consistency. She ran the first 1,600 in 5:15, six seconds faster than her official season-best at that distance.

True, she’s run the 1,600 only three times this season, and the past two weeks she’s been under the weather. But she stands a good chance of shattering her PR of 5:13.4 in the final of the event today. As it stands, her qualifying time of 5:23.61 is second-best by 0.29 seconds behind St. George’s Josie McLaughlin.

“The 1,600 has been something that’s been a little frustrating for her,” Asotin distance coach Tim Gundy said, “and I think has been a little bit embarrassing, because she knows she’s quicker than that, and definitely wants to prove that.”

As for her 3,200 on Saturday, Overberg just needs to be healthy. Her top time is 55 seconds faster than anyone else’s.

Also for the Asotin girls, junior Haylee Appleford is ranked first in the shot put at 37 feet, 9 inches and third in the discus at 118-6.

In the Class 1B competition at the same site, Pomeroy senior Colton Slaybaugh has the best mark in the classification in the pole vault of 14-0, and he set an unofficial overall class record of 14-6. He placed second in 2019, and the next two state meets were canceled because of the pandemic.

If he claims the title, it will be Pomeroy’s eighth in that event in the past 10 years.

He’s also ranked third in the long jump, and teammates Sidney Bales and Braedon Fruh are rated third and fourth, respectively, in the pole vault.

For Garfield-Palouse in Class 1B, junior Kennedy Kirk is ranked first in the girls 400 at 59.25 and anchors a 1,600 relay that’s rated No. 1 and includes Lola Edwards, Laynie Southern and Jessica Olson.

Among Class 1B boys, Jaxson Orr of Gar-Pal is ranked first in the shot put and third in the discus, and teammate Kieran Snekvik rates third in the 800.

Area state qualifiers

CLASS 2A

Pullman

Girls – Nicole Avery, 100 hurdles, long jump; Anna Fitzgerald, 800; Jennabee Harris, 300 hurdles.

Boys – Liam Fitzgerald, 800; Cotton Sears, discus; 400 relay; 1,600 relay.

CLASS 2B

Asotin

Girls – Haylee Appleford, shot put, discus; Chloe Overberg, 1,600, 3,200.

Boys – Kamea Kauhi, high jump; Dane Neace, long jump, triple jump.

Colfax

Girls – Emma .Bryson, pole vault; Danielle Getz, discus; Jaisha Gibb, 300 hurdles; Destiny Nelson, 100 hurdles; 400 relay; 800 relay; 1,600 relay.

Boys – Zachary Cooper, 110 hurdles, pole vault; Jason Wick, 400.

CLASS 1B

Garfield-Palouse

Girls – Kennedy Cook, 200, 400; Lola Edwards, 1,600, 3,200; Ava Hemphill, shot put, discus; Samantha Snekvik, 1,600, 3,200; Laynie Southern, 800; 800 relay; 1,600 relay.

Boys – Jaxson Orr, shot put, discus; Brendan Snekvik, 800, 1,600, 3,200; Kieran Snekvik, 800, 1,600, 3,200; 400 relay.

Pomeroy

Girls – Raelin Borley, shot put, discus; Katie Boyer, pole vault; 400 relay; 1,600 relay.

Boys – Tyler Bagby, pole vault; Sidney Bales, 100, 200, pole vault; Braedon Fruh, pole vault; Colton Slaybaugh, 100, long jump, pole vault; Tyler Slaybaugh, 200, pole vault; Troy Steele, shot put, javelin; 400 relay; 1,600 relay.

Grummert may be contacted at daleg@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2290.