Lady Pirates have three state track champs

The Lady Pirates had a good showing at last week's state track meet, with three girls taking home state titles, while the boys had one placer and several sixth-place finishes to round out the season.

Kara Walker took first place in the shot put, Danielle Rowe took first in the high jump, and Karelia Mowbray took first in the pole vault. On the boys side, Mac Gordon took second in the discus, while Andy Nelson finished sixth in the 110 hurdles, Isaiah Thomas took sixth in the javelin and Kevin Owen took sixth in the pole vault.

"If we can't get a championship, then we don't want it. At least, that's what it looks like," girls head coach Bruce Thomas said with a laugh, refering to the team's "all or nothing" performances.

Brittany Gardner finished seventh in the discus — one spot away from placing. Tana Bull finished seventh in the 400, and the long relay team came .18 of a second away from placing.

But the big news was Walker, Rowe and Mowbray. Walker's first throw went 38'5, and then her second throw hit over 40 feet.

"She just skipped 39 feet all together and went right to 40, which she hadn't done all year. That kind of deflated the other competitors right there," Thomas said.

Rowe was perfect in the high jump through 5'2, and then nicked the bar with her heel at 5'3, Thomas said, but so did the other jumpers, earning Rowe a state title at 5'2 — a career best.

Mowbray, too, was on fire, taking the state title with a vault of 10'9 — not bad for a first-year pole vaulter.

"She vaulted like she'd been doing it for four years. That was really quite an accomplishment," Thomas said.

"By the time I got there I was so excited. The weather was perfect for my jump. I missed my first attempt at 9'6, and that scared me," Mowbray said. "But everything came together."

Mowbray said she struggled earlier in the season with a different pole, but found one she liked, which changed her outlook on the season. Walker and Rowe had similar comments.

"I was calm and relaxed and mentally on. I almost got it (at 5'3), but when I got off the mat the bar fell," Rowe said. "But that (5'2) tied my personal record."

"I just kept working on my technique and it finally worked. I just had a great day," Walker said. "There was a lol of supporters there rooting for me. I was really surprised when my mom and dad showed up."

The Lady Pirates will have a host of good talent, including Rowe and Walker, returning next year, Thomas said.

"We're looking very good for next year. We have a good crop of underclassmen this year," he said.

On the boys side, the team will lose some key seniors, including Owen, Grant Casey, Brandon Couture, Jon Gallatin, Gordon, Warren Hansen, Justan Kinsel, Terry Lundeen, Olin McCrumb, and Thomas.