Another Riner shows Tri-Cities crowd, rest of WA, this family knows how to throw a javelin
After taking a quick trip out of town, I wanted to get back to some final notes from last weekend’s 60th running of the Pasco Invitational track and field meet that are newsworthy.
Let’s start with Connell’s Kellen Riner, a junior, who finished second in the boys javelin throw at 171 feet, 11 inches.
The standout from the Class 1A up the road on 395 held his own among the many students from much larger schools. But the performance didn’t meet his own standards.
“To tell the truth, it’s just alright,” said Riner. “I’m a little mad, because I didn’t hit one throw.”
Riner said he threw really hard in a conference meet the Eagles had a few days before the Invite.
“I should have held back a bit. My rhythm didn’t feel right,” said Riner.
Still, Riner has improved greatly since a year ago. Last year at this time, he fired the javelin 157 feet. He’s now up to 178.
It doesn’t come as a surprise.
His brother Carson, who is two years older, won the state 1A javelin title last year.
His older sister, Ashton, is the defending women’s NCAA champion for BYU.
The Riners are the Mid-Columbia’s First Family of javelin throwing.
Their father, former Connell football coach Wayne Riner, said it’s good genes.
And maybe so. But Kellen said there is more to it than that.
“We lift weights,” said Kellen. “We put in the work, have a lot of practice. A lot of people don’t do that. We’ve got good coaches. I’ll be back next year (at the Pasco Invite), and I’ll be ready.”
Locals stand out in Pasco
Besides Chiawana’s Kade Smith, Wa-HI’s Jake Hisaw, and Richland’s Keegan Kuntz — who were mentioned in the main story a few days ago — there were other Mid-Columbia athletes who had strong performances at Saturday’s Pasco Invite.
Kennewick’s Jackson Burns snared a second-place finish in the boys 110 hurdles final with a 14.59 seconds run — a personal record.
“I’ve improved in the 110 hurdles about 2 seconds,” said Burns. “(Race winner Rusty Lee of Sandpoint) and I are friends. It was a good competition. I wanted to win, but it was still a good race.”
Burns also finished fifth in the 300 hurdles.
Southridge senior Lucien Cone finished third in the 200 meters, fourth in the 100, and was on the fourth-place 4x100 relay team.
Hanford’s Eduardo Tobon ran the 1600 and 3200 boys events, placing seventh in the 3200, and 15th in the 1600.
Morgan Thomas of Class 1B DeSales was a winner in the girls discus with a throw of 131 feet, 9 inches, and she finished sixth in the shot put.
Landry Allen of Hanford was the girls pole vault champion, clearing 11 feet, 8 inches for a personal record.
While Adelyn Mitchell and Aubrey Herrin helped the Kamiakin girls team to the girls team title, teammate Louisa Gledhill also helped provide some points.
She finished fourth in the 300 hurdles final, and sixth in the 100 hurdles final.
Cami Martin helped Walla Walla, scoring points in the triple jumper (fourth), the 4x100 relay (fifth), and the 4x400 relay (sixth).
Richland girls javelin thrower Baylee Wroble came away with a first-place finish, throwing the javelin 126 feet, 10 inches.
That was a PR for Wroble, and she hit it in her first throw in the finals.
“So far, I’m about 10 feet ahead of my PR from last year,” said Wroble. “I’m still working on my full approach.”
Wroble’s teammate, Alyssa Marsh, earned a victory in the girls 200 meters.
“I new this race was going to be close,” said Marsh.
Marsh also was part of the Bombers two third-place relay teams — the 4x100 and 4x400 squad.’
Prosser’s Kambree Blair had respectable finishes in both the girls triple jump (fifth) and long jump (sixth).
State spring playoffs
Baseball’s final four sites have all changed from last year. The 3A/4A has moved from Gesa Stadium in Pasco to Everett; 1A/2A moves from Yakima to Bellingham; and 1B/2B goes from Yakima to Ephrata.
The 1B/2B/1A state track and field meet changes from Cheney to Yakima.
Richland has added a state softball tournament. The 4A tourney, which has been in Spokane, now goes to Columbia Playfield. It joins the 1A state tournament, which has been in Richland for a while.
This isn’t a change, but the 4A state boys and girls tennis tournaments remain at Kamiakin High School and the Pacific Clinic (the old Tri-City Court Club).
Racing recap
Kyle Tellstrom of Meridian, Idaho, won the Northwest Super Late Model Series main event a couple weekends ago to highlight the 54th Annual Bonney’s Branson Tractors Apple Cup 125 at Tri-City Raceway in West Richland.
Wyatt King, also of Meridian, Idaho, finished second in the event; while BJ Tidrick, a long-time Yakima driver who now lives in Kennewick, finished third.
Highlights from the Badger Mountain Challenge from a few weeks back: Pasco’s Michaela Trinidad was the top female finisher in the 100-mile race, finishing in 18 hours, 57 minutes and 58 seconds
Richland’s Lisa Cabiles placed third in 22 hours, 25 minutes and 53 seconds.
Richland’s Jose Marcial was the highest-placing male in the 100-mile race, crossing the finish line fifth in 19 hours, 48 minutes and 31 seconds.
Richland’s Jesse Lang was the top male placer in the 50-mile race, finishing first overall in a time of 7 hours, 22 minutes and 58 seconds.
College signings
Richland’s Avery Williamson has signed to play baseball at Corban University.
Grace Casagrande, who starred at College Place, will play women’s basketball and volleyball at Walla Walla University.
Pasco senior Mireyah Lopez, who was the top scorer for the Bulldogs girls basketball team, signed a letter of intent to play women’s basketball for Walla Walla University.
Grandview’s Natalee Trevino will be playing for the Walla Walla University women’s basketball team this fall.
Cody Adams, a senior at Hermiston High School, has agreed to play for the Bushnell University men’s golf team.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
