STATE 5A/4A TRACK AND FIELD MEET: Leonard, Skalskiy gobble up titles

BOISE — Grady Leonard’s shot put competition was going superbly before the skies opened up and drenched the surface at Dona Larsen Park.

The downpour caused a delay of nearly 45 minutes on Friday but it didn’t knock the Coeur d’Alene High junior off his game.

Leonard entered the break with a comfortable edge and continued to thrive after resumption of the festivities at the state 5A and 4A track and field meets. Leonard won the 5A boys shot put with a personal-best throw of 60 feet, 7 1/4 inches as one of two state champions from the Coeur d’Alene area.

Lakeland sophomore Whitnee Skalskiy also won a state title, winning the 4A girls triple jump with a leap of 37-0 1/4.

“It felt good,” Skalskiy said of her winning performance. “I popped a good one at the beginning.”

Leonard can relate. He seized control of the shot put with his first toss — the one that held up as the winning throw as he outperformed second-place Luke Leonning (58-11) of Eagle.

“It was nice to get the big throw out of the way in the beginning,” Leonard said. “That way, you put a little bit of pressure on the other guys. Not that you want to mess them up, but it kind of does.”

Leonard’s big effort came in front of the watchful eye of his sister and coach, Kristine Rothwell, the 2008 4A girls shot put state champion at Lakeland High when she was known as Kristine Leonard.

The second-year Coeur d’Alene throws coach was pleased — and relieved — to see everything come together.

“It was something that, I think, he could have hit that mark earlier in the season,” Rothwell said. “It’s a little frustrating as a coach to watch a kid struggle with things technically when you know they can do it.

“It is a big relief. It’s one of those things that you know they can do it and now they finally did it and this is the best place he could have done it. That was really cool.”

First-year Vikings coach Justin Aguilar sees a state record in Leonard’s future — the current mark is 64-9 by Minico’s Josh Barclay in 2014 — as long as he maintains his focus next season.

“The kid is stone cold,” Aguilar said. “When you look in his eyes, you can tell he’s all business. Nothing is going to distract him from that.

“I knew looking at him today that something special was going to happen.”

Leonard competes in the discus on Saturday and then something special awaits his belly. The shot put state title means Aguilar owes him a steak dinner at Wolf Lodge Inn.

“It is kind of bittersweet,” Aguilar said, laughing. “He won his title but I owe the kid a dinner.”

There was no mention of a meal in Skalskiy’s immediate future but the main mantra she and Lakeland throws coach Jacob Munyer use as motivation is “stay hungry.”

Skalskiy has quickly shown an appetite for the triple jump as she began performing in the event as a freshman.

In fact, she finished 14th in the event at last season’s state meet. So the quick rise to winner has been astounding.

“It feels good,” Skalskiy said. “I think it has to do with a lot of the support I’ve had and good coaching, obviously.”

Munyer said Skalskiy, who broke the school record three times this season, was disappointed she didn’t reach 38 feet on Friday. He also gushes about her work ethic and ability.

“She’s a great young lady,” Munyer said. “Any kind of workout I give her, she does it to the next level. She’s very, very committed and very dedicated. ... She’s always hungry.”

Skalskiy will gain some top-notch experience when she competes at the Down Under Sports meet in Australia in July.

Then she will take aim at winning two more state crowns during her high school career and hopes to make a run at the triple jump record held by Mountain View’s Cambree Harbaugh (41-1 in 2014).

“I hope I keep progressing,” Skalskiy said. “The results I had last year to this year have been a big leap.”

Skalskiy’s big effort helped Lakeland enter today’s final day of competition in sixth place among 4A girls with 12 points. Bishop Kelly leads with 38 points. In 4A boys, Pocatello and Rigby (31) are tied for first place.

In 5A girls, Lake City is in fourth place with 16 points while Post Falls (13) is sixth and Coeur d’Alene (8) is 11th. Rocky Mountain leads with 32.5 points.

Rocky Mountain leads the 5A boys with 39.5 points. Coeur d’Alene (12) is in fifth place and Lake City (6.5) is 11th.

The Lake City girls had second and third-place finishers in the 5A shot put with sophomore Emily Hernandez placing second at 38-6 3/4 and Keara Simpson third at 37-10.

Also in 5A girls, Post Falls sophomore Mackenzie Morris placed second in the long jump at 17-11 1/2 and Coeur d’Alene senior Amber Mallet placed fourth in the pole vault at 10-6.

Post Falls finished fourth in the 4x800 relay in 9:41.66 and Coeur d’Alene was sixth in 9:43.91.

In 5A boys, Lake City senior Daniel Tanaka finished fifth in the pole vault at 13-0.

Lake City placed sixth in the 4x800 relay in 8:18.75.