Tigers thinclads compete at Pulse Invitational

The Pulse Invitational Track and Field meet at Centennial High School in Meridian last Friday had some of the state's best athletes competing. With 17 schools, 12 of them from the 5A ranks, the competition was tough, and Mountain Home's scores reflected that challenge.

Mountain Home finished 12th in the girls competition that featured 18 schools. The Tiger boys came in 16th out of 17 schools competing.

Despite that outcome, some Mountain Home athletes had their best efforts of the season.

Bishop Kelly won the girls competition, picking up 100 points. Mountain View was second with 94, a point ahead of Eagle. Boise finished fourth with 67, Rocky Mountain, fifth with 56. Other team scores at the event included Vallivue, 53; Borah 44; Centennial, 39; Lewiston, 34; Capital, 32; Timberline of Boise, 25; Mountain Home, 21; Idaho Falls, 12; Meridian, 11; Canyon Ridge, seven; Kuna, two; and Caldwell and Parma, one.

Alexandera Tatum picked up Mountain Home's only first-place finish, winning the triple jump. Sable Lohmeier had Mountain Home's other points, placing third in the shot put and fourth in the discus.

Mountain View won the boys competition with 107.33 points. Eagle was second with 100, followed by Centennial at 76, Rocky Mountain with 63.33 and Vallivue at 62. Other scores in the boys event were Capital, 50; Borah, 48.33; Lewiston, 25; Middleton, 23; Meridian, 19; Boise, 18; Bishop Kelly, 13.5; Kuna, 13; Canyon Ridge, seven; Mountain Home, six; and Parma, five.

Mountain Home's points were scored by the Tigers' 4 X 800 meter relay team of Jordan Klie Walden, Kyle Pendleton, Joshua Robinson and Nolan Pasqualetti, which finished sixth overall. Nolan Pasqualetti also scored in the high jump, finishing sixth.

"This was by far the most competitive competition of the season, Having both 5A and 4A along with schools from eastern Idaho," said Tigers head track coach Rich Urquidi.

Two new athletes hit district qualifying marks. Whitney Sandberg posted a qualifying time in the 100 meters at 13.51 seconds.

On the boys' side, Abrahan Salas qualified in the 400 meters at 54.56 seconds. Makena Carson added the 300 meter intermediate hurdles at 53.64 seconds, qualifying her for both hurdle events.

Six athletes bettered their district marks, with Rachel Johnson 100 meter high hurdles at 18.04 and 300 meter intermediate hurdles at 52.55. Meanwhile, Dallin Dearing 43-foot, 25 inch shot put and 125-foot, 11-inch discus throw set personal bests in both hurdles and throws, respectively.

Mountain Home sent some of its athletes to compete in a junior varsity meet at Caldwell on Tuesday, and the varsity squad will compete Friday and Saturday at the Knights Invitational at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise.