Halladay powers Mountain Views girls to 5A title

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Despite a fall in the 800 meters on Saturday afternoon, Lexy Halladay managed a near-perfect debut at the Idaho State Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The freshman phenom won the 3,200, the 1,600, helped her winning 4x400 team and still got fourth in the 800, guiding Mountain View to a 5A state team crown at Dona Larsen Park.

Halladay claimed the the 3,200 on Friday night in a state meet record time of 10 minutes and 30.80 seconds and then added another meet record in the 1,600 on Saturday (4:52.51).

“Anything can happen, and how you respond to it is the mark of a champion,” Mountain View coach Tracy Harris said in a interview to the Idahostatesman.com. “And Lexy responded fantastic.”

Mountain View scored an impressive 146.75 points to win its first title since 2014.

In boys 5A action, Rocky Mountain won its sixth title in the last seven years totaling 96 points and winning four events.

Capital's Britt Ipsen capped off a strong high school career by winning the high jump (6-8), long jump (23-0) and triple jump (47-2) and he finished third in the 110 hurdles (15.04).

In the throws, Coeur d'Alene's Grady Leonard won the shot (61-5.50) and discus (182-5). Boise's Seth Nims won the pole vault (15-3). 

In Class 4A, the Bishop Kelly boys and girls swept the team titles for the second year in a row. On the girls side, senior Lindsey Schmidt won the high jump (5-6), triple (37-5.5), long (17-10) and the 100 hurdles (14.92). Schmidt was presented her gold medal in the high jump by 1968 Olympic champion Dick Fosbury.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better finish coming from last year to wanting redemption this year to it ending like this,” said Schmidt to the Idahostatesman.com.

Blackfoot's Michelle Pratt set a state record in the 800, clocking 2:11.47.

In 4A boys, Skyline's Daniel Helsley won the shot (60-11.50) and disc (172-4).

The Sugar-Salem boys won their fourth 3A title in the past five years, as the Sugar girls also won the team title 101.5 points.

Shelley's Paytin Drollinger set a 3A state record in the 1,600 (5:3.60) and claimed gold in the 3,200 (11:10.05) and 800 (2:18.71).

Fruitland's Cheyenne Chapman won the pole vault, clearing 11-4.

In the 1,600, Sugar-Salem swept the event going 1-2-3, as Hunter Galbraith won in 4:28.90. Teammates Kooper Williams (4:29.79) and Taylor Hill (4:33.33) were right behind.

In 2A action, the Salmon girls made history winning the program's first state title with 85 points. West Jefferson's Jordi Holdaway won the 200 dash (26.45) edging out Cole Valley's Brooke Weimer (26.46) in a photo finish. Holdaway was part of West Jefferson's winning 4x100 and 4x200 relays and took third in the 300 hurdles.

In 2A boys, Nampa Christian claimed the team title with 80.5 points, beating Soda Spring (79).

Salmon River sophomore Chevelle Sheperd set a new state 1A classification record in the pole vault clearing 10-3.50. Prairie won the team title with 59 points, Valley was runner-up (57). The Valley boys won the 1A title with 74 points.

Team Champions

5A: Rocky Mountain boys 96, Mountain View girls 146.74

4A: Bishop Kelly boys 102, Bishop Kelly girls 136.5

3A: Sugar-Salem boys 148, Sugar-Salem girls 101.5

2A: Nampa Christian boys 80.5, Salmon 85

1A: Valley boys 74, Prairie girls 59