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MIDDLETON – The Spartan track and field team capped off their season with a plethora of medals at the State 3A Track Championships at Middleton Friday-Saturday, May 15-16.
Senior Ian Lamanna had the best season ever for a Spartan jumper by earning two silver medals. He cleared 14 feet, which is his sixth meet this year jumping at least that height.
“This shows his amazing consistency in performing at a high level,” head coach Jared Hughes said.
Lamanna then jumped 21 feet on his second attempt in the long jump on his way to tie the best long jump finish in school history. His jump of 14 feet, 7 inches is still the seventh best jump in the state this year out of all classifications.
Not to be outdone, classmate Niki Porinchok tied the best combination finish in the throws in school history with a second-place finish in the discus and third in the shot put. Porinchok had two throws in the discus that were beyond his school record of 168 feet, 9 inches. His final effort of 174 feet, 5 inches will be a hard record to beat. His new personal best in the discus is also the fifth best throw in the state, all classifications.
“What a great ending to 2026 track and field season for the Spartans,” Hughes said. “We took the smallest contingent in recent memory, but we had some outstanding performances.”
Ashlyn Korff made the finals with a huge personal best in the triple jump of 32 feet,1.5 inches. This moves her to the fifth-place triple jumper of all time in Priest River Lamanna High School history. She had another personal best of 15 feet, 0.5 inches in the long jump and just missed the finals.
Haylee Jepson, having just picked up the javelin a few weeks ago, made finals with a 1 personal best of 94-feet, 5-inches. This moves her to number two in school history.
“We are looking forward to these two girls leading the way next year on the girl’s side as we bring back all the girls and will be bringing up a strong group that won the junior high eighth grade track meet a couple of weeks ago,” Hughes said.
The other two other state qualifiers ran into some learning curves, but did a good job competing, according to Hughes. Both Gunnar Pettit and Daniel Gunkle will be seniors next year and will be the leaders on a young returning team.
