The rundown on Championship Friday (GNAC & WAC)...

MOSCOW, Idaho—It’s been a long last two days here in Moscow, as I’ve concluded my announcing duties at the Big Sky track and field championships, hosted by the University of Idaho.

The stretch of track meets continues, as I head down to Palo Alto from Moscow to cover the Pac-12 track and field championships today and tomorrow, before returning home to Seattle.

For all of Washington’s Division I and II schools, this weekend is conference championship weekend, and here’s a recap of what went down Friday:

In Monmouth, Oregon, Seattle Pacific’s Renick Meyer (left/photo by Paul Merca), a native of Gresham, Oregon, won the women’s long jump title at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship, hosted by Western Oregon, with a best of 19-4.75 (5.91m) to outdistance Central Washington’s HarLee Ortega, who had a best of 18-5.25 (5.64m).

In other finals contested Friday, Maddie Taylor of Western Washington won the women’s high jump on fewer misses at 5-5.25 (1.66m), the same mark as Geneva Lehnert of Seattle Pacific, while Falcon teammate Scout Cai was part of a 4-way tie for third at 5-3.25 (1.65m).

In the women’s 10000, Western Washington’s Sophia Galvez finished second in 37:11.23, while Central’s Alexa Shindruk was third at 37:19.98.

Megan Vernoy of Saint Martin’s was third in the discus with a throw of 145-4 (44.30m)

Pole vaulter Braydon Maier (15-6.25/4.73m) and 10000 runner Josh Boston (32:08.40) each earned victories for Central Washington in the finals of those events.

Peter Butler (32:09.95) of Western Washington was second in the 10000, while teammate Adam Thomas (14-6.25/4.43m) was third in the pole vault.

Seven Dances of Western Washington picked up a third place finish in the long jump with a leap of 22-1.5 (6.74m).

Ethan Tonder of Central Washington was third in the men’s shot put with a toss of 51-1.75 (15.59m).

After seven events in the men’s team race, Concordia leads with 63 points, with Central Washington second at 59, and Western Washington third with 48.

Thanks to big points in the shot and discus, Concordia leads the women’s team competition with 71 points, with Seattle Pacific second at 49.5 and Central Washington third at 38, and Western Washington fourth at 37.

The women’s team race is expected to come down to a battle between Seattle Pacific and Central Washington.  Recall that the indoor team championship resulted in a tie between the two schools.

The live results from the GNAC championships are available here.

In Lawrence, Kansas, Seattle University’s Johanna Erickson was the only Redhawk to earn a top-3 podium finish at the Western Athletic Conference championship meet Friday.

Erickson ran 11:16.69 to finish third in the women’s 3000 steeplechase, on what was a disappointing day for the Redhawks.

Eli Boudouris, one of the WAC’s top steeplechasers entering the conference championship meet, ran to a fourth place finish in the men’s race, clocking 9:36.66.

He injured himself on Wednesday during a shakeout run, according to a text sent to paulmerca.blogspot.com by SeattleU coach Kelly Sullivan.

Boudouris was running on a gravel trail, when he slipped and hit his knee during the fall, injuring himself to the point where he decided only 45 minutes before the race to compete and give it a shot.

The championships continue Saturday.

Results from the WAC championships are available here.

NOTE: The Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the Western Athletic Conference contributed to this report.

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