WEEKEND WRAPUP--Vikings sweep Ralph Vernacchia Team Invitational; Team Washington sweeps WAR...
Dicey weather in the state of Washington played a part in the two big invitationals in Bellingham and Spokane that most of the state's Division I and II schools participated in.
At the Ralph Vernacchia Team Invitational hosted by Western Washington in Bellingham on Saturday, the Viking men won the team title for the 16th straight year, while their women's team took top honors for the seventh time in eight years.
The Viking men nearly doubled their closest competitors, finishing with 222 points. Washington was second with 119 and Saint Martin's was third in the 13-team field with 88.5.
The WWU women finished with 262 points, more than double the mark of second-place Washington at 129 in the 12-team field.
"Once the weather cleared up, we had a pretty solid day," said WWU coach PeeWee Halsell, who saw the early events hampered by a freakish April snowstorm before skies cleared in the afternoon.
The Huskies' Gareth Gilna (above/photo by Paul Merca) was the lone individual double winner on the men's side, winning the 1500 in 3:52.85, then took the 800 in 1:54.90.
On the women's side, Sarah Ulrey of Club Northwest won the 400 hurdles (1:03.10) and the 100 meters (12.24).
In the WWU Multi-Events meet held in conjunction with the Vernacchia, Taylor Fettig from Central Washington won the heptathlon with a final score of 3999 points, and Michael Holland of Saint Martin's won the decathlon with a score of 5104.
Also on Saturday in Spokane, cool temperatures and brisk winds were the order of the day at the WAR VI meet held at Spokane Falls Community College.
Idaho took top team honors in the women's competition, scoring 122.5 points, followed by Eastern Washington at 92.2, and Washington State at 85.
Team Washington won the WAR title with a final score of 406.1 to 352.9.
In the men's team competition, Whitworth was the team champion with 114 points, followed by Spokane CC at 88.17, and Idaho at 79.83.
Team Washington won the WAR title by a final score of 478.17-300.83 over Team Northwest (schools from Idaho, Montana and Oregon).
Seattle Pacific's Emily Quatier had probably the most impressive performance on the track, winning the 800 in 2:14.70, as the Falcons went 1-2 in the event, with Lynelle Decker second in 2:15.00.
NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Washington, Western Washington University, Washington State University, and Seattle Pacific contributed to this report.
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