Apr. 22—Two giants in Spokane high school track and field were honored Saturday.Legendary long-distance runner Rick Riley and sprinting sensation Becca (Noble) Carson were inducted into the Pasco Invite Hall of Fame on Saturday during the event's 63rd meet at Edgar Brown Stadium.It was a moment 60 years in the making for Riley.Sixty years ago this spring, Riley, running at Ferris, set the 2-mile record at Pasco, winning in a converted time of 8 minutes, 57.1 seconds (the 2-mile time was 9:00.1). It has since been converted to a 3,200-meter time. Dozens of outstanding athletes have taken a run at the record, but it still stands.It's the longest-standing meet record at the Pasco Invite.Riley, the head cross country coach at Saint George's and assistant track coach, was on hand Saturday for the ceremony."I just remember it was a real even-paced, relaxed effort," Riley said.
"I've jokingly said that if I had the tracks and the shoes the kids are using today, that record would last 100 years. It's amazing that it's stood this long."Riley, now 78, stands among the best cross country and long-distance track athletes the state has ever produced. He went on to run at Washington State University.Former Rogers standout Gerry Lindgren is usually considered the face of Spokane long-distance running.
But Riley's mug would be on a Mt. Rushmore of long-distance standouts for sure.Back in the day, Riley ran on mostly cinder tracks. He recalls the surface at Pasco was hardened clay.He continues to hold the state-meet record (8:48.3).Riley was humbled by the induction."It was a huge honor," he said.
"I was very humbled by the presentation. To be honest it's a bit astonishing that a record like that would last this long because there have been a tremendous amount of good kids at that meet over the years. So if I didn't say I was pretty proud of it I would be too humble.
It makes you pretty proud that that time is still relevant."Carson was a model sprinter back when she blazed her way around the oval at Rogers. She set the meet record in the 400 (54.14) at the Pasco Invite in 2005.Carson lives in White Salmon, Washington — a tiny town with no stoplight just across the Columbia River from Hood River. Her sprinting talents took her to the University of Oregon.In 2005, she captured state titles in the 400 and 800.
A year earlier, she anchored the state-winning 4x400 relay.Following her high school career in the summer of 2005, Carson won the 800 at the USA Junior Championships. She was one of the top middle distance sprinters in the nation at the time.She was a four-time All-American at Oregon including an outdoor national championship her freshman year in the 800.In the summer of 2006, Carson earned a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in Beijing, clocking 2:04.72 in the 800 and securing the United States' first medal in the women's 800 at the competition.Carson joined her parents, who live in Spokane, at the ceremony."The Pasco Invite was one of my all-time favorite meets," Carson said.Carson turns 39 years old in June."So it's been 21 years since I set that record at Pasco," Carson said.
"So the record is older than when I won it. That sort of puts life in perspective. The kids who are running now weren't even born yet when I was running."Interestingly, the Pasco Invite is the first hall of fame Carson has been inducted into.
Perhaps in time she'll be included in others.On pace for big throwSimon Rosselli of Mead is inching closer to the national discus record.Two weeks ago at the Arcadia Invitational near Los Angeles, Rosselli threw a nation-best 225 feet, 6 inches. He leads the next-best thrower by more than 16 feet.Another 12 feet and he'll break the national record.Rosselli says he's got a big throw coming.Honor rollArea athletes continue to climb up their respective state classification leaderboards.Here's a look at some of the top times/marks:4AThe Mead quartet of Trevelle Jones, Carter Williams, Jonah Wiser and Aaron Pooler lead in the 4x400 relay (3:21.50), a time they will continue to lower.Feso Ogbozor of Gonzaga Prep is ranked second in the triple jump (46 feet, 4 inches).Mercedes Gilroy of Mead continues to lead the javelin (143-3), about four feet behind her all-time best.3ANorth Central senior Adie Wright leads in the 100 after he broke the Cheney facilities record with 10.59 at a meet last weekend.
He's third in the 200 (21.59).Interestingly, both of his times would have won at the Pasco Invite.Wright also broke NC's records in the events.The Mt. Spokane foursome of Kale Lamecker, Andrew Thomas, Javin Michaelsen and Gaitlin Michaelsen lead in the 4x400 (3:24.58).Adam Judd of Central Valley leads in the discus (177-8).Jackson Randall of Cheney leads in the javelin (184-8).Joseph Hilton of CV leads in the long (21-11 1/2 ) and triple jumps (47-1 3/4 ).Sophomore Alisa Messing of Cheney is making a mark in the sprints. She's the state leader in the 100 (12.24) and 200 (24.96). She's also teamed with Alli