Bingham, Riverton in the running for top spot

The Region 3 think-tank has tabbed traditional track and field power Bingham and upstart Riverton as the league's top dogs.

Not much of a surprise since the Bingham boys won last year's region championship and Riverton took second. This year, the Miners might not be a complete team, but they're fast.

"Bingham is tough," says Riverton coach Brent Hawkins. "They're going to be the team to beat," he predicts.

Distance runner Nate Jewkes is having a solid outdoor season and headlines a strong group of distance runners. Bingham has also assembled one of their fastest squads ever and will dominate in the relay events. Brock Ward looks to be one of the top sprinters and jumpers in the region. He won both the triple and high jumps at the Box Elder Relays last month. Football player Brooks Measom is the fastest runner on the team and only adds to the Miners' glut of speedsters.

Riverton's girls should be favored to defend their region title even without star hurdler Sarah Blad (running for BYU). Led by region champion high jumper Brianne Campbell and point maker Rachel Johnson, Riverton is a team with few weaknesses. Thrower Candus Aiello is a strong contender for the region title in the shot and disc and distance runner Alisa Sheffer is one of the region's best in the 800 and 1,600 meters.

Bingham's girls have a chance to win the region, but only if they can steal some points in the field. In last year's Region 3 championship, the Bingham girls were unable to score points in several field events including the javelin, long jump and high jump.

The Miners are anchored by sprinter Chelsea Baker and distance runner Kim Quinn. Expect Riverton, Bingham and possibly dark horse Copper Hills to battle for league supremacy. Here's an inside look at all the teams in Region 3.

RIVERTON: Junior sprinter Baylor Burnside has stepped up as the team's fastest runner. He replaces last year's standout, Drew Clake. Jumper and sprinter Jordan Marshall should provide points and leadership for the boys' team. Tyler Young, Zach Spencer and Aaron Jaussi are coming along, but they lack experience. Distance runners will be big for Riverton this year. Macy Butterfield and Trevor Sharp are strong in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters. Alex Rigby and John Ione are the team's top throwers but coaches say this is an area of concern. The Riverton girls have a lot of experience and a wealth of talent. Led by Sarah Johnson, Brianne Campbell, Haley Robison and Tanza Buroker, the girls look like region champions. Sprinter Alex Finch and distance runner Emmy Jeppson add depth to a team that uses its best athletes in a multitude of ways.