Dream comes true for Aquino in 1,600m final

TACOMA – It was exactly how Brittany Aquino thought it would feel.

The East Valley junior dreamed of winning the State 2A 1,600-meter final, and she saw her dream play out in living color the first day of Star Track XXXIII at Mt. Tahoma High School.

Aquino won in a lifetime best of 4 minutes, 49.60 seconds. McCall Skay of West Valley (5:08.06) took third.

“Right before I crossed the finish line I couldn’t believe I had done it,” Aquino said. “I’d dreamed of this moment. It was surreal. It felt exactly the way I dreamed it.”

She achieved another milestone, too.

“The goal all season was to break five minutes,” Aquino said, “and I couldn’t have done it without my coach (Andrew Walker). The whole time I was thinking that I had to give it my all. When I got to 200 meters to go, I knew it was going to be my hardest 200 ever.”

It was double pleasure for Walker, EV’s cross country coach. The Knights’ Scott Kopczynski and Chad Stevens finished 1-2 in the boys 1,600 final.

Nice parting gifts for Walker, who is moving to Seattle this summer.

Kopczynski won in 4:12.36, breaking the school record held by Ernie Aguilar (4:13.53). Stevens’ time of 4:15.27 was a personal best.

It was a second straight 1,600 title for Kopczynski. Stevens won the state cross country title and Kopczynski was third.

Somebody suggested Kopczynski was out to avenge not winning the cross country title. He begged to differ.

“I wanted to defend my title,” Kopczynski said.

For the Knight duo, it was about working off each other.

Stevens took the first lap, setting a comfortable pace. Kopczynski took the second. Thereafter, it was each for their own.

“It comes down to whoever has the better kick,” Kopczynski said. “We try to work together as long as we can. I didn’t feel my best today but I ran my best.”

They’ll take the same approach Saturday in the 3,200.

“Today it was me. Saturday it could be him,” Kopczynski said.

Bradley Larson of Clarkston took fourth in the boys long jump (21-6 ¾).

3A

John Dressel of Mt. Spokane finally got the state title he’s wanted for three years.

Dressel won in 4:15.26, well off his personal best. Andrew Vandine of North Central took fourth (4:17.18).

The pace was slow, but Dressel stuck to his plan. As soon as he heard the bell for the final lap, he took off.

His newfound kick allowed for a comfortable win.

“I closed hard,” Dressel said. “I just wanted to make sure to get in a good position and protect my space and be aware of others. It felt easy to finish that hard. I didn’t have any (lactic acid) in my system afterwards so that’s good for Saturday.”

Dressel didn’t come to Tacoma for one state title.

“It feels pretty good but at the same time there’s still work to be done for Saturday,” he said.

4A

Zach Jensen of Ferris took second in the shot put with a throw of 54 feet, 1 inch.

It was 6 ¼ inches short of his personal best, but Jensen was more than pleased. He would have had to throw a 3-foot personal best to have won.

“I’m pretty stoked,” Jensen said. “The guy who won has been throwing since second grade and I’ve been throwing since my sophomore year. So I’ll take it.”

Briton Demars of Central Valley took third in the boys 1,600 (4:15.01) and Briegan Bester, also of CV, took fourth in the girls 1,600 (4:59.99).

Siniva Areta of Ferris placed fifth in the girls shot put (124-3).