Valley athletes are in the running

The West Valley boys track and field team is on a mission this weekend: to bring home the school’s second state championship.

And East Valley’s Scott Kopczynski is equally determined to defend his state titles in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

Led by two stellar relay teams and one of the state’s best hurdlers, the Eagles have been a Class 2A juggernaut this season.

West Valley won Class 3A state title 2004.

 

Class 2A Boys

Zech Herford’s 10.98 seconds in the 100 meters is one of the four fastest times coming into the meet, with the top time less than a heartbeat faster at 10.92.

Tevin Duke runs in the prelims of the 200 meters, but will need a personal best time to reach the finals. Skylar Ovnicek is in the 800 with a best time of 1:58.36, and the top qualifying time more than three seconds faster.

The 110 hurdles final should be thrilling. West Valley’s Mac Baxter and Centralia’s Aaron Pullin have qualifying times separated by just a hundredth of a second (Pullin’s 14.61 and  Baxter’s 14.62), and Benjamin Doucette’s 14.65 is close enough to make a photo finish in the finals a distinct probability. West Valley’s Brandon Ray also is entered but will likely need a personal best time in the prelim to reach the final.

Baxter is by far the fastest qualifier in the 300 meters, with a personal best time more than a second faster than his nearest challenger.

The West Valley 4 x 100 relay team was the fastest in the state for much of the season – beating teams from larger schools most of the time. Martin Herford, Taylor Morton, Tevin Duke and Zech Herford set a school record at state last year and improved on it this season, cruising into the state meet with a best time of 42.28 seconds.

But winning a state title isn’t a sure bet. River Ridge qualified at 42.29 and owns a faster season-best time of 42.04.  The two teams are in opposite preliminary heats, which sets up what should be a blistering state final.

The Eagles also are the best bet to win the 4 x 400 title. Ethan Cook, Morton, Duke and Baxter have the fastest qualifying time coming in at 3:21.55, more than two full seconds faster than Lynden or Sedro Woolley.

West Valley has two entrants in the pole vault and both Brian Algeier and Josh Miller qualified by clearing 13 feet, six inches. Only Joey Weiler of R.A. Long, who cleared 15 feet, has a better height coming in. Miller cleared 15 feet at both the Pasco and Shoreline invitational and Algeier has a personal best of 14-6.

WV’s Alex Dyfort is a good bet to reach the finals in the shot put as one of just six to throw more than 51 feet, and he’s one of just four athletes to throw the discus more than 150 feet (150-4).

East Valley’s Kopczynski is the defending champion in both the 1,600 and 3,200, and has the fastest 800 qualifying time coming into the meet. Teammate Chad Stevens has the second-fastest time and the odds on a 1-2 finish for the Knights are very good. Stevens was third in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200 a year ago.

East Valley is in the state field for the 4 x 400.  Cody Sherwood, Dante Clayton, Colton Brown and Kody Vigesaa qualified with a 3:287.45.

 

Class 2A Girls

West Valley senior McCall Skay has the fastest qualifying time at 1,600 meters (5:05.90), just ahead of East Valley rival Brittany Aquino (5:07.79). Emily Pittis of Sehome ran 5:10.68 to qualify, but has a state-best time this season of 5:02.71.

Both Skay (11:59.60) and Aquino (11:38.64) are in the 3,200 field.

West Valley’s Ashley Meyer reached the state 800 field with a 2:25.27.

West Valley’s Madeline Liberg, Jordyn Rauer, Kiana Nagata and Jenna Sullens are in the state 4 x 200 relay field at 1:46.97 and is a good bet to reach the medal stand.

East Valley’s Taylor Sellers ran a 27 seconds flat to qualify for the state 200 field.

Baylee Buchanan cleared 9-6 to reach the state meet in the pole vault, and Alixus Ingraham is in the shot put field at 39-05.75.

 

Class 4A girls

Central Valley sophomore Sydney Johnson cleared 11 feet to reach the state finals in the pole vault and cleared 5-2 to get into the field in the high jump. Freshman teammate Hailey Christopher, along with Kellianne Cavin of Snohomish, both cleared 5-4 to lead the state field.

The Lady Bears reached the state meet in the 4 x 400 relay with a time of 4:01:47, but with six teams all qualifying in under four minutes, the team will need a season-best time to get out of the prelims. Anna Fomin, Katie Hawkins, Lacie Holl and Briegan Bester.

4 x 200 1:43.47  Brielle Crump, Katie Hawkins, Kelsey Turnbow and Anna Fomin.

CV has the second fastest time going into the state 4 x 100, turning in a 48.69 qualifier, and the fastest time for Madison Hovren, Katie Hawkins, Kelsey Turnbow and Hannah Reiman is as familiar as it gets: Lewis and Clark’s 48.15.

Crump turned in a 46.56 to reach state in the 300 hurdles, and Hovren is in the field for the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.46, but three qualifiers have times under 15 seconds.

Bester will double in the 800 (2:15.46) and 1600 (5:04.06). Teammate Kearan Nelson is in the 800 field with a 2:16.68.

Fomin has one of the four fastest qualifying times in the 400 (56.38) but owns the state’s top time this season (55.5). She’s also a strong bet to medal in the 200, where her personal best time is 25.0.

 

4A Boys

Collin Nelson qualified at 800 meters by running a personal best time of 1:54.42.

University’s Isaac Barville has the fastest qualifying time in the 1,600 meters at 4:15.18 and Britton Demars the third fastest at 4:16.65. But Wenatchee’s Cole Christman, who qualified in 4:19.97, has the state’s fastest time this season (4:09.94). Demars also reached the 3200 field with a 9:24.48.

CV’s Ben Craig has the fastest qualifying time in the 110 hurdles field at 14.35, topping Nick Johnson of Gonzaga Prep and Christian Brandt-Sims of Wenatchee in the regional final, but both have faster season-best times.

University’s Noah Martin cleared 6-8 to reach the state meet in the high jump. Keelan Halligan has the top qualifying height at 6-9, but Martin is the only Class 4A jumper to clear 6-11 this season.

Jordan Talifili threw the shot 50-5 to reach the state meet.