Valley track teams ready for state run
West Valley
West Valley made a run at winning the school’s first state boys track and field championship in 2015 and coach Vic Wallace wants you to know the cupboard is not bare a season later.
Not when the Eagles return half of two state-caliber relay teams and have a stable of sprinters available to fill the ranks.
“We’re still going to be fast,” Wallace said. “We may not be school-record fast, but we’re going to be fast.”
Seniors Tevin Duke and Zechariah Herford both are state-caliber sprinters and integral parts of the finest sprint relay team the school has fielded.
The pair helped break the school record as sophomores and the Eagles spent the vast majority of last season as the fastest relay team in the state at any level.
WV was nipped at state by a squad from River Ridge, which circled the track in 41.65 seconds.
This year the Eagles have run 43.14 with Jake Jordan and Caleb Simpson filling out the lineup.
The Eagles ran the fastest time in the prelims for the 4x400 relay at state (3:22.88), but were nipped by both Sequim and Lynden in the finals to finish third.
Herford placed fifth in the 100 meters last year, running 11.10 in the prelims and 11.24 in the finals, and he’s already faster this season.
Against East Valley, Herford broke the 11-second barrier, turning in a 10.89. He also ran a personal best 22.32 in the 200 meters.
Duke already has run a personal best in the 400 meters this season, posting a 54.1 against Eastmont. He placed fifth at state in the 200 with a time of 22.6, which is the fastest returning time from last year’s state meet.
West Valley graduated two-event champion Mac Baxter, who won both state hurdles events a year ago.
Central Valley
The CV boys return senior Ben Craig, who finished fourth in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.72 in a tough final heat that featured only one senior, who finished sixth.
Junior Jordan Talafili threw the shot 47 feet, 3 3/4 inches to place 10th a year ago.
And the Bears reached the state meet with their 4x400 relay team and have Craig and junior Isaac Nicholls back.
The CV girls have to be considered among the favorites to contend for the state Class 4A championship with most of last year’s sixth-place squad back.
Junior Anna Fomin finished fourth in the 200 meters (25.39) and third in the 400 (56.19) and helped the 4x100 and 4x200 teams place seventh and sixth, respectively.
Senior Briegan Bester placed fifth in the 800 (2:14.26) and junior teammate Kearan Nelson finished eighth (2:20.31). Bester was one of only five runners to finish the 1,600 final in under five minutes, placing fifth at 4:59.99.
Senior Brielle Crump just missed reaching the finals in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.61.
The Bears return its 4x100 team that ran a 49.21 at state: sophomore Katie Hawkins, senior Hannah Reiman, sophomore Kaelyn Barnes and Fomin. Crump, Hawkins, Fomin and Reiman also return in the 4x200.
CV also brings back members of the 4x400 relay team that finished sixth in 1:42.82: Fomin, Bester and the Hull twins, Lacie and Lexie.
Junior Sydney Johnson cleared 5-4 to place third in the high jump and 10-6 to place eighth in the pole vault. Sophomore Hailey Christopher cleared 5-0 to place ninth in the high jump.
East Valley
The EV boys graduated its standout distance tandem of Scott Kopczynski and Chad Stevens, who finished 1-2 in 1,600 and 3,200.
The EV girls have a strong group back from last year’s state meet, starting with senior Brittany Aquino, the state champion in the 1,600 meters, the only runner to finish with a sub-5 minute time (4:59.6). Aquino is the top returner at 3,200 after turning in a time of 11:02.35 to finish second.
Junior Taylor Sellers qualified for state in the 200, where she ran 27.20 in the prelims. Senior Ashley Meyer ran the 800 in 2:24.59 to place 10th in the prelims.
Senior Baylee Buchanan cleared 10 feet in the pole vault at state and finished seventh. Alixus Ingraham qualified for state in the shot put, where she threw 32-11.
University
The U-Hi boys have the returning state champion in the high jump in senior Noah Martin, who cleared 6-8 in the finals. He cleared 6-11 during the season and cleared 15 feet in the pole vault.
Martin already cleared 7-0 this season.
Senior Isaac Barville is back after running 4:17.7 to place seventh in the 1,600.