2007 WA Random Track Articles

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http://www.mi-reporter.com/articles/200 ... ports2.txt

Tracking the Islanders’ progress
By Matt Phelps
Mercer Island Reporter

When Mercer Island track and field head coach Chris Twombley took over as head coach in 2001, he had a five-year plan to put the Islanders among the elite in 3A KingCo.

Twombley, along with several assistant coaches, have built a healthy program during the past five seasons. The team had over 140 kids turn out for the team this season. But the ultimate goal has yet to be reached â€â€

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http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/03/ ... ook001.cfm

Kamiak to name track after coach Erv Ellis

Athletes and coaches on the Kamiak High School track and field team will soon feel an extra dose of motivation.

On Thursday, Kamiak will dedicate its track to Erv Ellis, a longtime teacher and coach in the Mukilteo School District who in June died at 68 of complications related to cancer. The ceremony, which will officially name the venue Erv Ellis Track, will take place before the start of Kamiak's 3:30 p.m. meet against Everett.

Kamiak girls track coach Bill Costello said naming the track for Ellis, who taught in the district for 30 years and was a volunteer Kamiak track coach for 12 years, will provide "an extremely important sense of inspiration" every time the Knights step onto their track.

Ellis graduated from Everett High in 1956 and played college baseball at what is now known as Western Washington University. He coached several other sports in addition to track, and was once interim athletic director.

Ellis' dedication to coaching was impressive, Costello said: "He focused on meeting every kid's needs. He was always the first person out there (on the track) and the last one to leave."

Added Costello, "I think his legacy will always be that he helped kids in any capacity that he could, whether as a teacher or a coach or outside of school as a volunteer."

An interesting angle: The meet pits the last team Ellis coached (Kamiak) against the school he graduated from (Everett).

Besides serving as a chance to honor Ellis, the meet will be Kamiak's first true home meet in school history. (the school opened in 1993.) Previously, Kamiak's home competitions were held at Goddard Stadium in Everett.

Kamiak's first on-site meet is a result of cooperation from Everett coach Doug Hall, Costello said. Kamiak hasn't been approved to host meets in the past because its facilities are a bit limited - for example, the runway space for the long and triple jumps is less than normal.

So far, Thursday's meet is Kamiak's only one this season scheduled to be at the high school.

"We will have to wait and see if we'll have another one," Costello said. "Just the fact that we've decided we're gonna do this is somewhat of an homage to Erv."

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http://www.northkitsapherald.com/portal ... 2067&more=


Viking track and field ready to reemerge


By Bill Mickelson
Mar 14 2007

POULSBO â€â€

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http://www.vashonbeachcomber.com/portal ... 1623&more=


No home track this year, but athletes try out




Rik Forschmiedt photo
Emily Horwitz studies the proper way to hold the shot in an early practice with the Vashon track team.

By Rik Forschmiedt
Mar 14 2007

Vashon won’t have a home track meet this season, but that hasn’t stopped the athletes from turning out. New head coach Kevin Ross notes that the team is growing in numbers daily, including several with experience from McMurray and a good core of distance runners.

With several athletes in the school play “Chicago,â€Â

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http://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/porta ... 0295&more=


Falcons on track for success




Jeff VanDerford
Junior Martha Rocio Gil-Osorio offers a helping hand to freshman Ann Hefflinger Tuesday as part of the track team?s warm-up exercises.

By JEFF VANDERFORD
Mar 10 2007

On any given afternoon, Waterman Field is jumping. Literally.


This spring season 60 athletes tried out for the various events on the track and field menu offered by South Whidbey High School â€â€

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http://www.cashmerevalleyrecord.com/sports.php

Bulldogs boys and girls track ready and reloaded for 2007


Gregory Todd Allmain
The 2007 Cashmere Bulldogs Boy's Track Team. Front row: Garth Stephenson, Joe Griffiths, Cody McIntyre, Tim Clark, T.J. Robinson, Ben Allen, Josh VanHoven, Brendan Burrill, Justin Laws. Second row: Alex Bushy, Zack Tweden, Miguel Esquivel, James Craig, Jorge Marron. Third row: Chris Reuther, Derek Todd, Logan Bridges, Dustin Grams, Elliot Whitehall, Robby Godfrey. Fourth row: Daniel Mellenberger, Joe Clark, Jacob Carson, John Mitchell, Cody Quinn, Juan Sanchez, Pedro Farias, Jorge Sanchez, Chance Jonassen. Back row: Enrique Botello, Fortunato Placencia, Abe Guzman, Seth Pierson, Oscar Reyna, Swamy Rodriguez.
Greg Allmain
Staff Writer
Boys

Like many Cashmere Bulldogs’ sports teams this year, the 2007 edition of Bulldogs boys track is certainly feeling the vacuum created by the Class of 2006. For the Cashmere runners, jumpers, throwers and sprinters, gone are a litany of names that brought home state medals and missed out on the team title by two points.

400 meter state champion Vidal Hurtado has now moved on to Central Washington University, along with the 2006 second place discus thrower Tyler Fischer. Also lost to graduation were Juan Rodriguez, Levi Parkins, Devin Hammond, Mike Shook, Dan Worley, Matt Caples and Curtis Phillips.

Rodriguez brought home a seventh place medal last year in the 300m hurdles, while Parkins scored a bronze in the javelin throw, with Worley taking fifth place in that event. Phillips took third for the pole vault, while Shook and Caples made it to state but were unable to place in the medals.

Rodriguez, Hammond and Hurtado were also members of the second place 4x100 relay team and fourth place 4x400 relay team.

Despite such a talent drain, coach Jeff Kenoyer is confident of what his boys team will do this year.

“We’re a younger group, that’s for sure,â€Â

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http://www.bremertonpatriot.com/portals ... 8942&more=

KW blends boys’ youth with girls’ experience


Photo by Shaun Scott
Doug Hein perfects his technique in the discus during practice on Monday afternoon at King?s West School.

By Shaun Scott
Mar 08 2007

It definitely will be a rebuilding year for the King’s West boys track and field team in 2007.

“Four or five of our athletes went to state last year,â€Â

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http://www.bremertonpatriot.com/portals ... 8943&more=


Knights track and field thinking crown


Photo by Shaun Scott
Knight Christina Lawrence runs wind sprints during practice Tuesday at BHS.

By Shaun Scott
Mar 08 2007

As it currently stands, 30 athletes will don Bremerton High School’s blue and gold colors for the Bremerton Knights boys track and field team in 2007.

Having 30 athletes on the squad is a luxury, but Knights coach Lloyd Pugh wishes he had more athletes on the roster.

“I would like to have 80 kids out here,â€Â

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http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/03/ ... iak001.cfm

Kamiak opens new track with dedication

Herald staff





MUKILTEO - The first meet of the season is always exciting.

The non-conference season opener was extra special for Kamiak, which had a special ceremony beforehand to honor Erv Ellis, a longtime track coach who passed away last summer.

In the end, Everett came out on top 83-62 at the newly-christened Erv Ellis Track, but Kamiak girls head coach Bill Costello liked what he saw from the Knights.

"Both teams competed extremely well," Costello said. "Everybody brought it."

Costello was happiest with Sean Beighton, who pole vaulted 14 feet.

"That's great for a first meet," Costello said.

As far as Everett went, Costello said Andrew Stiger's javelin throw of 184 feet was "really impressive."

"Those were the two most outstanding individual performances," Costello said of Beighton and Stiger.

Axel Stanovsky started the season with wins in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races, finishing in four minutes, 45.6 seconds and 10:22.4, respectively. Joseph Giesick helped Everett along with wins in the 100 (11.4 seconds) and 200 (23.1).

Kamiak named the track for Ellis, a volunteer track and field coach at Kamiak for 12 years.

"After the opening introduction both teams competed inspired," Costello said.

Costello said he enjoyed the meet because there was "healthy competition" but still "great sportsmanship."

The Knights were not at full strength, with four of their top athletes nursing injuries.

"Our relays are gonna start coming in to place" when they get back, Costello said.

In the meantime Kamiak is looking ahead at the new season with plenty of optimism.

"Spring has sprung," Costello said. "We've seen what we need to work on.

"We're excited about the upcoming season."

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Costello was happiest with Sean Beighton, who pole vaulted 14 feet.

"That's great for a first meet," Costello said.

For the record, that was from 4 lefts.

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http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/03/16/ ... news07.txt

Hilanders, Lassies strengthen Rotary field
By Rick S. Alvord
Mar 16, 2007 - 07:04:00 am PDT
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Defending boys' and girls' champion Molalla, Ore., will have a difficult time repeating in Saturday's 30th annual Longview Rotary Relays track and field meet at Memorial Stadium.

Not because Molalla has suffered a drop in talent, mind you. It's more because of who'll be there Saturday ---- a team that wasn't there last year.




Powerful Kelso, which flexed its muscles earlier this week with easy sweeps against R.A. Long and Mark Morris in the Kelso Invitational, leads the seven-team Rotary Relays field. The Hilanders and Lassies should give Molalla all it can handle in the boys' and girls' divisions.

"This is an excellent event from a Rotarian standpoint, because nobody is out to raise money," said Rotary Relays committee coordinator Rollie Johnson, the longtime R.A. Long principal, who is in his 20th and final year as the meet coordinator. "The idea is simply to do a service to the community and surrounding communities, and to fellowship with each other."

Johnson is retiring as principal at RAL at the end of the school year.

Joining Kelso, Molalla, R.A. Long and Mark Morris at Saturday's event are Washougal, Black Hills and Rainier. Molalla edged Wilsonville, Ore., by five points for the boys' team crown last year, and there was a 17-point difference between the same teams on the girls' side.

The Monarchs have a strong chance to repeat in the boys' high jump, where the trio of Ross VanZanten, Jesse Wilson and Jeff Wilson combined to win at 17 feet, 2 inches. The Relays get under way at 10:30 a.m. with most of the field events. The relays and hurdles start at noon.

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http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/03/ ... ple001.cfm

Who were the best county track athletes?
The list of prep track records in Snohommish County is more than just a compilation of names and accomplishments.

By Mike Cane
Herald Writer





About a year ago, Jeff Page got curious. He wondered: Who are the best high school track and field athletes in Snohomish County history?

Instead of just pondering the question, Page, head track coach at Lake Stevens High School, decided to investigate.

Sounds like a pretty intense, time-consuming project, right?

It took him all of an hour.

Page had everything he needed thanks to information compiled in an issue of the Washington Track Annual, a highly detailed statewide guide published by Scott Spruill of the Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper. He simply scrolled through state record lists and plucked the top all-time performances by county competitors.

The result of Page's work is a fun look at the history of prep track and field in the area. The county records lists feature all-time marks in 18 girls events and 17 boys events. The oldest one is from 1935 (Lee Orr of Monroe, boys 200-meter dash) and the newest record belongs to 2006 Cascade graduate Whitney Hooks (girls shot put).

There are seemingly endless storylines related to the compilation, but here are a few interesting angles.

Oldest, most controversial

In 1935 Monroe's Orr ran a hand-timed 200 (at the time it was the 220-yard dash) in 21.2 seconds. Back then, the event was held on a straightaway, unlike the modern format that starts on a curve.

In 2001, Kamiak's Derrick Bradley, as a sophomore, ran the 200 in an electronic time of 21.69. Page came up with a conversion to factor in the format change and the difference between hand timing and electronic timing.

"It came out to be really close," Page said.

But Page and Kamiak coach Paul Kirkpatrick agree that Orr, who ran for Washington State and placed fifth for Canada in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, probably would prevail against Bradley with the benefit of modern-day footwear and surface improvements.

Don't feel too badly for Bradley: He does own the 100 record (10.69 in 2002).

Most impressive

Everett alum Sherron Walker's girls long jump record (21-3) is also the all-time state record. Walker won four state long jump titles and participated in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

Page points to the prowess of three Edmonds girls who set five county records between 1974 and 1979. You could call them the D Team: Dana Arnim (400, 800), Debbie Quatier (1,600, 3,200) and Deanna Carr (javelin). Their performances came relatively soon after girls sports got an enormous boost with the introduction of Title IX legislation in 1972.

"That's pretty remarkable that they were all there (around) the same time. That's a pretty interesting coincidence," said Page.

Everett coach Doug Hall marvels at the records of Ben Lindsey, who set boys marks in shot put (66 feet, 8 inches) and discus (203-6) at Lynnwood in 1996. Hall doesn't expect anyone to challenge the records of Lindsey, who was an All-American at Washington, any time soon.

"Nobody that I've seen throw in the league - no one's even close to that right now," said Hall.

McKane Lee's boys pole vault record (16-7.25, Arlington, 2003) is also formidable. The area's current top vaulter, Kamiak senior Sean Beighton, is ranked No. 1 in 4A with a personal best of 15-3.

Top teams

The programs with the most total country records are: Edmonds (five, all by girls), followed by Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Arlington (four apiece). Snohomish and Cascade have three each.

Most breakable

To break a county record, an athlete generally needs ideal conditions, intense competition and a dose of luck. Based on the potential of a few current performers, some marks could fall either this year of the next.

Both triple jump records are vulnerable, coaches say. Snohomish teammates Bri Clark (a senior) and Jessica Yates (a junior) could attack the girls mark, while Everett junior Rendel Jones is capable of eclipsing the boys record. (Read more about this triple-jump trio in a separate story in today's paper.) How about distance events?

"The one kid around I think that has a shot at getting it done is Joey in the 1,600 and the 3,200," Page said of Lake Stevens junior Joey Bywater, the 2006 4A 3,200 champ. Bywater's personal best in the 3,200 is 9:03.97, just over nine seconds behind Reed Mayer's record (8:54.9, Snohomish, 1973).

"He certainly has the talent to be able to do it," Kirkpatrick said of Bywater, "and if he can get other people that are there to push him - you can't do it by yourself."

The boys 300 hurdle record, held by Ryan McKinney of Lake Stevens (38.74, 2001), is vulnerable, Page said. But Page is not sure if any current boy can break it. Archbishop Murphy senior Nick Snyder might have a shot. His personal best is 39.85.

Who will be next?

Part of the excitement surrounding these county records is that even though certain well-known athletes could make history, it's always possible a record-breaking performance will spring from an unexpected source.

"Sometimes," Page said, "somebody just comes out of the woodwork and you just say, 'Wow!'"