The numbers are in.
And for Kentwood and Kentlake’s prep track and field programs, that proved to be a good thing after the South Puget Sound League meet May 12 and May 14 at French Field.
The top 10 individuals in each event earned berths to the West Central District meet at Mount Tahoma, which is slated for Friday and Saturday.
Kentwood qualified 14 girls, 8 boys while Kentlake will send 3 girls and 3 boys to districts.
The top six individuals in each event at the district meet advance to state, which is set for May 28-29 at Mount Tahoma High.
Without an overall team champion, the overriding theme of the meet was pretty simple, Kentwood coach Steve Roche said.
“Obviously you just want to get as many as you can through,” he said. “The number-one goal was just to move on, that’s the objective.”
MAKING HISTORY
Sure, the league meet is all about advancing.
Kentwood’s Megan McNally, however, advanced in record-setting style. The Kentwood sophomore, who came into the season primarily as a 400-meter specialist, broke a 21-year-old school record in the 800, breaking the tape in 2:20.03. The mark is just a shade faster than what Kay Luo established in 1989, when she ran a 2:20.80.
“One of the hardest things for a 400 runner to do is run the 800 and really understand how hard you have to go,” Roche said. “That second lap is a killer.”
All record holders at Kentwood receive a T-shirt honoring the feat.
“It’s really exciting,” McNally said. “Getting the T-shirt that says ‘school record’ on the back is cool.”
McNally began running the 800 at the start of April. She posted the fourth-fastest time in the event last week.
“She has been nibbling at (the record) the last few weeks,” Roche said. “She had never thought of herself as an 800 runner. Then we threw her in there as a conditioning race and she beat our best girl. We were like, ‘Hey, we’re on to something.’”
While McNally was the highlight of the meet for the Conquerors, Jordan Jainga also added a personal best, establishing a new mark in the boys 110-hurdles, breaking the tape in 14.80 seconds. Teammate Jacob Wilcher wasn’t far behind at 15.19.
MOVING UP
For more than a year, Kentlake high jumper Shad Hall was stuck on a personal best of 5-feet-10 inches.
That all changed for Hall two weeks ago, when the Kentlake junior uncorked a mark of 6-feet even against Auburn in the final dual meet of the season.
Hall’s ascension continued last week during the SPSL meet at French Field, when he reached 6-feet-2 inches in the high jump, marking another personal best. The leap was the third-best mark of the meet.
Hall, however, wasn’t done in establishing new personal bests as he added another in the 300 hurdles, where he broke the tape in 40.55, which was seventh overall and allowed the junior to qualify for the district meet in that event as well.
“He works hard and has continued to improve all year long,” said Kentlake coach Jim Hewson. “He’s a good athlete. He could be good in pretty much anything. The high jump was a little bit of a surprise just because he had been stuck at 5-10 for a year and a half, but he’s a good athlete.”
EAGER TO THROW
Tahoma made a strong showing at the league meet and will be sending 23 athletes to the West Central District meet.
Toping the list of Tahoma athletes at the subdistrict meet was senior Derrick Eager, who swept the throwing events at the meet and set a SPSL record in the javelin.
Eager pegged 206 feet, 6 inches with the javelin.
He won the discus hitting 173-03 and the shot put at 56-03.
Also heading to the district meet for the boys will be Casey Campbell running the 1,600.
Michael French will compete in the high jump and Cody Gilje in the triple jump.
Skyler Rubadue will also throw the discus.
For the girls, Bianca Walton won the long jump and triple jump at the league meet. Walton reached 18-0 for the long jump and 39-09 in the triple jump.
Tate Latimer will be competing at districts in both the 100-meter hurdles and 300.
Sierra Haverfield will also run in the 100 and 300 hurdles.
Lauren Clawson will run the 1,600 and Lindsay Deck the 800.
Julianna Mock will run in the 1,600 and 3,200 and Chelsea Olson in the 800 and 1,600.
Blair Slater will run in the 3,200.
In relay events the Tahoma runners will be Clawson, Paige Hammock, Savanna Haverfield, Sierra Haverfield, Kassie Jensen, Latimer, Mande McKinney, Holly Pebles, Cassidy Richmond and Walton.
In the field, Savanna Haverfield will compete in the javelin, Nadine Hyde in the discus.
Amanda Lind will also throw the javelin.
Saibra Rubadue and Alivia Ward will compete in the shot put.
