Montesano boys, Elma girls win Evergreen 1A League track titles

MONTESANO — On a day where rain boots and an umbrella were needed by most spectators, it was all about survival for Grays Harbor track athletes at the Evergreen 1A League Championships at Jack Rottle Field on Friday.

The host Bulldogs edged past Hoquiam to win the boys team title by one point with a total of 160 points. Elma finished third with 72 points.

On the girls side, the Eagles came away victorious with 154 points to best 146 points from the Bulldogs and 123 points from third-place Hoquiam.

The top-four placers in the laned events and the top six in every other event moves on to the Southwest Washington 1A District meet in Woodland on Thursday.

Montesano came away with four individual titles on the boys side, benefiting from long-distance running of Jake Mustard who turned in a personal best time in the 1,600 of 4:42.68 to win the event and topped the field in the 3,200 as well. Jordan Tibbitt turned in a personal best time in the 800 to win the event in 2:06.03 and Lyle Burbidge ran a personal best 16.92 to win the 110 hurdles for the Bulldogs.

“Considering the weather, we had pretty good performances today on the boys and girls side,” Montesano coach Doug Schupbach said. “We had a lot of PRs today and a few first place finishes. From the first event, all the way through, I thought we had some outstanding performances.”

The Grizzlies had three different athletes win multiple titles on the day with Anthony Nash sprinting to wins in the 100 and 200, Artimus Johnson hoisting himself to wins in the 300 hurdles and the pole vault and Devin Merksick leaping to victory in the high jump and long jump. Hoquiam’s only other individual title came from a personal best performance from Jarrett Skorzewski, who registered a throw of 150-5 to win the javelin.

Nash, Johnson, Jonah Doll and Chris Smith combined to win the 4×100 relay for Hoquiam.

Elma would lead the 4×400 from wire-to-wire as Ira Hartford, Jaden Edenstrom, Cody Vollan and Brandon Butcher finished in 3:40.72. Butcher won the 400 to round out the Eagles’ titles on the boys side.

The Eagles made a clean sweep of the relays on the girls side with Jayla Mason and Maddi Clark running all three. The duo was teamed with Kayli Johnson and Beka Lensgrav in the 4×100, Lensegrav and Jillian Bieker in the 4×200 and Kaya Aiken and Cheyanne Jines to win the 4×400.

Elma’s relay wins set the Eagles up nicely to claim the league title and a win in the 100 by Mason and victories in the 100 and 300 hurdles by Jillian Bieker all but sealed the championship.

“It was a fabulous performance by our girls,” Elma head coach Bryan Schneider said. “It is a year ahead of schedule because we are mostly freshman and sophomores. The future looks very bright. Our kids have done the right things and they are pretty dedicated. They are just young competitors.”

While Elma’s youth helped pave the way to a team title, Montesano’s senior leaders of Shayla Floch and Jordan Spradlin each claimed multiple titles. Floch leaped to wins in the high jump and long jump before besting the field in the 200, while Spradlin dominated the field in both the shot put and discus.

Hoquiam’s Lizzy Capoeman turned in a season best distance of 31-6 1/2 in the triple jump and won the pole vault. Karlie Krohn unleashed a throw of 107-3 in the javelin to claim victory and Elyse Goulet wrapped up the Grizzlies titles with a win in the 400.

“This meet is always about qualifying kids, that is the number one goal — to move on,” Hoquiam head coach Tim Pelan said. “Our kids performed really well. We had a lot of kids PR today. It is about getting the kids through and not dropping the baton somewhere or doing something that might get you disqualified. It is about getting as many kids to move on as we can. It is all about moving on.”

BOYS

Montesano 160, Hoquiam 159, Elma 72, Tenino 70, Forks 53

100 —11.50 — Anthony Nash (H), Ira Hartford (E), Chris Smith (H), Brandon Butcher (E). 200 —23.34 — Anthony Nash (H), Chris Smith (H), Ira Hartford (E), Cody Vollan (E). 400 — 52.62 — Brandon Butcher (E), Cody Vollan (E), Donovan Albert (M), Francis Sweeney (H). 800 — 2:06.03 — Jordan Tibbitt (M), Chase Blakenship (T), Gabe Virgen (T), Dakota Whitaker (T). 1,600 —4:42.68 — Jake Mustard (M), Logan Clements (M), Dakota Whitaker (T), Josef Aschenbrenner (M), K’Dyn Brizzi (M), Matthew Larson (F). 3,200 —10:45.05 — Jake Mustard (M), Logan Clements (M), Josef Aschenbrenner (M), Matthew Larson (F), K’Dyn Brizzi (M), Sohtye Tep (E). 110H —16.92 — Lyle Burbidge (M), Sam Winter (M), Daryn Kaczmarczyk (H). 300H — 44.06 —Artimus Johnson (H), Lyle Burbidge (M), Jadyn Edenstrom (E), Sam Winter (M). 4x100R —44.78 —Hoquiam, Elma, Montesano, Tenino. 4x400R —3:40.72 —Elma, Montesano, Hoquiam, Tenino.

Shot — 48-5 — Jack Burnham (T), Seth Dierkop (M), Cole Baysinger (F), LJ Valley (M), Dylan Moodenbaugh (H), Matt Brown (H). Discus — 139-7 — Cole Baysinger (F), Jack Burnham (T), Luke Dahlgren (F), A.J. Brown (E), Peyton Rondeau (F), Tanner Nicklas (M). Jav — 150-5 — Jarrett Skorzewski (H), Ryan Espedal (H), Caleb Peters (F), Jordan Sears (H), Seth Dierkop (M), Stuard Barta (T). HJ — 6-2 — Devin Merksick (H), Cole Baysinger (F), Trevor Ridgway (M), Ryan Espedal (H), Josiah Lowder (H), Brennen Wolcott (M). PV — 11-6 — Artimus Johnson (H), Lutra Felten (H), Ryan Espedal (H), Logan Prosch (H), Jordan Tibbitt (M), Brent Hollatz (M). LJ — 21-1 — Devin Merksick (H), Chase Blakenship (T), Bryce Whipple (M), Brennen Wolcott (M), Jonah Doll (H), Josiah Lowder (H). TJ — 40-4 — Chase Blakenship (T), Cole Baysinger (F), Bryce Whipple (M), Sam Winter (M), Jesus Torres (E), Trevor Ridgway (M).

GIRLS

Elma 154, Montesano 146, Hoquiam 123, Forks 72, Tenino 37

100 — 13.35 — Jayla Mason (E), Hannah Barre (M), Alyssa Scott-York (H), Beka Lensegrav (E). 200 — 27.94 — Shayla Floch (M), Maddi Clark (E), Alyssa Scott-York (H), Beka Lensegrav (E). 400 — 1:03.63 — Elyse Goulet (H), Madison Carlson (F), Lara Kershaw (T), Kaya Aiken (E). 800 — 2:32.55 — Marissa Bailey (F), Savannah Lutz (H), Elizabeth Peterson (M), Lindsey Hutchings (M). 1,600 — 5:37.22 — Marissa Bailey (F), Elizabeth Peterson (M), Adriana Rojas (E), Reina Schneider (E), Melisa Galindo (F), Kayleen Bailey (F). 3,200 — 12:18.92 — Enid Ensastegui (F), Lindsey Hutchings (M), Reina Schneider (E), Melisa Galindo (F), Lucy Roloff (H). 100H — 17.30 — Jillian Bieker (E), Madison Schupbach (M), Charlie Letts (T), Jade Sandstrom (H). 300H — 49.28 — Jillian Bieker (E), Cheyanne Jines (E), Charlie Letts (T), Ella Damron (F). 4x100R — 53.45 — Elma, Hoquiam, Montesano, Tenino. 4x200R — 1:48.09 — Elma, Montesano, Hoquiam, Tenino. 4x400R — 4:22.60 — Elma, Hoquiam, Forks, Tenino.

Shot — 41-5 1/2 — Jordan Spradlin (M), Holli Ray (E), Carly Spradlin (M), Azalea Ramos (F), Hannah Hatcher (M), Baylee Crisp (E). Discus — 116-5 — Jordan Spradlin (M), Carly Spradlin (M), Maggie Cantrell (T), Taylor Strom (H), Mercedes Pinnell (H), Holli Ray (E). Jav — 107-3 — Karlie Krohn (H), Carly Spradlin (M), Hannah Hatcher (M), Taylor Strom (H), Azalea Ramos (F), Jordan Aslin (T). HJ — 5-0 — Shayla Floch (M), Courtney McCormick (H), Grace Aiken (E). PV — 7-0 — Lizzy Capoeman (H), Mercedes Pinnell (H). LJ — 16-5 — Shayla Floch (M), Jillian Bieker (E), Lizzy Capoeman (H), Cheyanne Jines (E), Alexis Delahanty (H), Kayli Johnson (E). TJ — 31-6 1/2 — Lizzy Capoeman (H), Kayli Jankord (E), Grace Aiken (E), Chelsea Biciunas (F), Madison Schupbach (M), Eden Martin (E).