Braverman sweeps 110, 300 hurdles at Shelton Invitational

At this point in his high school track career, Josh Braverman is working on fine-tuning.

“This season is just about getting faster and stronger,” he said. “It’s not really about the times this year.

“The times would be nice, but the goal is to be ready when I get to college, and just having a cleaner race — fixing up the little things here and there.”

Braverman, a River Ridge senior who signed with the University of Iowa in November, won two more races on Saturday afternoon. He was one of seven local winners.

Braverman swept the 110- and 300-meter hurdles at the 57th Shelton Invitational, as he was favored to do, seemingly with ease.

His time in the 110 hurdles, 14.34 seconds, was nearly a second in front of Woodland’s Jacob Davis, who took second.

Braverman then whisked to another win in the 300 hurdles, posting a 38.94. He was the only hurdler to run the race in less than 40 seconds.

The gap was expected. Braverman has led the state in both races since his season began.

With that in mind, he’s keying in on minor improvements that could make his state-best times (14.11, 110 hurdles; 37.62, 300 hurdles) even faster.

“In the 110s, the quickness of me coming over the hurdles with my lead leg is the main focus,” Braverman said.

“For the 300s, just (having) a faster and more consistent pace through the whole race.”

Braverman is the defending Class 2A champion in the 300 hurdles. He took second in the 110 hurdles as a junior.

TIMBERLINE TRIPLE JUMPERS TAKE TITLES

Both Timberline senior Jaylen Taylor and junior Keshara Romain won the triple jump at Shelton, and both remain contenders for 3A state titles.

Taylor launched a jump of 46 feet, 7 1/4 inches to win the boys event over his club teammate Omarei Gregory from Rogers.

The jump was short of Taylor’s personal best — 46-9, set at the Oregon Relays earlier this month — but he said the plan is to peak at the state meet.

He is ranked second in 3A behind Shadle Park’s Jakobe Ford (47-5 1/2).

“I’m satisfied with the day,” Taylor said. “I got a (win).”

Romain, meanwhile, jumped a season-best 36-11 1/2 to win the girls event by more than three feet.

“I’m where I want to be,” she said.

Romain is nearing her personal best — 37-0 3/4 — set at last year’s Shelton Invitational. She is currently the second-ranked triple jumper in 3A.

CODYS TOP FIELD

Shelton senior Cody Simon won the boys pole vault with a height of 14-0.

He continues to lead the area in the event, and is the fifth-ranked pole vaulter in 3A after posting a personal-best 14-3 in Chehalis last weekend.

Saturday, Simon cleared each of his first three heights — 13-0, 13-6 and 14-0 — on the first attempt.

“I was at a plateau for about a year,” Simon said. “I was stuck at 13-6. But, I got on new poles, and I’ve been working on getting up through.

“The season is coming to the end, but everything is starting to roll.”

Simon’s teammate, junior Cody Hall, won the boys javelin with a personal-best throw of 174-0. That bumps him up several spots in the rankings. He is now fourth in 3A.

Two more locals, Olympia senior Lauren Wilson and Northwest Christian senior Elizabeth Stottlemyre, won events.

Wilson — who is ranked fifth in 4A in the girls high jump after posting a personal-best 5-5 earlier this week — won the event at 5-4 on Saturday.

“I’ve felt very consistent,” Wilson said. “Even though it’s been really bad weather, I feel like we’ve gotten quality practices, so it’s been good.”

Stottlemyre threw a season-best 132-4 to win the girls javelin. She remains second in 2B behind Kalama’s Kaelyn Shipley (158-5).

This story was originally published April 29, 2017 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Braverman sweeps 110, 300 hurdles at Shelton Invitational."