Track and field: 13 locals ranked in top 10 statewide
Following last week’s meets, 14 track and field athletes in the lower South Sound have marks that are ranked in the top 10 statewide.
Some of them have remained atop the rankings throughout the season, while others recently cracked the lists.
River Ridge senior Josh Braverman continues to lead the state in both hurdles events, with times of 14.11 seconds (110 hurdles) and 37.62 (300 hurdles). No athlete has broken either of Braverman’s state-best marks at any point this season. He is the heavy favorite to win both events at the Class 2A state championships in May.
Jaylen Taylor, a Timberline senior, led the state in the triple jump for several weeks before he was dethroned by Shadle Park’s Jakobe Ford. Taylor remains the second-ranked athlete, in the state and 3A, in the event at 46 feet, 9 inches.
Mary M. Knight’s Kaylee Sowlee catapulted into the top 10 this week in the high jump, posting a personal-best 5-5 1/4 at North Beach on Thursday. The sophomore is now ranked third in the state in the event — alongside Camas junior Madison Peffers — and leads 1B. She is the defending state champion in the event in 1B.
Sowlee leads two more locals in the top 10 in the high jump. Olympia senior Lauren Wilson, who jumped a personal-best 5-5 on Wednesday at Ingersoll Stadium, is ranked fifth statewide in the event. Timberline sophomore Jessica Neal is tied for seventh-best in the state after posting a height of 5-4 on Wednesday in Tumwater.
Wilson is ranked third in 4A in the high jump, while Neal is tied for second-best in 3A.
Northwest Christian senior Luke Schilter is ranked sixth in the state in the 1,600 after running a personal-best 4:18.91 at the Brooks/Liberty Distance Twilight on Friday in Renton. He remains the top-ranked runner in 2B in the event.
W.F. West’s Kendra Bottenberg tossed a personal-best 136-6 in the javelin on Wednesday in Centralia to move into the No. 8 spot in the state. She is inching closer each week, but remains second in 2A behind Cheney’s Rylie Pease, who tossed a 138-6 on March 25 in Ephrata.
Keshara Romain, a Timberline junior, jumped her way back into the top 10 after picking up a win on Saturday at the 57th Shelton Invitational. She uncorked a season-best 36-11 1/2, which is the ninth-best distance statewide. She is ranked second in 3A behind Peninsula freshman Kara McKinney, who jumped 38-5 last week at Central Kitsap.
River Ridge senior Alex Coleman remained in the top 10 this week, and is the ninth-ranked athlete statewide in the long jump. His personal-best jump of 22-2 1/2 set at the Oregon Relays in Eugene on April 15 is still the second-best mark in 2A behind Lynden’s Brandon Swarthout (22-3).
Yelm senior Cole Harrison made his way into the top 10 this week in the 200, posting a 22.7 on Thursday at South Sound Stadium. He is ranked 10th in the event statewide, and second in 3A behind Shadle Park’s Vinny Epefanio (22.11).
Three more local athletes share the No. 10 spot in the state in the high jump. Olympia’s Cody Barnett, North Thurston’s Donovan Fenwick and River Ridge’s Josh Kennedy remain locked at 6-4. Barnett is tied for fourth in 4A, Fenwick is tied for third in 3A and Kennedy is tied for second in 2A at that height.
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Previous area bests:
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TOP AREA TRACK AND FIELD MARKS
Through Sunday, April 30
BOYS
100 — Josh Braverman, River Ridge, sr., 11.19
200 — Cole Harrison, Yelm, sr., 22.16
400 — Jason Turner, Capital, sr., 50.5
800 — Tanner Stipic, Capital, jr., 1:59.18
1,600 — Luke Schilter, Northwest Christian, sr., 4:18.91*
3,200 — Corban Phillips, Northwest Christian, sr., 9:43.95*
110 hurdles — Josh Braverman, River Ridge, sr., 14.11**
300 hurdles — Josh Braverman, River Ridge, sr., 37.62**
4x100 relay — River Ridge (Drayden Alexander, soph.; Alex Coleman, sr.; Tyler Robinson, jr.; Josh Braverman, sr.) 43.6
4x400 relay — Capital (Ethan Au, jr.; Zach Willis, jr.; Tanner Stipic, jr.; Jason Turner, sr.) 3:28.82
Shot put — Ryan Underland, Olympia, sr., 50-10
Discus — Ian Frost, Mary M. Knight, jr., 156-9*
Javelin — Cody Hall, Shelton, jr., 174
High jump — Cody Barnett, Olympia, sr.; Donovan Fenwick, North Thurston, jr.; Josh Kennedy, River Ridge, sr., 6-4
Pole vault — Cody Simon, Shelton, sr., 14-3
Long jump — Alex Coleman, River Ridge, sr., 22-2 1/2
Triple jump — Jaylen Taylor, Timberline, sr., 46-9
GIRLS
100 — Makenna Hansen, Timberline, jr., 12.45
200 — Makenna Hansen, Timberline, jr., 25.91
400 — Megan McSheffrey, Northwest Christian, jr., 59.96
800 — Megan McSheffrey, Northwest Christian, jr., 2:26.12
1,600 — Ava Shackell, Black Hills, soph., 5:26.97
3,200 — Eliana Summers, Northwest Christian, jr., 11:36.58*
100 hurdles — Heidi Sowers, Northwest Christian, sr., 15.92
300 hurdles — Heidi Sowers, Northwest Christian, sr., 47.08*
4x100 relay — Timberline (Rachel Izuagbe, jr.; Makenna Hansen, jr.; Ashley Babkirk, fr.; Keshara Romain, jr.) 51.52
4x200 relay — Timberline (Rachel Izuagbe, jr.; Makenna Hansen, jr.; Ashley Babkirk, fr.; Keshara Romain, jr.) 1:48.01
4x400 relay — Capital (Kelsey Au, jr.; Tae’lor Johnson, sr.; Lexi Solis, soph.; Regie Grady, jr.) 4:13.8
Shot put — McKenzie Salazar-Fox, Shelton, fr., 38-1
Discus — Beatrice Asomaning, Olympia, soph., 115-5
Javelin — Kendra Bottenberg, W.F. West, jr., 136-6
High jump — Kaylee Sowle, Mary M. Knight, soph., 5-5 1/4*
Pole vault — Katie Fish, Olympia, jr.; Megan Flexhaug, W.F. West, soph.; Madison Marquez, W.F. West, sr.; Cassandra Mullin, Tumwater, fr.; Alli Redd, Olympia, sr.; Elizabeth Wilkinson, Rainier, fr., 9-0
Long jump — Arianna Bush, Timberline, fr., 17-3
Triple jump — Keshara Romain, Timberline, jr., 36-11 1/2
* Top mark in classification
** Top mark in state
This story was originally published April 30, 2017 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Track and field: 13 locals ranked in top 10 statewide."