Area features top 3A state contenders
Spring sports are winding down, or up depending on how you look at it, and track is no exception. Seamount teams finish the regular season on May 2, then prepare for the postseason.
The Renton-area features some legitimate state contenders. Hazen’s Andrey Levkiv looks to be the favorite in the shot put event, while Lindbergh’s Trevor Thompson should make a mark on the 3200-meter. Don’t forget about Renton’s Jasen Meyers, Lindbergh’s Matt Miland or Hazen’s Ducan Mackay either, those guys could make a serious run.
With the Seamount League meet — and KingCo 3A meet for Liberty – starting on May 7, here’s a look ahead at the best area boys track and field athletes event-by-event. Watch for a look at the girls’ side next May 7.
100 meter dash
Top 2008 Washington state time: 10.63, Brett Blanshan (Selah)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 11.27, Duncan Mackay (Hazen)
Lowdown: One thing to remember about the 100-meter is that wind plays a big factor, so don’t read too much into comparing times from different events at different locations. That said, Mackay has the best Seamount time this year by a slim margin over Renton’s Jasen Meyers. Meyers leads an impressive trio for Renton, along with freshman Antonio Stevens and Tevin Ponders. Also keep an eye on Lindbergh sophomore Frank Cange and Liberty junior Alex Leonard.
200 meter dash
Top 2008 Washington state time: 21.73, Colton Dunn (Hockinson)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 22.92, Mackay (Hazen)
Lowdown: The names look similar to the 100-meter, with Mackay at the top through the regular season. Cange ran a 22.93 earlier this year, just .01 behind Mackay’s best time. Renton’s Meyers and Stevens should compete. Hazen’s Tomasz Bailey and Liberty’s Chris Freeman will be in the mix. Freeman has shaved nearly a full second off of his time this season.
400 meter
Top 2008 Washington state time: 48.66, Dunn (Hockinson)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 51.14, Meyers (Renton)
Lowdown: Meyers, along with Gary Hay, make the Indians a good bet to take fastest time in the 400-meter. Hazen’s Arjuna Bridgers will be in the mix.
800 meter
Top 2008 Washington state time: 1:53.11, Mason McHenry (Sehome)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 1:58.24, Michael Miller (Mount Rainier)
Lowdown: Renton seniors Seth Trowdbrige and Kurt Untalan, along with Lindbergh’s Matt Miland and Trevor Thompson will be the top area runners in the 800-meter.
1600 meter
Top 2008 Washington state time: 4:12.56, McHenry (Sehome)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 4:17.66, Ryan Prentice (Mount Rainier)
Lowdown: This looks to be one of the league’s best events. Prentice has the state’s third-best time, while teammate Miller has the 12th-best time. The Lindbergh pair of Miland and Thompson looks very fast and have top-50 state times. Liberty’s Ian Smith has been right around 4:35 twice this season.
3200 meter
Top 2008 Washington state time: 8:59.76, Prentice (Mount Rainier)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 8:59.76, Prentice (Mount Rainier)
Lowdown: Prentice, the 3A state meet runner-up last year, has Washington’s fastest time by more than six seconds. Thompson has the state’s 13th-best time, as just a sophomore. Miland will also play a big role in this race, along with teammate Joseph Patti. Renton’s Clayton Barnes and Chun Chan look strong.
110 meter hurdles
Top 2008 Washington state time: 14.55, Stephone Jordan (Garfield)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 15.95, James Holland (Hazen)
Lowdown: Holland and teammate Adriel Johnson have had good years in the hurdles. Holland is just a sophomore. Lindbergh’s Kyle House has done well.
300-meter hurdles
Top 2008 Washington state time: 38.58, J Hopkins (Everett)
Top 2008 Seamount time: 41.14, Johnson (Hazen)
Lowdown: Hazen seems to have this event cornered at the league level. Between Johnson, Holland and Bryan Daniels, the Highlanders have three of the top four hurdlers in this event in the Seamount League. Lindbergh’s House and Renton’s Ponders could play roles too.
Jumps
Chris Jones (Lindbergh): Jones has top-6 league times in the long, triple and high jumps this year.
Hunter Frerich (Hazen): The senior has the league’s second-best long jump distance.
Marquez Croon (Renton): Through this point in the season, Croon sits at 7th and 8th in the long and triple jump distances league-wide.
Pole Vault
Jeff Hinckley (Hazen): Hinckley has the league’s best height by two feet and the 19th best height in the state so far this year.
Throws
Andrey Levkiv (Hazen): Levkiv has the state’s farthest shot put throw by nearly a foot and a half. He also has the league’s fourth best discus throw.
Zack Nielson (Lindbergh): Nielson has league’s top discus distance and the 12th-best state distance. The junior also looks strong in the shot put.
Armin Basic (Renton): Perhaps the league’s most rounded thrower, Basic has top-4 league distances in the discus (second), javelin (fourth) and shot put (third).
Aaron Bumgarner (Hazen): Bumgarner has the Seamount’s top javelin distance by almost 12 feet.
