Viking girls take second at state track meet, Bothell sprinters win 400 relay

The Inglemoor High girls’ track team put together a strong performance at the 4A state track and field meet at Mount Tahoma High last weekend, finishing second overall and placing seven times including senior and Cal-Poly bound Tansey Lystad sweeping the distance events, handily winning both the 1,600 meter run (four minutes, 54.25 seconds) and the 3,200 (10:28.92).

“I started crying, it’s just been really emotional, coming back after sophomore year, my first year at state, I took 12th in the two-mile,” Lystad said on her win in the 3,200. “I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d be a state champion.”

As a team, the Vikings placed second with 43 team points to Kentwood, which ran away with the team title scoring 66 points.

In the 3,200 final, teammate Kyra Burke also placed, finishing eighth in 11:05.37.

The Vikings’ premier hurdling duo of Erin Allen and Becca Berge shined in their events, with Allen (15.23) and Berge (15.57) placing fourth and sixth respectively in the 100 meter hurdles.

In their final race as Vikings, both girls improved and notched season-best times in the 300 meters. Allen placed a close second in 43.80, and Berge was third in 44.70.

On the boys’ side, pole vaulter Shamus Mukai also enjoyed his highest state finish, placing fourth after clearing 14 feet, which tied a personal best.

Rounding out the Vikings’ placers was Colin O’Neil, who snuck into the final heat and placed eighth in the 1,600 meters in 4:20.29 for his first state medal.

Isabella Torgerson (right), a senior, finished 12th in the pole vault in her first state appearance, clearing 10 feet.

BOTHELL SPRINTERS HAVE A FIELD DAY

The Cougars also brought home a state title, as the 400 meter relay boys’ team of Luke Proulx, Will McIntyre, Nick Anthony and Dylan Langston combining to run a lightning-fast 42.18 in the finals, only about eight-tenths of a second off the all-time state meet record.

“I am so proud of this team – they have faced adversity and never stopped believing in each other,” said Bothell track head coach Cathy Boyce. “They set a new school record, ran the best time in the state this spring, and were state champions.”

Individually, Langston placed in the 200 meters with a time of 22.09.

Senior thrower Brendan Peterson finished his prep career with a flourish, posting a personal-best shot put of 52-9.50 to place sixth in the finals.

The Cougars boys ended up in a tie of 16th place out of the 45 attending teams at the 4A state meet with 16 points and had Kingco’s second-best showing behind Skyline (31 points, fifth place).

EAGLE GIRLS TAKE EIGHTH AT STATE

The Cedar Park Christian girls’ team performed well at the 1A state track and field meet at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, placing eighth as a team with 28.2 points. Fellow 1A Emerald City League school Bellevue Christian won the team title with 61 points.

The Eagles were led by a strong running performance by sophomore Sally Larson (below), who placed second in each of the 800 meters (2:21.71), 1,600 meters (5:12.71) and 3,200 meters (11:10.27).

In addition, the 400 relay squad of Faith MacDonald, Korinne Zoellick, Mikaela Raschick and Erin Beezhold placed seventh in 51.44.

In the field, Raschick had the Eagles’ highest finish of sixth in the high jump, clearing 5-0, and Koellick also added a medalist performance in the pole vault, taking eighth with a 9-0 clear.

On the boys’ side, the only state placer was Daniel Calhoon, who cleared 12-0 in the pole vault.