BELFAIR — District championships abound this weekend for North Olympic Peninsula track and field athletes from Class 1B through Class 2A.
Sequim and Port Angeles athletes will toe their marks at the Class 2A West Central District meet at North Mason High School in Belfair beginning at 3 p.m. today and continuing Saturday.
This meet combines the Olympic and South Puget Sound leagues with additional city schools from the 2A KingCo conference.
In the boys competition, Port Angeles’ Jack Gladfelter enters with the fastest time in the 3,200 meters among district qualifiers by more than seven seconds at 9:45.46. Gladfelter also has the second-best 1,600 and the third-fastest 800 time among competitors. Hopefully, he’ll have enough in the tank as the 800 is held an hour and 10 minutes before the 3,200 kicks off Saturday afternoon.
Sequim’s Mirek Skov holds the best pole vault mark in the district, clearing 12 feet, 3 inches, more than a foot ahead of his closest challengers.
The Wolves’ Adrian Brown holds the second-fastest 110 hurdle time (16.06 to 15.7) and is third in the 300 hurdles (41.73). Foster’s Lyricc Lopez broke the all-time state record in the 300 (36.26) earlier this season and also will compete in the 100 and 200 sprints.
On the girls side, Sequim’s Riley Pyeatt is the lone district competitor to break the 1-minute mark in the 400 at 59.3. Pyeatt also ran the fastest district time in the girls 1,600.
She’ll also be a part of the Wolves’ 4×400 relay with Eve Mavy, Kaitlyn Bloomenrader and Hi’ilel Robinson which has the second-fastest district time of 4:18.
East Jefferson athletes also are in Belfair for the 1A West Central District Championships today and Saturday.
Tusker Behrenfeld holds the longest javelin throw of the season entering the meet, more than 26 feet farther than his closest competitor (159-10 to 133-7).
Behrenfeld’s distance already meets the state-qualification mark, so he will compete at 1A state next week in Cheney.
East Jefferson’s Max Allworth-Miles is the second-fastest 1,600 runner, while Sebastian Manza has the third-fastest 1,600 and second-best 3,200 mark, so expect points from the long distance pair.
Lia Poore is tops in the triple jump for the Rivals’ girls while Ellise Gardner’s javelin mark of 102-7 would be good enough for a district record if she’s able to match that distance Saturday.
Forks tracksters will compete today at the SW District IV meet at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.
Neah Bay, Crescent and Clallam Bay athletes competed Thursday at the Class 1B Quad-District meet at Franklin Pierce. Results were unavailable at press time.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@peninsuladaily news.com.
