PREP TRACK: Lakewood’s Hulslander shakes off injury to set pole vault record

Published 11:18 pm Wednesday, May 20, 2009

BELLINGHAM — Hurt all week, Lakewood’s Spencer Hulslander wasn’t sure he would be able to clear the minimum height requirement for a pole vault.

In the end, Hulslander shook off a groin injury and tied the 2A District 1 meet record with a vault of 14 feet.

How did the Lakewood senior react to news he had tied the meet record? By trying to clear more than 15 feet on his next jump. Even though he came up short, it’s clear Hulslander is setting his sights high.

Hulslander placed first in the pole vault, securing an invitation to state along the way, in the first day of the 2A District 1 track and field championships at Civic Stadium. The meet is a two-day event that will finish on Friday.

“It’s way better than anything I could have hoped for,” said Hulslander, who entered the meet as the state’s No. 2 vaulter behind Ephrata High School’s Wes Chamberlain. “I’m super excited.”

Payden Butler placed third for Lakewood in the pole vault and Lakewood’s Taylor Guske also placed third in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4 minutes, 25.46 seconds, behind Blaine’s Tim Bradley and Burlington-Edison’s Tyler Williams.

Cedarcrest’s Freddie Stevens took third in the shot put at 52-7, but felt that he could have done better — and hoped a strange trend continued.

“Every time I PR I (drop back),” Stevens said, “I threw a 54-8 one week, then dropped down to a 52 (the next week), then I threw a 56 (at the Cascade Conference meet last week) and dropped down to 52 … I’m hoping the curve continues (at state).”

Cedarcrest also received state qualifying top-four finishes from Jackson Pleis (second place) and Kyle van Valkenberg (fourth) in the high jump.

Girls

Sarah Schireman’s only problem, according to Archbishop Murphy coach Robert Gonzales, is that she has a tendency to go too fast sometimes.

In the world of track and field, that can be an enviable problem.

The Archbishop Murphy senior overcame some early scratches to jump 17 feet, 11.25 inches and take first place in the long jump — an event she entered ranked No. 1 in state. Sehome’s Zoe Moller, ranked No. 2 in the state, was nearly a foot back at 17 feet.

“(It’s getting) that speed under control, adjusting the speed,” Gonzales explained.

Now it’s official — Schireman will be headed to the 2A state meet at Mount Tahoma High School in at least one event.

Schireman, who also holds the state’s best time or distance for a 2A athletes in the 100 and 300 hurdles and triple jump, explained that she enjoys competing with a No. 1 ranking.

“I love being in that position,” said Schireman, whose mother Mary competed in track for Everett high School and who used to own the school record in the 300 hurdles. “I love to be the last jumper, in the last heat … It’s good to pysch everyone out, I remember as a freshman looking up at the No. 1s and just being in awe of them.”

Archbishop Murphy placed sixth on the first day. Lakewood scored 14 points to place fourth, Cedarcrest scored 13 points to place fifth, and Northwest Conference powers Burlington-Edison and Sehome placed first and second.

Schireman also turned in a time of 14.92 seconds in the 100 hurdles prelim, her second-best time of the year in that event. “It felt really good,” she said, “It’s good to have your (two fastest times) at the end of the year.”

Other local athletes who qualified for state included Cedarcrest’s Ashton Griffen (discus and javelin), Sultan’s Rici Morrill (1600) and Granite Falls’ Ericka Smith (javelin).

“I’m looking forward to Friday,” Schireman said of her upcoming chance to qualify for three more state events.

At Bellingham Civic Stadium

Boys

Team scores—Sehome 50, Lakewood 26.33, Blaine 22, Anacortes 20, Cedarcrest 19.33, Burlington-Edison 16, Lynden 10, South Whidbey 9, Squalicum 8.33, Sultan 6, Mt. Baker 6, Archbishop Murphy 2.

1,600—3. Taylor Guske (Lakewood) 4:25.46; Pole vault—1. Spencer Hulslander (Lakewood) 14-0, 3. Payden Butler (Lakewood) 13-3; High jump—2. Jackson Pleis (Cedarcrest) 6-2, 4. Kyle Van Valkenberg (Cedarcrest) 5-10; Shot put—3. Freddie Stevens (Cedarcrest) 52-7.

Girls

Team scores—Burlington-Edison 27, Sehome 24, Blaine 21, Lakewood 14, Cedarcrest 13, Bellingham 10, Archbishop Murphy 10, South Whidbey 9, Granite Falls 9, Squalicum 6, Anacortes 5, Sultan 5, Mt. Baker 3.

1,600—4. Rici Morrill (Sultan) 5:09.99; Long jump—1. Sarah Schireman (Archbishop Murphy) 17-11.25; Discus—3. Nikki Enters (South Whidbey) 106-5; Javelin—2. Ericka Smith (Granite Falls) 109-1.