Archbishop Murphy’s quadruple track threat

Published 7:42 am Thursday, May 28, 2009

It takes most athletes years to become a state-caliber triple jumper. Sarah Schireman needed about a day.

A senior at Archbishop Murphy High School, Schireman was already an accomplished long jumper and hurdler before the 2009 track and field season began. Halfway through the spring, on a whim, she tried the triple jump, an awkward-looking event that can be frustrating even for experienced competitors.

Yet when Schireman attempted a triple jump just for fun at a practice just after spring break, something clicked. The first time she tried it in a meet, she instantly climbed to the top of the Class 2A state leaderboard. Not bad for a beginner.

Schireman is so talented that even fluke impulses turn into triumphs. “That was a total accident,” second-year Archbishop Murphy track coach Robert Gonzales said of Schireman’s path to becoming a triple jumper.

But Gonzales isn’t all that surprised by Schireman’s success in her newest event. She’s equipped to succeed in virtually anything.

“She is one of those throwbacks which we don’t see anymore, a multiple-sport athlete,” the coach said of Schireman, who played soccer four years and basketball two years at Murphy. “She is the type of kid that we can say, ‘Hey Sarah, go high jump. Hey Sarah, go shot put.’”

This week Schireman has a chance to win four individual events at the 2A state meet in Tacoma. The 2A, 3A and 4A championships take place today through Saturday at Mount Tahoma Stadium. Schireman, a University of Washington recruit, is ranked No. 1 in 2A in three events (100- and 300-meter hurdles, and long jump) and is ranked second in the triple jump, according to Athletic.net.

The Everett resident hopes to snare four victories.

“I would love to come away with four gold medals,” she said. “I think I really have a shot at doing it. I just need to step up and perform.”

A four-time state qualifier in the long jump, Schireman has not won a state track title yet. Last year she was the favorite in two events (long jump and 300 hurdles) but finished second in both. She admits that her troubles were mental, not physical.

“My goal,” Schireman said, “is not to choke and to really step up and hopefully (get personal records), in the triple jump and the 300 hurdles, especially.”

One key for Schireman, Gonzales said, is to relax and “enjoy every single moment. Understand that you’re coming to compete, not just to participate, but enjoy it. If she does that, I think Sarah’s going to bring back some serious hardware.”

It won’t be easy, Gonzales and Schireman said. In the 300 hurdles, Schireman’s season-best time of 44.92 seconds is just .01 faster than the second-ranked runner, Pullman’s Niina Al-Hassan. In the triple jump, Elma’s Brandi Thomas is the top seed with a mark of 37 feet, 9.5 inches; Schireman’s season-best is 37-2.5.

The school record-holder in at least six events, according to Gonzales, Schireman credits her success to numerous coaches and teammates, including former Murphy hurdler Nick Snyder, a two-time state champ. She also gets valuable guidance from a man she and her peers call Grandpa — Don McClure. He started the Murphy track program and retired after the 2007 season.

This season, Gonzales invited McClure to return and coach Schireman and the team’s other jumpers. Gonzales, who coaches hurdlers, was thrilled to reunite Schireman with her old coach.

“They have a special relationship,” Gonzales said. “It would have been very, very sad on my part if I would have tried to interfere in that.”

Class 4A

The best is yet to come, Marlyn Anderson said. The massive Snohomish High thrower is ranked No. 1 in 4A in shot put (57-5) and discus (168-10). With a few technique tweaks, he believes he can throw quite a bit further.

“I can hit bigger. I have a lot more left in me,” the Eastern Washington University recruit said.

Snohomish coach Tuck Gionet said it’s great to see Anderson — who last year placed third in shot put and fourth in discus — feeling confident. But regardless of how Anderson performs, he constantly supports teammates.

“He is everywhere,” Gionet said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a freshman and you are last in a JV meet or are one of our state-bound athletes: he’s your buddy, he’s your biggest cheerleader. And that has an effect on the rest of the team.”

In the 4A girls meet, Cascade’s Brittany Jones is ranked No. 1 in discus (135-9) and will also compete in shot put. In 2008, Jones finished third in shot and fourth in discus.

Class 3A

Everett has two top-ranked individuals, one in the field and one on the track.

Thanks to his huge throw at districts, Malaki Seanoa is seeded first in the boys javelin. The junior’s toss of 197-8 is 3 feet longer than the No. 2 seed’s qualifying mark. Seanoa was 16th at state last year.

In the 3A girls meet, Everett distance runner Suzy Olsen is ranked first in the 1,600 (5:08.47) and seventh in the 3,200. She was a member of the Seagulls girls soccer state-title team in the fall.

Class 1A, 2B and 1B

Led by sprinter Josh Fuller and hurdler/thrower Curtis Clauson, the King’s boys have a chance to win their third consecutive 1A team title at Eastern Washington University in Cheney. Fuller, a senior, is ranked first in the 100, 200 and 400; Clauson, a sophomore, is No. 1 in the 300 hurdles and javelin. Fuller is going for his third consecutive 400 crown.

King’s senior Olivia Thomas leads a solid Knights girls squad. She is seeded first in the 800, second in the 1,600 and is part of two championship-caliber relay teams.

Grace Academy’s Brian Young will try to defend his 1B titles in the high jump and long jump in Cheney. He is ranked No. 1 in the high jump with a top height of 6-4 and No. 2 in long jump.

Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.