Cascade and Jackson high schools may shortly be the only large schools in the state to put off replacing their cinder tracks with modern synthetic surfaces. Today a story appeared in The Herald talking about some of the factors that have made it difficult for Everett Public Schools to modernize its tracks. The track at Cascade is 49 years old and becomes so muddy and rutted, it’s unusable most of the year.

I wanted to know if other schools in the state were struggling with the same problems, so I contacted Mike Colbrese, executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. He asked athletic directors throughout the state that question and he told me Thursday that to his knowledge, Everett is probably the only large school district left that’s using cinder tracks.

The exception appears to be Walla Walla, which is in the process of replacing it right now.