TACOMA — This one was for coach Black.
Last spring during Tay’lor Eubanks’ freshman year at Cascade High School, Eubanks met Cascade’s new track and field jumps coach, Les Black. They hit it off. Eubanks admired Black’s old-school, no-nonsense style and Black enthusiastically fostered Eubanks’ jumping potential.
Eubanks, now a sophomore, displayed some of that potential on Friday at Mount Tahoma Stadium, where he placed third in the Class 4A boys state triple jump event. Afterward, pelted by rain and chilled by gusts of wind, Eubanks still beamed with pride. He knew coach Black, who wasn’t able to see it, would have been happy.
After making a huge impact on Eubanks and other Cascade athletes during his one and only season coaching the Bruins, Black died of complications from a blood clot in December, Cascade head track coach Chris Crockett said. Black was 54.
“This championship meet’s about him. I’ve been thinking about him,” said Eubanks, who had a tribute to Black — RIP LKB (Black’s initials) — shaved into the hair on the back of his head. Eubanks also wore special yellow running shoes, decorated with an eye-catching shark-head design, that were a gift from Black.
Seeded third, Eubanks had a top triple jump of 46 feet, 1.25 inches. He finished behind winner Kasen Williams of Skyline (47-6) and runnerup Levi Taylor of Lewis &Clark (46-11).
“I have to think Les is proud today. He’s looking down,” said first-year Cascade jumps coach Greg Font, who replaced Black this season.
Font and Black worked together and were close friends. Font met Crockett, Cascade’s head coach, at Font’s memorial service and accepted an invitation to take over for Black by coaching the Bruins’ jumpers.
Eubanks was one of three Western Conference athletes who placed among the top seven in the 4A triple jump. Edmonds-Woodway’s Alec Fellows finished fourth, Snohomish’s Christopher Rusnak seventh.
Later, in a busy day that also included a 200-meter dash prelim, E-W’s Fellows placed fourth in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.08 seconds. Marysville-Pilchuck’s Mark Pangilinan finished eighth (15.67).
Elsewhere in 4A boys finals, Cascade’s Timothy St. Marie placed third in the discus with a throw of 149-11. It much shorter than his season-best (163-10) but not bad considering the crummy conditions. Snohomish sophomore Travis Pickett finished fourth with a throw of 148-7. Pickett was seeded ninth.
The event capped a strong meet for St. Marie, who placed third in the shot put on Thursday.
Mariner’s Josh Kiehl placed sixth in the high jump, clearing 6-4. It was the first state appearance for Kiehl, who overcame a serious leg injury (two torn ligaments and a chipped tibia) earlier this spring.
In preliminary track races, Grant Grosvenor broke Jackson’s 800-meter school record, winning his heat in 1:53.58. He is seeded first for today’s final.
“Very impressive,” Jackson coach Eric Hruschka said. “He ran aggressively.”
Grosvenor, who will also run in the 1,600 final today, broke the old 800 school record (1:54.01) set by Dustin Duke in 1998.
“I still have a little bit more in me,” Grosvenor said.
Making up for his stumble and dreaded “did not finish” result in Thursday’s 110 hurdle prelims, Kamiak’s Nari Sternen won his 300 hurdle prelim heat in 39.44 on Friday. He is seeded No. 3 for today’s final.
Truman Walker enjoyed quite a haul of hardware in the wheelchair throwing events. The Marysville-Pilchuck sophomore won three first-place medals (discus, shot put, javelin) in the wheelchair field competitions. He set a new personal record in the discus.
Walker, a first-year thrower, said it was “one of the greatest days of my life” and he said he owes it all to his coaches, parents and teammates.
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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