Community roundup: Local duo headed to NCAA track nationals

A pair of Snohomish County natives who compete for track and field teams at colleges in Washington are headed to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Mariner High School graduate Suzy Pace and Everett High School graduate Jayden White both qualified for nationals because of their efforts at the NCAA West Preliminary Championship held last Wednesday through Saturday in College Station, Texas. The top 12 placers in each event qualified for nationals.

Pace, now a sophomore at Washington State, won a jump-off to take 12th place in the women’s high jump and grab the meet’s final berth to nationals. Pace tied her personal best with a leap of 5 feet, 9 3/4 inches, and she was one of four athletes involved in the jump-off for the last three spots at nationals. Pace’s clearance at 5-8 1/2 in the jump-off earned her the qualifying spot.

White, a freshman at Washington, also waited until the last possible moment to punch his ticket to nationals. Competing in the men’s hammer throw, White was well outside the top 12 when he came to his third-and-final attempt. However, he uncorked a throw of 213-6 — an improvement by more than 12 feet — to capture 12th place and the final berth to nationals.

Nationals take place next Wednesday through Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.

Quartet earns All-Region honors

Four athletes from Snohomish County who compete for colleges in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference received NCAA Division II All-West Region honors by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The top five individuals in each event in each region were recognized.

Two compete for Western Washington. Arlington High School graduate Cordell Cummings, now a senior, was honored three times as he ranked second in the men’s 110-meter hurdles (14.46 seconds) and the 400 hurdles (52.75), and was also part of the Vikings’ second-ranked 1,600 relay team (3:15.93). Glacier Peak High School grad Katie Potts, a first year, ranked fifth in the women’s shot put (41-8 1/2).

The other two compete for Central Washington. Monroe High School graduate Aidan Cain, a senior, was honored in three events: the men’s hammer throw, discus and shot put. Archbishop Murphy High School grad Martin Napeahi, a junior, joined Cain in being honored in the discus.

EvCC, EdC athletes named All-Americans

Eleven athletes from Everett Community College and Edmonds College were named NWAC Track and Field All-Americans. The top three on the performance list in each event were honored.

Livii Fetterly led the way for the nine athletes from Everett. the first year from Traverse City, Michigan, received three nods, ranking first in the women’s shot put (38-4 3/4) and second in the 100 hurdles (15.39), as well as being part of the 400 relay along with fellow first years Mattason Straub and Kianna Kivisto and sophomore Tracey Hatch which ranked second (50.84).

Others from Everett who where honored were freshman Javon Gray (second in men’s triple jump at 49-0 3/4, third in men’s long jump at 22-8 1/2), sophomore Grace Wright (third in women’s discus at 124-11) and the 1,600 relay team of Hatch, sophomores Elle London and Avery Daniels, and first year Monet Rundle (third in 4:30.04).

Edmonds’ two honorees were freshman Dylan Lennon in the men’s 10,000 (second in 32:57.55) and first year Christina Savenkova in the women’s 1,500 (third in 5:00.13).

If you have an item for the community sports roundup, email Nick Patterson at npatterson@heraldnet.com.