SNOHOMISH — Lake Stevens junior Teagan Lawson put up both fists in celebration and had a smile on his face as he landed on the mat after arching his body over the 6-foot, 6-inch high bar.
Lawson overcame a star-studded field to claim the boys high jump title on the first day of the Wesco 4A League Championship on Wednesday at Snohomish High School.
Lawson, one of several locals who will be among the contenders to win the Class 4A state title, has earned first in the high jump every meet this season. He is tied for third in Washington among all classifications and tied for first in 4A with his 6-6 mark. He placed 10th at the league championships as a freshman and third as a sophomore, but it was his time this year as a junior for the top podium spot.
“Today, I was actually running a full different approach than I usually do. And it worked, I just have to fine-tune the details,” Lawson said. “Before, I was coming off the start kind of like a straight run. Now, I’m trying to incorporate bounding. But it worked. Six-six is a pretty good deal, so I’ll take it.
“It was a good competition,” Lawson continued. “Myson (Jackson’s) pr is 6-6, Jo (Lee’s) is 6-5, so we’re all right there together. They both cleared 6-4 before me, and (once) I cleared it, I’m like, ‘Whoever is going to clear 6-6 is going to win this.’ I was definitely competing against myself. There were a lot of technical things that I needed to work on, but obviously I really wanted the title today.”
Lee, a Glacier Peak junior, placed second with a 6-4 mark, one inch shy of his personal record. For only taking up the event for the first time this year, he’s placed first at six meets and been runner-up twice. Lee is currently fifth in 4A and tied for 13th in the state.
“Once you get top four, you kind of know you’re in,” Lee said. “I was happy with how I did, (and now) I’m focusing on districts and then state.”
Lee stars for the Grizzlies’ boys basketball team alongside senior Adam Loum, who earned a personal record 6-2 mark to claim fourth, and freshman Zachary Albright, who placed sixth at 6-0. There were days when Lee skipped basketball practice to take time to learn the technicalities of the high jump.
“I was trying to have boys interested (in high jump) this year,” said Glacier Peak high jump coach Amy Seelhoff. “And then when I found out it was (Lee, Loum and Albright), because I watched them during their basketball season get third at state, I was so excited.”
Jackson, a Kamiak senior, finished third at 6-4, but was unable to keep the bar steady on the 6-6 height. He, like Lawson, is tied for third in Washington and first in 4A with a season best of 6-6. Jackson was the two-time defending league champion in the high jump.
After the first day and with half the events completed, the Kamiak boys team leads with 91 points, followed by Lake Stevens (77), Glacier Peak (51), Jackson (31) and Mariner (23). The Lake Stevens girls team leads the pack with 106 points, followed by Jackson (82), Kamiak (73), Glacier Peak (70) and Mariner (11).
The second and final day of the meet begins at 5 p.m. Friday at Snohomish.
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