SNOHOMISH – Jessica Yates is always a fierce competitor, but she cranks up the intensity a few more notches when visitors invade her territory.
Yates, of Snohomish High School, had three top-four finishes, including a victory in the triple jump, and helped the host Panthers girls track team prevail Saturday during the 19th annual Larry Eason Invitational at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“You have to (win) on your home turf,” said Yates, who won the triple jump with a distance of 36 feet, 11 inches. She was runner-up in the long jump (17-4) and placed fourth in the high jump (5-2).
Yates tallied 23 of Snohomish’s 86 points. The second-place team was Olympia (69.5 points), which won last year.
Known as one of the state’s top triple-jumpers, Yates set a personal record in the long jump and tied her PR in the high jump. She was a bit zapped before her specialty, the triple, which was sandwiched between her other events.
“It was a good day,” Yates said, “but I was just a little tired when it came to the triple jump.”
Lacey Cone (javelin) also placed first for Snohomish, and teammate Alica Fliger took second in the hammer throw. They helped the home team hoist the first-place trophy one year after placing third.
“We represented, and we expect our girls to do pretty well this year,” said Snohonish co-captain Annelise Cook, who was fifth in discus and sixth in hammer throw.
Usually, Yates is challenged in the triple jump by teammate Bri Clark, also one of the state’s elite competitors. But Clark is on crutches thanks to a meniscus injury in her left knee. The knee injury struck just as she had recovered from a broken pinkie toe.
But Clark still showed up Saturday and cheered for Yates. Snohomish’s team title is just what Clark hoped for, even though she dreamed of contributing in a different way.
“You gotta represent. You gotta bring it if it’s at your place,” said Clark, who hopes to return before the end of the season.
The female athletes of the meet were Devin Brooks of Holy Names (track) and Brittany Todhunter of Sehome (field). Brooks, a three-time state champion in the 100-meter hurdles, won the 100 hurdles and the 100 dash. Todhunter placed first in the shot and the discus.
Brooks set a meet record in the 100 hurdles in a preliminary heat. Squalicum’s Bronwyn Crossman broke the meet record in the 3,200, finishing in 10 minutes, 42.3 seconds.
Other top local finishers included Arlington’s Kjirsten Jensen, who finished second behind Todhunter in the shot put and the discus, and Lakewood’s Michelle Howe, who was runner-up in the 100 hurdles behind Brooks.
Arlington’s Shayna Prause was second in the javelin despite forgoing her final three attempts to prepare for a non-sports school activity.
Meet director and Snohomish coach Tuck Gionet praised his two top-four javelin throwers, Cone and Kelyn Lane. Both throwers set personal records (Cone’s top heave, 113-2, broke the school record) and helped Snohomish score more points than it expected in the event.
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