TACOMA
When it comes to track, Archbishop Murphy’s Sarah Schireman is a little bit like a Swiss army knife.
She can do a lot of things very well.
“She’s one of the best all-around athletes I’ve ever had,” said jump coach Don McClure, who founded the Archbishop Murphy track program before retiring in 2007.
By the end of the three-day WIAA State Track and Field Championships on May 30, Schireman had won a mind-boggling three second-place finishes and a state title.
“Unbelievable season, unbelievable season,” head coach Robert Gonzales said. “I’ve been involved in this sport 39 years, and to watch what this kid did is unbelievable.”
Schireman took the title in the 2A 100-meter hurdles, finishing ahead of the pack in 14.59 seconds for her first-ever state championship — despite the fact that Gonzales considered it her weakest event.
“We were joking about the fact that we were thinking about not running the 100 hurdles,” Gonzales said. “And it’s the one she ends up winning.”
Schireman placed second in the long jump (17-1) and 300-meter hurdles (44.92 seconds). She also placed second in the triple jump (36-5) despite picking up the event only about five weeks ago.
“I would have liked some more firsts,” Schireman said of her performance, “but I’m proud.”
Over the three days of the state track championships, held at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, the Archbishop Murphy senior scored 34 points in four events. That was good enough for Schireman to place fourth in 2A team scoring — all by herself.
The University of Washington, where Schireman will compete next year, plans to take full advantage of Schireman’s versatility. In fact, the Huskies have plans to expand her track events by training Schireman to compete in the heptathlon. In addition to the long jump and 100 hurdles, Schireman would also compete in the 800, 200, shot put, javelin and high jump.
Schireman’s total of 34 points easily broke the old Archbishop Murphy record of 22 points set by Nick Snyder.
Schireman hustles to hurdles win
TACOMA
With an opponent creeping up behind her, threatening to take first place, Archbishop Murphy’s Sarah Schireman was having serious flashbacks.
“I just thought, this is not happening again,” Schireman said.
It didn’t.
The University of Washington-bound Schireman held off a challenge from Burlington-Edison’s Chelsea Genther in the 2A 100-meter hurdles Friday, finishing in 14.59 seconds for her first-ever state championship in the 2A/3A/4A state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School.
“It’s great,” said Schireman, who finished fifth last year in the 100 hurdles. “I thought I was going to win last year and I didn’t, and it makes it all the more (exciting) … Being able to beat Chelsea (who finished third in 2008) was something I didn’t think would be possible (at the start of the year).”
How did Schireman celebrate her victory? She had five minutes to hustle over to the triple jump, an event Archbishop Murphy jump coach Don McClure said she had competed in maybe a total of five times this year.
How did Schrieman do? She took second place with a jump of 36 feet, 5 inches. South Whidbey’s Cayla Calderwood placed third in the triple jump with a distance of 35-2.5. Both finished behind Brandi Thomas of Elma.
“She didn’t get a good start,” Archbishop Murphy head coach Robert Gonzales added of Schireman’s performance in the 100 hurdles. “(When Genther started to catch up) I thought okay, now we’ll see what Sarah’s made of.”
All and all it was great day for Schireman, who scored 18 points all by herself.
Alex Bosworth writes for The Herald in Everett.
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