EDMONDS — Entering the 3A District 1 track finals at Shoreline Stadium today, May 19, the Shorecrest boys 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams are heavy favorites.
But that is only if everything goes smoothly for the Scots, who have the best 3A relay times in the state this year.
A mishap in the 400 relay at the Western Conference South Division championships, May 12 at Edmonds Stadium cost the favored Scots a league title in the event.
Shorecrest limped to the finish after a missed a baton exchange between seniors Ikenna Acholonu and Jesse Hoffman, the No. 1 and 2 runners.
“It wasn’t anyone’s fault,” Acholonu said. “We just got to work on perfecting that.”
However, the Scots bounced back when their 1,600 relay team of Talor Boatsman, Kevin Ramos, Derek Clemmons and Hoffman won easily with their season-best time of 3 minutes, 24.62 seconds. Everything went according to plan, as Shorecrest finished six seconds ahead of second place Everett.
“They were real decent handoffs,” Boatsman said. “I was proud of the guys.”
“We’re all peaking at the right time,” Hoffman added.
The 3A District 1 meet got underway May 17 and continues today at Shoreline Stadium. Field event finals start at 5 p.m. and track finals begin at 6 p.m.
At the Wesco South meet, the Scots finished third as a team with 104 points, behind winner Everett, which had 216 points, and Kamiak, which had 114 points.
Clemmons won the 300 hurdles with a personal best time of 40.18. Despite the win, Clemmons said he stutter stepped too much around the turn and hopes to improve his technique.
Ramos, who has battled a stress fracture in his lower back this season, leaned forward at the end of the 100 to finish with a time of 11.33 seconds and beat Kamiak’s Ramon Richmond by one-hundreth of a second. Hoffman took third with a time of 11.58.
Hoffman defended his Wesco South long jump title with a season-best jump of 22 feet, 7 inches. Clemmons finished third with a leap of 20-9.
Acholonu won the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.13 and finished second in the triple jump with a leap of 43-7 1/2. Sophomore Robert Booker came in sixth in the triple jump with a leap of 39-8 1/4.
Sophomore Roy McElmurry cleared 13 feet in the pole vault and finished third.
Boatsman placed fifth in the 400 with a time of 52.05.
Junior Kellan Sullivan took sixth in the shot put with a throw of 44 feet, 1/2 inch.
Meanwhile, Shorewood finished eighth as a team with 42.5 points.
In the discus, Shorewood senior Richard Ledyard beat favorite Spencer Warfield of Everett by six inches, with a throw of 140 feet, 11 inches.
“It was real surprising,” Ledyard said. “A victory I’ll take nevertheless. I’m really glad to get the victory. A good cap to a good senior season.”
Senior Brock Hartman, who finished third in the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.78, is the T-birds best hope for a state berth.
“Brock Hartman, he’s in the hunt in the 300 hurdles,” Shorewood coach Howie Wood said. “He’s the one that has the most opportunity.”
Senior Ryan Freitas placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 44-9 1/2 while Ledyard finished eighth with a heave of 41-10.
Senior Matt Goiney finished seventh in the 400 with a time of 53.39. Junior Erik Lee placed seventh in the high jump, clearing 5-6 and took eighth in the triple jump with a leap of 39 feet, 1/4 inch. Junior Vasil Zhulev tied for seventh in the pole vault, clearing 11-6. Sophomore Taylor Hartman finished eighth in the high jump, clearing 5-6.
Shorewood’s 1,600-meter relay team finished sixth with a time of 3:38.73.
The Thunderbirds are competing in the finals of the 4A District 1 meet which concludes today, May 19, at Stanwood High School. Field event finals start at 5 p.m. and track finals start at 6 p.m.
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