EDMONDS — Coach Eric Hruschka was hoping that the Jackson boys track and field team would be able to step up and finish among the top four or five teams at the Western Conference South Division championships.
The Timberwolves did not disappoint as senior Kevin Salkey scored in three individual events to help pace Jackson to a fourth-place finish May 12 at Edmonds Stadium.
“We came in and did what I had hoped to do,” Hruschka said.
Salkey took second place in the 400-meter race in 51.37 seconds, just behind Edmonds-Woodway’s Antoinne Wafer (51.15). Salkey also finished fifth in the 200 (23.59), eighth in the 100 (11.79) and helped anchor Jackson’s 1,600 relay team with Ali Al Hussaini, Travis Swingle and Steven Houck to a third-place finish (3:32.40).
“He was our athlete of the meet,” Hruschka said of the Wolfpack’s senior standout. “He had a great day.”
Junior Ali Al Hussaini also was another of Jackson’s top point scorers. Al Hussaini finished second in the 300 hurdles (41.33) and was fourth in the 110 hurdles (16.21).
Al Hussaini was leading the 300 hurdles but then clipped the final hurdle, stumbled to the ground before getting up and finishing the race. Shorecrest’s Derek Clemmons won the race in 40.18.
“I just wasn’t really concentrating on my race,” Al Hussaini said. “I was kind of concentrating on the other Shorecrest people … my goal was to get Wesco South. Better luck next time.”
At last year’s Wesco South Division championship, Al Hussaini did not make it past the preliminaries. So he was glad to make the finals in both events this season.
“It’s my first year going to finals in both events,” Al Hussaini said. “It felt really good.”
Al Hussaini is pumped up for districts.
“I’m going after it,” he said. “I’m just going to race my race and not other people.”
Teammate Nicholas Iverson finished second the pole vault (13 feet, 6 inches).
Sophomore Kristi Kingma took first place in the triple jump with a leap of 35-5. Kingma also placed fourth in the high jump (5-0) and ran on the 1,600 relay team with Allison Body, Alyssa Hoard and Laice Valera, which placed second (4:09.97).
Senior Allison Graham took third in the 3,200 (12:09.83) and finished seventh in the 1,600. Graham was more pleased with the 3,200 (5:33.46).
“I’m hitting this barrier in the mile,” Graham said. “I just can’t seem to go under 5:30, but hopefully I will at districts.”
The pace in the 3,200 on Wednesday was slower than usual, which was more to Graham’s liking.
“I usually do better when we go a little slower,” she said.
Freshman Alison Ponce took fourth place in the 3,200 (12:11.05) right behind Graham. Ponce finished 11th in the 1,600 (5:43.88).
Sophomore Alyssa Pratt took second in the pole vault with a 8-6.
Other Jackson point scorers were Jackie Ricaurte (fourth in the triple jump), Alyssa Hoard (seventh in the 300 hurdles), Allison Body (fifth in the 800, ninth in the triple jump) and Rachel Casel (fifth in the 200).
The Timberwolves finished sixth in the girls team standings with 82 points. Shorewood (199) won the team title and was followed by Edmonds-Woodway (104), Everett (95.5), Meadowdale (91) and Lynnwood (83.5).
Top point scorers for the Jackson boys included Dan Truong (tie for third in the triple jump) Travis Swingle (fifth in the 300 hurdles, fifth in the triple jump, ninth in the long jump), William Green (sixth in the 200) and Michael Manning (sixth in the 3,200).
Truong’s leap of 40-11/2 in the triple is a freshman record and among Jackson’s top 10 in school history.
“He had a huge day,” Hruschka said.
Jackson’s 400 relay team of Green, Tylor Rathbun, Dan Reimer and Brandon Bell finished fifth and their time of 45.65 was the fastest of the season.
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