Wolfpack runs to South Division title

Everything came together perfectly for Jackson at the Western Conference South Division track and field championships.

The Timberwolves won five events en route to the team championship May 14 at Edmonds Stadium.

Jackson scored 160 points to finish well ahead of Glacier Peak (105) and Shorecrest (103).

Jackson’s Grant Grosvenor won the 1,600- and 800-meter races and also anchored the Wolfpack’s winning 1,600 relay team. Grosvenor’s time of 1 minute, 55.33 seconds in the 800 was a meet record.

“I had a pretty good starting pace and I just did what I could to try and close it,” Grosvenor said. “It’s my second-best (race this year). Earlier this season I ran a 1:55.”

Jackson coach Eric Hruschka was impressed by Grosvenor’s performance.

“Phenomenal,” he said. “It was really fun to watch. … I think he’s got a shot at the school record in the 800 before the end of the season if he can stay healthy.”

Teammate Mitchell Briggs took first in the 3,200 and was second in the 1,600. Briggs has finished fourth in the 1,600 at districts three years running. He’s looking to crack the top three at this week’s district meet and earn a berth to state.

“If I can get top three that would be amazing,” Briggs said. “Getting that chip off my shoulder would be a huge relief. It’s going to be pretty much a dog fight until the end.”

As for the 3,200, Briggs went out as hard as he could and clocked in with a 4:33 after the first mile.

“Then I just tried to bring it home and win it,” Briggs said. “I knew that Sean (Roe) was going to be right there with me. Sean and I battled it out. It was good. I finished strong and won it.”

Roe took second in the 3,200 and was third in the 1,600.

Briggs expects to go out a little bit slower in the 3,200 at districts.

“I just want to bring it home that last mile and try to bring Sean and hopefully Connor (Frederickson) along too. Sweeping that event would be awesome.”

Frederickson was third in the 3,200.

The 2010 season has gone well for Briggs, who started out by setting personal records in both of his events.

“I hadn’t done that in two years,” Briggs said.

The Jackson senior then ran 9:09 in the 3,200 at the Arcadia Invitational in April.

“I’m still am shocked I can do that,” Briggs said.

A hip problem that Briggs has battled the past two years returned but some rest helped alleviate the issue and Briggs is feeling 100 percent healthy now.

“I’m thrilled with my season,” he said. “My teammates have been great. Everyone has stayed healthy, which is awesome to watch.”

Having so many talented teammates means workouts are challenging.

“The workouts carry over to the meets,” Briggs said. “Our fitness has helped us to get so much better this year. … (We) have the luxury of having such a deep team. The competition is hard every day.”

Jackson’s Blake Nelson won the 400.

Edmonds-Woodway’s Alec Fellows was the standout of the meet, winning four individual events.

The Warriors junior captured the triple jump, 200 and 110 hurdles to go with his victory in the long jump. His 14.90 in the 110 hurdles was .10 seconds off the meet record he set a year ago.

In the 200 he held off Shorewood’s Blaine Weber by .25 seconds with a 22.52. His triple jump of 43 feet, 8.5 inches was less than two feet shy of his 2009 meet record.

It was all in day’s work for the low-key Fellows

“I just wanted to get through to next week that was a the main goal,” Fellows said.

In the girls competition, Edmonds-Woodway senior Katie Tougas was a double event winner.

Tougas, despite a minor hamstring injury, captured the 200 in 26.55 seconds after outleaning Shorecrest’s Alexis Ramos by three hundredths earlier in the day to take the 100 in 12.84 seconds. E-W’s Amia Nash took the 400 in 1:00.42.

The Warriors’ 400 relay team took first.

Jackson’s Victoria Berg won the 300 hurdles and teammate Samantha Bowers captured the shot put. Jackson’s Catherine Tomber finished first in the pole vault.

The 4A District 1 championships are May 19 and 21 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Snohomish.