Falcon track team excels at Kings

The South Whidbey track and field team continued to dominate early this season, with the girls and boys taking first and second in a four-way league match-up Thursday. The Falcon girls won first place with 106 points, the boys second with 75, in the meet at Kings High School against league opponents Granite Falls (23/11), Cedarcrest (28/31.7) and Kings (101/117). The Tigers finished the meet at Granite Falls 23/11, the Red Wolves 28/31.7, and the Knights 101/117.

The South Whidbey track and field team continued to dominate early this season, with the girls and boys taking first and second in a four-way league match-up Thursday.

The Falcon girls won first place with 106 points, the boys second with 75, in the meet at Kings High School against league opponents Granite Falls (23/11), Cedarcrest (28/31.7) and Kings (101/117). The Tigers finished the meet at Granite Falls 23/11, the Red Wolves 28/31.7, and the Knights 101/117.

The boys

Falcon freshman sprinter Jon Poolman led the 100-meter race with a time of 11.54 seconds. Eric Stallman took third with 11.80.

Poolman and Chandler Thompson combined for a one-two knockout with 23.41 and 24.22 in the 200. Scott Stallman was first in the 400 at 56.34.

The boys didn’t fare as well in distance runs, but freshman Jordan Thornley brought in a third in the 3200 with 11:55.27.

Andy Bennett jumped the high hurdles in 46.44, good enough for second.

In field events, David Monell put his shot 38 6-75 for third place while junior Cory Soto threw his javelin 119-9, also for third.

Thompson and Eric Stallman shined in the long jump — Thompson hurtled himself 19 9 feet for a personal best and Stallman 18 10 for the top two spots. Scott Stallman triple-jumped for third place with 38-4 ½.

“Our male sprinters will run their first 4X100 relay next week and it should be a fast team,” Falcon Coach Doug Fulton said.

The girls

“We were pleasantly surprised that the girls beat the league’s defending champions,” Fulton said.

“And our 800-meter win leads the league and district plus ranks in the top five statewide,” he added.

On the basketball court last winter, junior Lauren Sandri always seemed to hustle down court faster than anyone else. Now she’s in her own element, taking first place in the 100- and 200-meter races at 13.16 and 26.99 (a season-best rating).

Fellow sprinters Gwen Bakke was third in the 100 with 13.81 and freshman McKenzie Walker second in the 200 with 27.80.

Walker also took second in the 400 with 1:05.05.

The distance runners had a field day at Kings — Erica Johnson (2:30.79), Katy Gordon (2:32.02) and Caroline Habel (2:40:42) dominated the 800 for the top three spots. Gordon and Courtney Bosman took first and second in the 3200 with 12:05.19 and 12:35.16 respectively.

Freshman Laura Barrow ran the 300-meter low hurdles for second at 53.21.

Hope Richards, Walker, Bakke and Sandri beat the field by two seconds in the girls 4X100 relay. Richards, Bakke, Sandri and Cayla Calderwood triumphed in the 4X200 a few minutes later.

In the field venues, Emma Ruggiero took second in the shot put with 30 11 and first in discus with 113 09.

Martha Gil-Osorio threw her javelin 88 08 for second.

Finally, freshman Calderwood had a terrific day in the high and long jump competition, with 4 08 and 15 ½ for first in both.

At 4 p.m. Thursday, March 29, the team will host Lakewood.