For some South Whidbey varsity athletes, this is a busy week indeed.
Thirteen Falcons are representing their school and community — in golf, tennis and track — at state championship venues in Yakima, Seattle and Tacoma.
Golfer Brandi Winn is at the Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima after placing eighth of 70 girls at District 1 championships in Snohomish.
“I had a good day, but now I’m facing 80 of the best from around the state,” Winn said. “We’ll see how it goes.”
She’s joined on the same course — different days, of course — by Falcon golfers Shane Thompson and Harrison Price.
At Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle, Riley Newman will defend his 2A tennis state title. Doubles partners Shannon Craig and Julia Iversen will go for their first championship, as will singles player Reilly O’Sullivan.
South Whidbey track-and-field athletes didn’t have their best days last week at the District 1 meet in Sultan, but it was enough.
On Wednesday and Friday, six Falcons — Jon Poolman, Cayla Calderwood, McKenzie Walker, Laura Barrow Angelina Berger and Will Hallberg — ran fast enough, threw far enough or jumped high enough to qualify for the 2A state track meet at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma this weekend.
Poolman came in third with a time of 11.24 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 49.75 in the 400-meter race.
“Once again, I got a slow start in the 100, but I felt comfortable in the longer race, and that’s where I think I have my best chance,” he said.
Hallberg was the only Falcon to capture a first place, in the triple jump with 44 feet, 5.75 inches — a new district meet record, despite being almost two feet below his personal best. He also took third in the long jump with 20-11.
“Competition was stiff, especially in the long jump,” Hallberg said. “The guy who took second beat me by a half-inch.”
The rain was heavy on the first day, but Hallberg said his coaches have told him to get past it.
“If you can do well in the rain, you can turn the weather into an advantage,” he explained.
Walker managed to squeak by in fourth place in the girls 100-meter dash with a time of 13.25.
Taking third in the 100-meter hurdles at 16.20, Barrow also took a third in the 300-meter race with 47.97.
“By the end of the 300-meter, I just didn’t have anything left,” Barrow said. “There’s only so much you can do, but I’m happy to be going to Tacoma.”
Though she didn’t meet her personal goals, Calderwood succeeded in qualifying for state in the high jump (5 feet even), the long jump (15-05) and the triple (34-7.75).
“Even though I qualified in all three of my events, it wasn’t a great meet for me,” she said. “But this week is the one that counts, and I plan to be ready. Hopefully, the weather will be in our favor.”
Calderwood added that her jumping coach, Mark Eager, is having her make slight, but significant, changes in her approach runs.
“I need to be faster on the runway so that my momentum carries me higher and faster,” she said. “Easier said than done, but I’m working on it.”
And, to her surprise, freshman Angelina Berger took a third place in the girls shot put, with a throw of 32 feet, 3.75 inches.
“I really didn’t think I was going to make it; those other girls were really good,” she said. “Coach Fulton said he was proud of me, and I think going to state will be a great experience. I’ll do my best.”
Assistant throwing coach Jeff Greene wasn’t at all surprised by Berger’s performance.
“Angelina has a natural gift for throwing, though raw. In the past few weeks her numbers have climbed,” he said. “In two more seasons, heck, maybe less, she’ll be competing at the highest state levels in discus, javelin and shot put. It will be fun to watch her progress over the next four years.”
The Falcons placed higher in both team categories than any other Cascade Conference team.
“We had a solid group of kids this year,” said coach Fulton. “And though I wish we could have done a little better as a team, I’m really proud of the efforts put in by everyone — athletes, coaches and the parents who helped out with our home meets.”
