Track and field postseason kicks off with first district meets

Local prep track and field teams completed the first stage of the spring postseason with sub-district and district tournaments concluding on May 12.

Lynden, Sehome, Squalicum and Bellingham met at Civic Stadium for the 2A District 1 North Sub-District meet, with Sedro-Woolley being the only non-Whatcom County team in attendance.

Meridian, Blaine, Nooksack Valley and Mount Baker attended the Lynden Christian-hosted 1A District 1 meet in the only all-local event of the week, and Ferndale joined Mount Vernon in attending the Northwest Conference 3A Sub-District meet at Oak Harbor.

Here’s a recap of all the Whatcom County track and field action this past week.

1A District 1 meet: Meridian, Blaine, Nooksack Valley, Mount Baker at Lynden Christian

 Meridian’s Jase Klinkhammer pushes out in front while approaching the finish line of the boys 100-meter race March 24 at the Bedlington Twilight Invitational track and field meet. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)  

Boys team scores:

1. Lynden Christian, 116
2. Meridian, 83
3. Mount Baker, 74
4. Nooksack Valley, 59
5. Blaine, 23

Girls team scores:

1. Lynden Christian, 169
2. Meridian, 91
3. Nooksack Valley, 56
4. Mount Baker, 40
5. Blaine, 17

LC led the way with 13 event wins — eight on the girls side and five on the boys — on its way to winning both team titles.

Sophomore Avery VanWeerdhuizen led the Lyncs’ girls team with first-place finishes in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, and ran a leg on each of LC’s winning 4X100 and 4X400 relay teams.

Junior Alina Veltkamp won both the girls long jump (16-05) and triple jump (33-01) events, setting new personal records in both events.

Lyncs senior Andrew Luce earned three of LC’s five top placements on the boys side, winning the 800-, 1600- and 3200-meter runs. Luce is currently ranked third in the state in all three events at the Class 1A level.

Meridian posted 10 event wins, with six from the Trojans’ boys group and five from the girls.

Junior Jase Klinkhammer led Meridian’s boys team, posting a trio of first-place finishes in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. Klinkhammer is ranked first in 1A for the 400-meter dash (50.28-second personal best) and second in the other two races.

Trojans freshman Logan Ignacio also posted three first-place finishes on the girls side, winning the 800-, 1600- and 3200-meter runs. 

NV posted eight event wins, with a perfect split between the Pioneers’ boys and girls teams.

Junior Joey Brown won the boys long jump (19-06) and javelin (162-00), while senior Kate Desilets led the Pioneers’ girls group with first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Desilets also anchored NV’s first-place 4X200 relay team.

Mount Baker had two first-place finishes, both on the boys side. The Mountaineers’ 4X400 relay team of Dylan Moa, Luke Smith, Brice Cooper and Brady Bruland finished first (3:43.41), and senior Ethan Larson won the shot put with a new personal record of 50-01.

Blaine’s top performance was a second-place finish by sophomore Josiah Weeda in the boys 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.65 seconds.

The top-3 finishers in each event are guaranteed a spot at the 1A Bi-District meet with District 2 May 18–20 at Lynden Christian High School.

Full results from the 1A District 1 meet are available online.

2A District 1 North Sub-Districts: Sehome, Squalicum, Bellingham, Lynden, Sedro-Woolley at Civic Stadium

 Squalicum’s Andre Korbmacher eyes the finish line in the boys 110-meter hurdles May 12. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)  

Boys team scores:

1. Sehome, 125
2. Lynden, 123
3. Sedro-Woolley, 96
4. Squalicum, 96
5. Bellingham, 83

Girls team scores:

1. Sehome, 153.5
2. Bellingham, 116
3. Lynden, 105.5
4. Sedro-Woolley, 105
5. Squalicum, 70

Sehome captured 13 first-place finishes and both team titles, with seven event wins coming from the Mariners’ girls team and six from the boys.

Mariners senior Jacob Andrews had four total top placements, winning the boys 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes while anchoring Sehome’s first-place 4X100 relay team. 

Andrews currently leads the state at the Class 2A level in all three individual events and is the reigning state champion in the latter two.

Senior Zack Munson nabbed two event wins in the boys 1600- and 3200-meter runs. Munson was the 3200-meter state champion last season.

Sehome’s girls team was led by a pair of wins from junior Marcella Leita in the 800- and 1600-meter runs.

 Sehome’s Jacob Andrews takes a commanding lead in the boys 100-meter dash May 10. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)  

Lynden notched 10 event wins, with six from its boys team and four from its girls group.

Lions senior Troy Petz, the reigning boys 2A state long jump champion, won the long jump (22-02.50) and triple jump (44-0), logging a new personal record in the latter event. Petz was also on Lynden’s 4X400 relay team that finished first with a time of 3:27.11.

Lynden’s girls 4X100 and 4X400 relay teams finished first, and sophomore Faith VanBrocklin — who was on both relay teams — also won the girls 300-meter hurdles with her time of 47.12 seconds.

Bellingham won nine events, and the Bayhawks’ girls team earned six of them.

Junior Chayse Flick-Williams, who won the girls long jump and 100-meter dash at last season’s 2A state meet, finished first in both events. 

 Bellingham’s Chayse Flick-Williams takes first in the girls 100-meter dash May 10. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)  

Squalicum’s lone event win was from reigning 2A state champion senior Andre Korbmacher in the boys 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.80 seconds.

The top-6 finishers in each event earned an automatic bid to the 2A District 1 championship meet May 17–19 at Lakewood High School. The next four best times from either the north or south sub-district meets will also advance.

Full results from the 2A District 1 North Sub-District meet are available online.

NWC 3A Sub-Districts: Ferndale, Mount Vernon at Oak Harbor

Boys team scores: 

1. Oak Harbor, 83
2. Mount Vernon, 53
3. Ferndale, 15

Girls team scores:

1. Oak Harbor, 76
2. Mount Vernon, 71
3. Ferndale, 12

Ferndale posted two event wins at its 3A sub-district meet, split between its boys and girls teams.

Sophomore Amelie McKeon finished first in the javelin with a new personal record mark of 108-06. 

The Golden Eagles’ pair of senior twins, Andrew and Adrian Finsrud, tied for first in the pole vault with their marks of 13-06.00. 

The top-6 finishers from each event receive an automatic bid to the 3A District 1 meet May 17–19 at Shoreline Stadium. 

Full results from the NWC 3A Sub-District meet can be found online.