POULSBO — North Kitsap will send quite a crowd to district track competition in Puyallup this weekend.
The Vikings will send 11 athletes to Sparks Field to compete in 13 events after the athletes posted victories — and impressive best times — in the league meet at Bremerton.
“Everyone’s doing well,” said co-head coach Tim Adams. “It’s not that surprising to us, but it’s exciting.”
The athletes include Jim Robson in the 3200 meter run and the 1600 meter run; Kolby Hoover in the 100 high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles; Michael Chuol in the 800 run; Jason Mumford in the discus; Mark Sargeant in the pole vault; Robyn Embrey in the 300 low hurdles and the 4×200 relay; Amber Markwick in javelin; Tara Smyth in shot; Meghan Clark in the 100 run, 200 run, and 4×200 relay; and Mariah Hanson and Shannon Smalley, who make up one half of the 4×200 relay.
The Vikings were impressive on the league stage, earning several personal records on their way to districts.
Jim Robson smoked the competition in the 3200 meter run, taking first place in the league and besting his own personal best by 20 seconds.
“He dug down deep where he hasn’t had the competition or opportunity to do so before,” said coach Adams.
Kolby Hoover PR’d in both the 100 hurdles, where he placed sixth, and the 300 IM hurdles, where he took the league championship.
Chuol PR’d in the 800, and Mumford, only a sophomore, took a surprising third place in discus with his PR.
Mumford’s throw of 148’1” was the best by a North Kitsap athlete in 12 years.
“That was a big throw,” said Adams. “But he’s really been moving up for a while. He’s been getting better and better. He’s been to 130 (feet), then 140, now he’s in the high 140’s … he’s really done well.”
Sargeant matched his best vault ever (12’6”), Markwick PR’d for the javelin, as did Smyth in the shot put.
Another surprise was posted by the 4×200 relay team of Clark, Hanson, Embrey, and Smalley, who thought they had finished fifth on the first day of competition — which would have left them outside the district picture — only to be bumped up by another team’s disqualification.
The team will travel to Puyallup May 17 and 18 for the district meet.
The challenges will be tough, said co-head coach Helen Smith.
“It’s a big district and a strong district,” she said.
On Friday, athletes for most events will compete in prelims, trying to make it to the finals.
Each event is run three times, with the top two athletes from each heat qualifies for finals. Out of all three heats, the athletes with the best two remaining times also qualify (equalling eight competitors).
In the finals, the top seven athletes will then advance to state.
