Its first home meet in three years, the King’s West track and field team concluded the 2008 regular season yesterday, hosting a SeaTac League meet at Bremerton High School.

While results were not available at press time, coach Dan Dittmer was confident leading into the meet.

“They’ve been coming along pretty well,” Dittmer, who also is the King’s West athletic director, said during a Tuesday practice, referring to his athletes’ progression on the track. “I’ve been very pleased with our progress.”

Impressed with the relay teams’ ability to shave seconds off their times, Dittmer said experience is beginning to pay off for his younger athletes.

“We’re getting a lot of experience in relays, and that’s very important to us,” he said. “We’ve really been working on our relays.”

At a SeaTac League meet last Friday, the Warriors placed in the top five in four relays, including a third-place finish in the girls 400-meter relay as the KW “A” team of Jill Morris, Irene Moore, Michelle Webster and Lakiesha Nilles raced to a 56.6-second time.

Composed of three freshmen and a sophomore, the KW “B” team — Rae Fu, Amy Cooper, Samantha Kappert and Alexa Schlief — finished fifth in the same event, posting a time of 1:02.5.

The boys’ 100 relays also placed respectively as the “A” team ran a 49.8, good for fifth, while the “B’s” took sixth with a time of 57.9.

“There’s been lots of learning with the young kids,” Dittmer said of the “B” relay teams, “but they are starting to come around.”

And while the younger athletes continue to hone their skills while gaining valuable on-track experience, the KW veteran leaders, especially on the girls’ side, continue to shatter school and personal records.

Moore, Nilles and seniors Megan Morris and Carlie Rouse all have posted at least one school record this season.

“We’ve got some good leaders,” Dittmer said.

Moore, Nilles and Rouse each earned first-place finishes in individual events at last Friday’s meet, with Moore winning the 100 and 300 hurdles, Nilles the javelin and Rouse the 3,200 with a school-record time of 12:29.2.

“You have to be a real self-motivator in track,” Dittmer said, explaining that hard work equates to solid scores. “They’re working hard and I’m pleased with how we’re doing.”

Seeking another 2B state title in the javelin, Nilles threw a 117-foot-8-inch hoist last Friday, going along with a second place 67-10 throw in the discus, and appears to be headed near the top again.

“She’s hard working (and) has got God-given talent. She’s a smart young lady,” Dittmer said of Nilles, who will attend Northwest Nazarene University next fall on a track scholarship.

“I’ve improved in the javelin,” Nilles said of her progression in track since joining the team as a sophomore. “I’m hoping to get better at the discus.”

Nilles cited quickness and technique as the most important elements of throwing a javelin, explaining that brute strength doesn’t equivocate to long throws.

“Quickness is really important,” she explained, “(and) stretching a lot.”

Now Nilles and Co. will have three days to prepare for the SeaTac League championships, slated to begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at Bremerton High School.