K-M’s Martin impresses at sub-district meet

Kent-Meridian’s Alexia Martin may just be a freshman.

But last Thursday at Fort Steilacoom Park in the South Puget Sound League 4A sub-district meet, she ran like a veteran.

Martin blistered the Steilacoom landscape, devouring the serene 3.1-mile course in 20:05.93 to take ninth place among runners from 18 different teams.

Martin’s performance was the best female performance among all the Kent schools. On the boys’ side, K-M’s D.J. Jigre was equally impressive, traversing the course in 16:36.67, taking seventh, which was tops among all Kent boys.

Jigre’s performance helped the Royals finish in the lead among Kent teams in seventh place with 187 points. Kentridge took eighth (190), Kentwood took 10th (201) and Kentlake finished in 14th (397).

Tahoma won both team races as the boys finished with 55 points followed by Auburn Riverside (83). The Tahoma girls outdistanced Curtis, 58-89.

Kentwood finished tops among local girls teams, taking sixth with 222 points; Kentlake finished in 10th (273), Kent-Meridian in 12th (254) and Kentridge took 15th (388).

The top 10 teams and the top 50 individuals, whether they were part of a qualifying team or not, advance to the West Central District meet, which will be held on Saturday at American Lake Golf Course in Tacoma.

Kent-Meridian, Kentridge and Kentwood all will send male teams. Kentwood and Kentlake will send female teams.

• ALSO: Along with D.J. Jigre, Kent-Meridian’s Derrick Daigre (15th, 16:52.75) and Ahmed Awalle (30th, 17:18.70) also finished among the top 50. … Kentridge pushed three male runners into the top 50: Jesse Baggenstos (14th, 16:51.04); Eric Horton (23rd, 17:13.52) and Alex Horton (29th, 17:18.43). … Kentwood put four runners among the top 50 boys, a high among Kent schools. Leading the pack was Tim Pettit (17th, 16:57.18) followed by Kevin Massimino (19th, 17:07.46); Nate Pray (43rd, 17:29.03) and Will Richmond (47th, 17:34.37). … Kentlake’s Kyle Koon was the lone Falcon to crack the top 50, taking 37th in 17:23.66. … Joining Alexia Martin among the top 25 in the girls race was teammate Jill Boroughs, who took 23rd in 20:35.71. … Kailey Ulland (18th, 20:22.68) and Marisa Stoick (28th, 20:47.01) led the Conquerors. … Andrea Antrim was the long Kentridge runner to finish among the top 50 girls as she took 47th in 21:25.66. … Kentlake led all Kent schools, pushing three girls into the top 50. Leading the way was Julie Williams (41st, 21:08.57), followed by Sarah Robbins (42nd, 21:09.46) and Erin Collins (49th, 21:36.36).

SWIMMING: KL’s Bailey sets the pace

Kentlake High sophomore Chelsea Bailey powered to victory in the 200-yard freestyle and also was second in the 500 free, both in state-qualifying time, in the South Puget Sound League 4A girls swimming championships last Saturday.

Bailey posted a 1:59.55 in the 200, and a 5:19.37 in the 500, both of which beat the state-qualifying standard in the competition at the Curtis High Pool in University Place.

Bailey and Kaela Pettit of Rogers traded the leading roles in the two races. Bailey beat out Pettit in the 200 free (Pettit posted a 2:00.42), then Pettit pulled away with a winning time of 5:15.93 in the 500.

Kari Keller took second place in the 100-yard breaststroke, and teammate Jacqueline Do was third in 500, helping Kentridge take second place in the team standings. The Chargers finished with 155 points. Beamer won the meet easily, scoring 221.

Kentwood, which got a third-place finish from Elizabeth Molloy in the 100 back, took sixth place with 111 points.

Rachel Reese of Tahoma placed third in the 200 individual medley in 2:19.00.

The 4A West Central District meet is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Rogers. Kentlake’s Bailey is the defending district champion in the 100 back, which she followed up with a second-place finish at state.

After district, competitors then will have a two-week break until state, set for Nov. 14-15 at the King County Aquatic Center.

TENNIS: Manthou captures crown

Defending state 4A singles tennis champ Max Manthou of Kentwood smashed his way through the field at the South Puget Sound League sub-district tournament last week, punching his ticket as the No. 1 seed into the West Central District tournament, which will be held in the spring.

Manthou easily handled his first three opponents, Tahoma’s Ryan Gorenson, Jarad Schraeder of Auburn Riverside and Jefferson’s Joe Lee, losing just two sets in three matches.

Manthou’s biggest challenge of the tournament came from Kentridge’s Matt Overland, who took four games from the Kentwood star. Earlier in the season, Overland, who took third at state last year, did take a set from Manthou. At sub-district, however, the Kentwood junior would not be denied.

In the title match, Manthou defeated Todd Beamer’s Joseph dela Cruz 6-1, 6-2.

• ALSO: The Kentridge boys team captured the first place team finish with 39 points. The Chargers advanced six players to the district tournament, with Overland and Ballou grabbing third and fourth in the singles competition. Kentridge’s doubles teams of Paul Yi and Vineeth Omkaram and Donald Hall and Howard Lin took second and eighth place respectively. … Other district qualifiers from the SPSL North include: Taylor Welch of Kentlake and Kentwood’s Tucker Siegert in the singles competition. In doubles, Josh Jeter and Travis Hanley from Auburn, Makoa Rosa and Kainoa Rosa of Jefferson along with teammates Branden Muraki and Brandyn Gomez moved on.