Kentwood’s Brandon Stribling and Brittany Woke saved their bests for last, leaping to long jump titles at the state 4A track and field meet.
Stribling, a senior, admitted he was having a “so-so” meet until late Saturday when he sprung a mark of 23 feet and three-quarter inch to deny Federal Way’s heralded Chico McClatcher for the win at Tacoma’s Mount Tahoma High School.
McClatcher, bound for the University of Washington on a football scholarship, went 22-5½.
Stribling entered the meet with the state’s top mark at 23-9½.
Woke, meanwhile, jumped a personal-best 18-0¼ to capture the crown Friday.
On Thursday, Woke added a third in the triple jump final with a mark of 38-7¼, another personal best.
Running into a slight headwind, Woke maintained her speed and poise to jolt the long jump field. She entered the meet with the state’s ninth-best effort, so seizing the win even surprised her.
“To be able to jump that much with the head wind is amazing,” said Woke, a junior. “I really didn’t notice (the wind), honestly.”
Woke credited the support of her coaches, namely head coach Steve Roche and her jump specialist coach James Goodlow in making the necessary adjustments.
“It hasn’t really hit me,” Woke said of being a state champion. “After everyone had left, I was still waiting on the last jumpers, just to make sure that there were no more competitors. …”
Woke is looking forward to next spring when she aims to break the school record in the long jump at 19-1.
“I have a foot to go, but I think I can get there,” she said.
Mighty Charger
Kentridge’s Tanner Conner is bigger and stronger than most of his competitors on the oval.
The stout 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior also is deceptively fast for his size, with a good burst of closing speed.
On Saturday, he needed it.
Conner overcame a slow start, chased down Mount Rainier sophomore Aiden Bosco, but settled for second in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles final.
Bosco covered the distance in 37.85 seconds. Conner, who entered the meet with the state 4A’s fifth-best time, followed in 38.68.
“Steps? I had to stretch to get to the second and third hurdle, so it slowed me down, broke my stride,” Conner said afterward. “But it really wasn’t an issue. Otherwise, I got back on track. I almost got him. It was close.
“I’m just glad I caught up to him. Aiden is really good.”
On Friday, Conner battled Gonzaga Prep’s Nick Johnson and finished second in the finals of the 110-meter high hurdles. Johnson, a junior, posted a 14.19 to Conner’s 14.30.
Conner, a three-sport athlete with room to grow, was pleased but not satisfied with the results.
“I wanted to be state champion, but Nick Johnson barely got me,” he said. “Aiden got me (in the 300) so I’m second again.”
For his first trip to state, Conner learned a few valuable things. He vows to be back, better than ever, for next spring’s test. No doubt, he will see some familiar foes.
His goals? To break the 14- and 38-second barriers in his two specialties.
“You have to really focus here,” he said of the state showcase. “You can’t get flustered when things don’t go your way.”
Tanner later joined the Chargers’ state-placing 400 relay team. He also finished seventh in the long jump finals with a leap of 21 feet, 8¾ inches.
Settling for second
Kentwood featured one of the most consistent sprint relay teams around this season. They brought the state’s second-fastest time (42.07) to the 4A showdown this weekend.
They didn’t disappoint.
The 400-meter relay foursome of Stribling, Conner Benson, Kaleb Swain and Bailey Paladin took second in Saturday’s final, stopping the clock at a sizzling 41.84, just shy at the wire to Graham-Kapowsin (41.75).
“Personally they were good handoffs,” said Paladin, the senior anchor. “We just ran our race. … Sure, we wanted to get first, but we’re happy.”
Added Stribling: “It could have been faster, but it’s still a pretty solid run.”
Paladin and Stribling stayed busy Saturday, picking up team points in the sprints. Paladin added a pair of sevenths in the 100 (11.09) and 200 (22.6), while Stribling was eighth (11.29) in the 100.
Grabbing silver
A confident Jahleel Smith peaked at the right hour.
The Kent-Meridian senior, the West Central District champion, climbed a personal-best 14-9 to finish second in the pole vault final on Friday.
Richland’s Larry Still topped the field with a vault of 15-6.
Smith’s district rival, Kentridge’s Jake Philpott, finished a solid fourth with a vault of 14-0.
Good hops
Kent schools shined in the high jump.
Kentlake junior Avalyne Peters cleared 5-2 to finish sixth in the final Saturday. Kent-Meridian’s Keeley Phommathirath, the district champion, matched a personal-best height of 5-2 and settled for seventh. Phommathirath’s teammate, Bri Kamran, was 11th, clearing 5-0.
“It’s competitive here. You really have to push yourself because all these girls are really good,” said Phommathirath, a junior, who picked up the event at midseason. “They’re the best in the state. It’s a pleasure have the opportunity to run here. I felt good in what I did, but I know I can do better.”
For Kamran, only a freshman, it was a learning experience.
“Pressure really changes the outcome,” she said of the competition. “You need to perform under pressure.”
Elsewhere
Phommathirath anchored the young Royals’ fifth-place finish in the 400 relay final, stopping the clock in 48.85. The group included freshman Jaleesa Taylor, sophomore Caila Tongco and junior Ashlei Robinson. … Tongco earlier shined with a sixth in the 100 hurdles (15.01). … Conner joined Miguel Punsalan, Sam Mullins and Cannon Sires in finishing sixth in the 400 relay (43.07). … The Kentwood girls 400 relay of Malea Munoz, Amari Leander, Zaria Jones and Bebe Thomas was eighth (49.7). … K-M’s Nate Barton was eighth in the 400 finals (49.98). … Kentlake’s Lizzy Reichlinger climbed 11-6 to finish fourth in the girls pole vault final. … In team scores, South Kitsap (boys) and Issaquah (girls) won titles. The Kentridge and Kentwood boys finished seventh and ninth, respectively.
====
PHOTO BELOW:
Kentridge’s Tanner Conner took second in the 110-meter hurdles final. He later added a second in the 300 intermediate hurdles final. Rachel Ciampi, Reporter
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.