HOQUIAM — Darrell Yount and his 1B state-caliber Crescent track and field team aren’t taking the easy road in the 2013 season.
The Loggers, the 1B state runners-up last year, produced some state-caliber performances in a three-way meet in harsh conditions at defending 1A state champion Hoquiam on Wednesday.
Wishkah Valley also was at the meet.
Bringing home individual titles for Crescent were Eric Larson in the long jump, freshman sensation Ryan Lester in the girls 100 hurdles and Shannon Williams in the girls shot put.
This dream meet was hatched at the end of last year’s state championships.
Yount met with Hoquiam coach Tim Pelan behind the trophy stand at the conclusion of the state meet.
The Crescent boys team was collecting its runner-up team trophy in Class 1B and Hoquiam was collecting its 1A championship trophy when the two coaches exchanged greetings and made plans for future arrangements between the two state powerhouse programs.
“Coach Pelan runs a great program and they put on a great meet in spite of their brutal weather, as they kind of get pounded being right off the ocean,” Yount said.
“And they are the real deal again this season. So much team speed and kids and coaches that do it the right way.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to find some great early season competition, which will extend our athletes.
“And we will see them again later in the season with the promise of improved conditions.”
State-class marks
Crescent junior Quenton Wolfer didn’t mind the blustery conditions at all as he clicked on two big throws, settling for runner-up honors in two events: a personal record and state’s No. 2 best 154-08 blast with his javelin to go along with a solid 106-08 and state ranked No. 3 sailing of his discus.
Larson claimed a title in the long jump with a 17-03 pop into a stiff headwind as teammate Donovan Christie (state ranked No. 2) managed 5-08 in the high jump good for second place in equally brutal conditions.
Sophomore Martin Waldrip found himself two PR’s as he ran to second place in both the 1,600 and 3,200, 5:08 and 11:14 respectively, both PR’s and both times pushing him to the top of the leaderboard in class 1B.
The Crescent girls team was led by Lester (No. 1 ranked in state), who continued her early season dominance of the 100 hurdles, following up her big Port Angeles Invitational win with another here in a windblown 19.56.
She teamed with teammate Kellie Belford to go 3-4 in the 300 hurdles, Belford getting the best of her, 55.9 to 56.7, as both move into position as among the best in state with Belford ranked No. 1 and Lester No. 3.
Williams, a sophomore, grabbed a title in the shot with a 29-04 pop, and her fleet-footed teammates (Jandi Frant, Belford, Devanie Christie, Lynn Grover and Lester) flew to second- and third-place finishes in two relays: 4×100 (57.8) and 4×200 (2:02.0).
Christie also grabbed another runner-up spot, sailing the spear out to 84-06.
“We competed bravely in less then desirable conditions,” Yount said.
“But, hey, we got sunshine the second half of the meet, and we were able to build upon last week’s opener from PA.
“We’re nowhere close to where we need to be, but no teams are.
“This crazy, cold spring weather has taken its toll, really limiting what I feel we can safely do as a team in regards to workouts.
“So we’ll be patient and take it a step at a time, no pun intended.”
Crescent will continue its aggressive schedule as the Loggers travel to the Mount Terrace Relays on Saturday to mix it up with some of the larger schools in the state (11 teams in class 2A through 4A) in the 16-team invitational.
Girls Golf
Sequim ties
in three-way
KINGSTON — The Wolves tied with North Kitsap for first place in a three-way nonleague match with Kingston at Kingston’s White Horse Golf Club on Wednesday.
The teams played the par-36 back nine.
“This is my seventh year coaching, and for only the second time my team tied,” Sequim coach Garrett Smithson said.
“It’s very unusual to see a tie.”
The Wolves are 2-1-1 overall and 2-0 in the Olympic League.
The Viking and Wolves tied for team honors with 276 each while the Buccaneers finished in third at 289.
Kingston’s Aimee Zehrung took medalist honors with a round of 46.
Appropriately, four Sequim players tied with others in the match, including Elisa Salle’s second-place tie with Maddy San Fellipo of North Kitsap at 49 each.
Maddy Fisher and North Kitsap’s Kaylin Oster tied for fourth place with a score of 51.
Sequim’s Annika Lawrence took eighth with a 57.
Kailee Price and Kindra Smith of Kingston shared ninth place with scores of 58, and Sequim’s Caitlin Stofferahn and Dani Fox, also of Kingston, tied for 12th with rounds of 61.
Boys Soccer
Olympic 1,
Port Angeles 0
PORT ANGELES — The Roughriders had their best passing and possession game of the season, but were unable to capitalize on their scoring opportunities at Civic Field on Tuesday night.
Olympic’s Trent’n Pajimula scored the game’s only goal in the 29th minute, thanks in part to miscommunication by the Port Angeles defense.
“It’s not the result we wanted, but there were a lot of positives in our play that we can continue to build upon,” Riders coach Chris Saari said.
“We have been working on our passing and movement a lot in practice, and was much better in tonight’s game.”
Port Angeles fell to 0-4 on the season
Senior Abinet Hayden was named offensive player of the match for the Riders, while junior Tristan Isett earned the defensive honor and sophomore Tim Schneider was the transition player of the match.