Issaquah School District athletes earn titles
May 20, 2011
NEW — 7 p.m. May 20, 2011
Kasen Williams, of Skyline High School, and Devin Bennett, of Liberty High School, each won individual titles Wednesday at their respective post-season track and field meets.
Williams, competing in the 4A Northwest Regional meet at Marysville-Pilchuck, won the boys high jump by going 6-feet, 4 inches. He also took second in the long jump by going 22-1 1/4. Williams was just edged by Alec Fellows, of Edmonds-Woodway, who won at 22-6 1/2. Issaquah’s Jorrell Dorsey was third at 21-1 1/4.
In other first-day action at the 4A Regional, Issaquah’s Jason Hollaway finished in a tie for second place in the pole vault by going 14-6. Skyline’s Kyle Branch was third in the 1,600 in 4:21.08.
In the girls competition, Skyline’s Lindsay Coutts was second in the long jump by going 16-10. Issaquah’s Mckenna Hogan was fifth at 16-7 1/4.
The second day of the meet took place Friday.
Local athletes enjoy a big day at the KingCo track championships
May 17, 2011
Kasen Williams, Skyline High School senior, makes his winning triple-jump leap of 45 feet, 5 1/2 inches, during the KingCo track and field championships May 13 at Juanita High School. By Greg Farrar
It was by all means a championship day for several local athletes.
Liberty High School Patriots win track titles
May 12, 2011
NEW — 3 p.m. May 12, 2011
Two members of the Liberty High School track and field team captured individual titles Wednesday in the first day of the 3A/2A KingCo Conference Championship meet at Juanita High School.
Joshua Gordon won the boys long jump by leaping 22 feet. He was also the top qualifier in the preliminary 200-meter race with a time of 22.47 seconds.
Devin Bennett, of Liberty, was third in the long jump by going 20-8 1/2. He was also the top qualifier in the preliminary 400 race with a time of 52.06.
Liberty’s Tyler Westendorf was fourth in the 1,600 in 4:29.52. Teammate Nick Knoblich took sixth in 4:35.20.
Kevin Ahrens, of Liberty, finished eighth in the shot put with a throw of 39-3.
In the girls competition, Liberty’s Amy Broska won the 1,600 in 5:24.17. Teammate Megan Chucka was second in 5:28.91. Rachel Shaw, of Liberty, also placed seventh in the race with a time of 5:34.81.
Liberty boys, Issaquah girls take first in district track meet
May 10, 2011
Jason Hollaway, Issaquah High School senior, hits the bar at 14 feet, 9 inches while trying to pad the new school pole vault record of 14-6 he had made moments before, breaking Mike Katayama’s 14-0 set in 2000. By Greg Farrar
The Liberty High School boys team and the Skyline girls team earned district bragging rights May 5, when each finished first at the annual Issaquah School District track and field meet in Issaquah’s Gary Moore Stadium. Read more
Bragging rights will be on the line at track tri-meet
May 3, 2011
District bragging rights will be on the line May 5 when the Liberty, Skyline and Issaquah high school track and field teams tangle at 4 p.m. in a regular-season ending meet in Issaquah’s Gary Moore Stadium.
Mike Baba, of Issaquah High School, aims his javelin-winning heave of 164 feet, 6 inches during the track and field meet April 28 against Eastlake. By Greg Farrar
Many athletes will use the meet to tune up for next week’s KingCo Conference championships at Juanita High School. However, head coaches for the three schools will still put together competitive lineups for the Issaquah District Meet, which annually showcases some of the top athletes in the state.
Certainly one of the headliners at this year’s meet will be Skyline’s Kasen Williams, who has the state’s best high jump at 6 feet, 11 inches and top triple jump at 48-3. Williams won the high jump and long jump April 30 at the Shoreline Invitational.
All three teams were in action last week and had some strong performances.
Kasen Williams wins high jump at Arcadia
April 12, 2011
Skyline High School senior Kasen Williams cleared 6 feet, 11 inches April 9 to win the high jump at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in Los Angeles. Arcadia is one of the nation’s top track and field meets.
Williams, who has the state’s best mark in the high jump this season, beat Brandon Ford, of San Diego’s Carmel High by two inches. The Skyline athlete also finished second in the long jump by going 24 feet, 3 1/2 inches and was fourth in the triple jump by going 48-3.
Liberty’s Joshua Gordon also competed in the high jump in another division at Arcadia. He went 6-3 to finish seventh.
Patriots trample Beavers in season’s second dual meet victory
April 5, 2011
Ida Bakke, Liberty junior and foreign exchange student from Norway, leaps a hurdle during her winning 100-meter race. Bakke also won the 300-meter hurdles. By Greg Farrar
The Liberty High School track and field program headed for this week’s spring break feeling rather good about the season. Both the boys and girls teams had easily won their first two dual meets of the season and captured team titles at the Liberty Invitational.
Skyline races to win first meet of the year
March 29, 2011
Skyline High School senior Kyle Branch didn’t even look like he was trying as he rounded the final curve on his way to a win in the 1,600-meter race against Woodinville.
Skyline High School’s Chase Premone (right) hands the baton off to Christian John during the boys 4x100 relay race March 24 at Skyline High School. By Christopher Huber
The standout distance runner finished way ahead of the competition, but afterward said he was actually trying to conserve energy for his next events, the 3,200 and the 4×400-meter relay.
“It was a nice, relaxed pace,” he said.
He finished in 4 minutes, 47.2 seconds.
His wins in the 1,600 and 3,200 (10:04.1) helped the Skyline boys to an 82-55 season-opening 4A KingCo Conference win March 24 against the Falcons. The Skyline girls also beat Woodinville, 88-62, despite lacking points from key returning players like high jumper Sydne Tingey, who was out with an injury.
Issaquah baseball team edges Eastlake
March 25, 2011
NEW — 3 p.m. March 25, 2011
The Issaquah High School baseball team earned its first victory of the season Thursday when the Eagles edged visiting Eastlake 3-2 in a 4A KingCo Conferencee contest.
Issaquah pitcher Andrew Kemmerer held Eastlake to three hits over 6.1 innings and struck out four to earn his first varsity win. Cole Westover, who relieved Kemmerer in the seventh inning, earned his first varsity save.
Kemmerer also drove in a run as Issaquah snapped a four-game losing streak.
In other action, Redmond topped Skyline 5-3. Nate Litka had two hits and drove in two runs for Skyline.
Track teams hope to follow 2010 title successes
March 22, 2011
The Skyline and Liberty high school track and field programs had banner seasons a year ago and both have high hopes for the 2011 season.
Kyle Branch, of Skyline, runs in last year’s KingCo 4A 3200-meter championship race. By Greg Farrar
Skyline, which has become one of the elite track and field programs in the state, had a very strong boys team last spring. The Spartans captured 4A KingCo Conference and district titles, and finished the year by taking second at state. It was most successful season ever for the Skyline boys.
Spartans coach Marc Hillestad said he is excited about the prospects for this season’s squad as many key athletes return.
Liberty’s boys team had a sensational season a year ago by winning the 3A Sea-King District title. The Patriots have some top talent returning from that team, but might not be strong enough to duplicate last year’s feat. However, the girls team looks stronger than ever and should contend for top honors in the 3A/2A KingCo Conference and Sea-King District.
The Issaquah High School program, which annually fields some of the stronger KingCo teams, will have competitive boys and girls squads this season, too.
