Spring Sports Preview: SHS track & field
2014 record in league, overall: Boys — 7-1, second at league meet, third at districts, 31st at state (one state medalist); Girls 6-2, seventh place at league meet, 17th at districts
Coaches: Brad Moore (21st year); assistants John Fodge, Doug Meyer, Chuck and Phil Milliman, B.J. Schade, Elizabeth and Kjel Skov, Judah Breitbach
Top returning athletes: Boys — Christian Ash, Alex Barry, Josh Cibene, Mikey Cobb, C.J. Daniels, Brendon Despain, Rickey Gross, Oscar Herrera, Miguel Moroles, Peter Ohnstad, Jackson Oliver, Chase Ridgway, Jason Springer, Kane Stoddard; Girls — Cheryl Armstrong, Mattie Clark, Molly Early, Rylee Gray, Gretchen Happe, Sophia Radford, Katelyn Rogers, Audrey Shingleton, Waverly Shreffler, Emily Van Dyken, Heidi Vereide, Emily Webb, Mercedes Woods
Key newcomers: Boys — Austin Adams, Evan Chatters, Andrew Hansted; Girls — Alyse Armstrong, Abigail Hansted, Elizabeth Rosales
Key league competition: Olympic, North Kitsap, Kingston, Port Angeles
For the second time in as many seasons, Sequim coach Brad Moore has his hands full filling out his roster.
With 75 athletes turning out for a variety of track and field disciplines — and the majority of their top athletes from last year’s squad back — the Wolves are well-poised to challenge for Olympic League titles and some postseason hardware in 2015.
“I’m very pleased; I attribute that to what my assistant coaches are doing,” Moore said. “There’s a lot of unknown personnel yet (on the roster), but definitely some talent in this group.”
Among Sequim’s top returnees is senior Alex Barry, who earned a third-place finish in the javelin to pace Sequim’s top finishes at the class 2A state meet last season, and nearly earned a state berth in the triple jump.
Also back are several members of Sequim’s cross country squad that placed No. 2 at the state meet in the fall, including 2014 state track qualifiers junior C.J. Daniels (800 and 1600) and senior Mikey Cobb (1600).
Junior Jackson Oliver is back, seeking to improve upon his ninth place finish at last year’s state high jump competition, and senior Josh Cibene, who was 13th at state in the pole vault. Junior Oscar Herrera is also back. Like Oliver and Daniels, he just missed the medal stand at last year’s state track meet after placing ninth in the 300-meter hurdles and 10th in the 110-meter hurdles.
Moore said some of Sequim’s boys came into the season hurting from the wear and tear of other sports.
“It’s not where you are today that (is) important — it’s where you are at the end of the season that’s important,” Moore said.
He likes Sequim’s boys’ chances for a strong season, “if they can stay healthy.”
On the girls’ side, the Wolves lost pole vaulter Sarah Hutchison and sprinter Hannah Hudson to graduation but get back nearly each piece from last year’s squad. That includes three of the four pieces — Gretchen Happe, Waverly Shreffler and Mercedes Woods — of the 2014 state meet-qualifying 4×400 relay team.
Shreffler, a junior who is coming off a strong cross country season in the fall, placed 13th at the state 400-meter competition in 2014.
Moore likes the girls’ chances with returners like junior hurdler/high jumper Katelyn Rogers and sophomore thrower Cheryl Armstrong.
“(Armstrong) threw well for us last year,” Moore said, noting the Wolves add Cheryl’s sister Alyse to the mix in 2015. “I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s capable of doing.”
Sequim’s girls boast a number of athletes that could figure into the postseason mix as well, from young sprinters Mattie Clark and Rylee Gray to senior jumper Heidi Vereide and senior pole vaulter Emily Van Dyken.
Sequim opens the season at the March 21 Port Angeles Invitational. The Wolves compete with the Port Angeles Roughriders, Chimacum Cowboys and host the Olympic Trojans at Silverdale Stadium on March 25.
