On one of the bigger stages they’ll take this season, Sequim’s boys track squad showed it can compete with schools of any size.

With some good fortune and strong postseason performances, the Wolves will make a return to this particular stage.

The Wolves’ boys took top honors by a wide margin while the SHS girls placed seventh at the 20-team Tacoma Invitational on April 13 at Mount Tahoma High School — the same venue that hosts the state 2A state finals in late May.

Sequim’s boys picked up four individual wins and seven second-place marks at the invite that saw athletes from three 4A schools, 11 3A schools and another five from Sequim’s 2A division.

The Wolves’ boys tallied 116 team points, with Lincoln (78 points) second and Decatur (66) in third.

Seniors Alec Shingleton, Murray Bingham and Riley Cowan each won events, with Shingleton taking the 400 in 51.62 seconds, Bingham the 1,600 meters in a season-best 4:29 and Cowan the javelin with 156-foot throw. Junior Darren Salazar won the 200 meters in 23.64 seconds.

In his first meet of the season, senior Riley Martin placed second in the 110 high hurdles (16.41); teammate Fischer Jensen, who was fifth in the 110 hurdles (17.20) placed second in the 300 hurdles with a 42.70-second finish.

Bingham was runner-up in the 800 meters (4:29), as was Cowan in the shot put (a personal-best 42-10) and sophomore Erik Christiansen in the pole vault (9-0). SHS sophomore Noah White took third in the pole vault (9-0).

Sequim also took second in the 4×400 relay (Bingham, Salazar, Shingleton, Logan Laxson) and second in the freshman/sophomore 4×400 relay (Laxson, Zack Gufler, Henry Hughest, Theo McMurray).

On the girls’ side, Sequim picked up two second-place finishes: freshman Riley Pyeatt earned a personal-best in the 400 meters (1:00) while freshman Rileigh VanDyken was second in the pole vault (6-0).

Junior Hope Glasser was third in the discus (72-2), and the Wolves added a trio of fourth-place efforts: Pyeatt in the 200 meters (27.57), Shayli Schuman in the 100 hurdles (17.79) and the 4×100 relay team of Pyeatt, Olivia Hare, Mary McAleer and Daisy Ryan (55.09).

Sequim’s girls earned 47 team points, second among the five competing 2A schools behind meet champ Steilacoom.

Sequim defends home turf

With a roster still somewhat depleted, Sequim’s track and field athletes still managed to post several impressive numbers at their second and final home meet of the 2019 season.

Seniors Bingham, Cowan and Jensen each won two individual competitions as Sequim’s boys won all but one of the 17 events at the April 11 meet against Olympic and Port Townsend, coming within three-hundredths of a second (in the 100-meter race) of a full meet first-place sweep.

The Wolves racked up 115 team points to easily out-pace Olympic’s Trojans (43) and the 1A Port Townsend Redhawks (18).

On the girls’ side, Pyeatt swept the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races as the Wolves edged Port Townsend in team scoring, 66-64, with Olympic a distant third (27).

Despite chilly conditions, Pyeatt set personal bests in the 100 (13.12) and 200 (27.07). Teammates Schuman (100 hurdles, 16.61) and Lesea Pfeffer (300 hurdles, 56.42) gave Sequim a sweep in the hurdles. Schuman’s finish is the third-best time in the Olympic League this year, while Pfeffer’s mark was a personal best and saw her edge Port Townsend freshman Savanna Hoffman by just 0.01 of a second.

Senior Elizabeth Sweet won the pole vault with an 8-6 mark while Abby Schroeder won the high jump at 4-6.

Ryan added a long jump win with a personal best 14-foot, 8.5-inch leap. She teamed with Pyeatt, Schroeder and Hare to win the 4×200 relay in 1:56.26.

Glasser was second in the discus with a personal best 90-2 mark.

Bingham continued his strong season for Sequim’s boys with wins in the 1,600 meters (4:51) and a season best mark in the 3,200 meters (10:14).

Cowan set a personal best in winning the shot put (41-2) and edged Sequim’s Ben Cowan, his cousin, in the javelin with a 157-foot throw.

Jensen topped the field in the 110 high hurdles (16.34) and set a season best in the 300 hurdles with a 41.18 mark — the fifth-best 2A boys mark this season (athletic.net).

Salazar set a personal best in the 200 meters with a 22.40 mark, fourth best among 2A boys so far this season.

Laxson added a win in the 400 meters at 54.18 seconds and placed second in the 100 meters.

After missing most of the early season, SHS’s Shingleton posted a winning time in the 800 meters with a 2:04 effort.

Also picking up wins for Sequim’s boys were Christiansen in the discus (90-7), Michael Mattern-Hall in the high jump (5-2), Richard Hall in the long jump (17-5), White in the pole vault (9-6) and Keeshawn Whitney in the triple jump (38-1).

Sequim’s boys also swept the relays; Salazar, Whitney, Jarrett Allen and Silas Isenberger won the 4×100 in 45.03 seconds, while Jensen, Laxson, Salazar and Hughes won the 4×400 in 3:44.

See more photos from the meet here.

Looking ahead

Sequim and North Mason take on the host Vikings at North Kitsap High School on April 18.

Select Sequim athletes compete at the NIKE Eason Invitational in Snohomish on April 19 and 20, a meet that features competitors from more than 100 high schools.

The Wolves then compete in Port Angeles for the third time this season, a regular Olympic League meet that includes the Bremerton Knights and host Roughriders.

Sequim High freshman Riley Pyeatt gets a good break from the starting line at an Olympic League meet in Sequim on April 11. Pyeatt set a personal best with a 13.12-second finish in the event. She went on to win the 200- and 400-meter races as well. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Hope Glasser competes in the shot put at an SHS home meet on April 11. Glasser placed sixth with a personal best 24-foot, 6-inch throw. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim High senior Richard Hall leaps to a 17-foot, 5-inch mark in the long jump, taking first place at an Olympic League meet in Sequim on April 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Logan Laxson breaks from the starting line to place first in the 400-meter race in Sequim on April 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Long-jumper Rigo Langston confers with SHS assistant coach Jasmine McMullin at an April 11 Olympic League meet. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell