It did not appear the triple jump would be an intriguing event based on seeding during last week’s South Puget Sound League 3A meet at Sunset Chev Stadium.
But Auburn Mountainview sophomore Talan Alfrey had a different idea.
Alfrey entered the event with a seed mark of more than two feet shorter than Auburn Riverside senior Rashon Miller. But Alfrey finished with a personal-best 43 feet, 10 inches, to outlast Miller on Friday.
“Honestly, I felt I was floating a little bit,” Alfrey said. “It was by far my best jump of the year.”
After helping the Lions’ football and basketball teams to state, Alfrey said it took him awhile to get acclimated during track season. He said he expected improvement, but not “a 43-foot jump.”
And he needed it to outlast Miller, who finished second at 43-1½. Alfrey expects to see his crosstown rival again at the West Central/Southwest bi-district tournament, which runs Friday and Saturday in Sumner. Miller’s seed mark entering the league meet (43-3½) was 2 feet more than his closest competitor.
“Hopefully, we’ll be going against each other the whole way,” Alfrey said.
Alfrey was not the only Auburn Mountainview competitor to stand on top of the podium. Senior Emily Ramey won the pole vault at 9-06.
The Lions’ girls 400-meter relay team, which included Malia Brudvik, Grace Cresswell, Lily Lavine and Mikaila Moe, also placed first in 50.63 seconds. Meanwhile, Auburn Mountainview’s boys 400 team of Jared Currie, Vaughn Daggs, Cannon Sires and Christopher Penn, won their event in 44.16. Sires said Penn replaced Campbell Friend, who sustained an injury during practice the previous week.
“We came in as underdogs and threw a team together at the last second,” Sires said.
While Auburn Mountainview had the most individual winners, Auburn sophomore Rebecca Thareek was the school district’s only multiple-event champion. She won the 300 hurdles (45.12) and high jump (5-4).
“It wasn’t easy,” Thareek said with a laugh.
Thareek lamented the one event she did not win: the 100 hurdles, where she finished seventh in 15.91. The top seven competitors in field events advance to district, while the five best individuals in running events qualify, as well.
“I didn’t do very well in the 100 hurdles, but I still made it to districts and that’s all that counts,” Thareek said. “I will do better next week.”
Auburn Riverside junior McKenzi Williams won that event in 15.25.
“Great competition,” said Williams, adding that she has competed against Thareek and Hazen’s Plamedie Masiala, who finished fourth (15.33), several times. “It’s always tough, but they push me. I like being in heats with them. It makes me focus even harder.”
Williams, who is known for her quick first step as the Ravens’ point guard, said translating that to the track has not been as easy.
“I’m proud of myself,” “Me and my coach (Julie Moberg) have been working on my starts for weeks because I cannot get out of those blocks fast enough. We just got it down. I just had to get mad and attack that hurdle. It worked for me.”
