Lakewood athletes were named conference champs in eight events when Cedarcrest hosted the Cascade Conference track and field championships May 7 and 9.
Junior sprinter Devon Smith followed prelim victories in the 200- and 400-meter dashes with championships in the May 9 finals. Smith also closed what was roughly a 50-meter gap as the anchor of Lakewood’s winning 4×400 relay, as the Cougars overtook King’s in the final stretch. With a 48-second leg, Smith helped the relay team break school and conference records.
Smith’s relay teammate, senior Terrence Ordonez also had a career day as he broke meet and stadium records in the boys 800 finals to beat Coupeville standout Kyle King and South Whidbey’s Scott Stallman. Ordonez cut more than seven seconds off his time two days earlier to finish in 1:58.20, trailed just tenths of a second by King and Stallman. With the event victory, Ordonez helped hold off a three-event championship by King, who won the mile and two mile.
Despite the Coupeville runner’s strong showing, Lakewood coach Jeff Sowards said he didn’t think King’s reputation particularly motivated Ordonez’s race.
“Obviously beating someone of stature is great,” Sowards said. But, he added, “I don’t think Terrence took any extra pride in beating Kyle. They’re very good acquaintances. The rivalries, sometimes, the outside world makes it bigger than what it really is. They respect each other.”
Depth of talent on the boys side helped the Cougars place second in leagues behind King’s. For example, in the 800, four Lakewood boys — Ordonez, Chad Skiles, James Mattson and Andy Warren — qualified in prelims for the eight-man finals contest. They’ll also go on to districts, along with five Lakewood boys in the mile and five in the two mile.
In the high jump, sophomore Nathan Hesselman provided Lakewood a fifth boys victory, clearing 5-10 to win the event.
On the girls side, field proved a strong suit as Rachael Hartman won the shot put, once again edging out teammates Tawnya Hulslander in second place and track rookie Christina Ordonez, who took fourth. Hulslander was also the victor in the girls discus and javelin.
Senior Sarah Dunn and sophomore Taylor Guske pulled out second-place finishes in the girls and boys mile and two-mile races respectively. Other strong performances included Nick Borisov, who took third in the 110 hurdles and second in the 300 hurdles; Spencer Hulslander, who took second in the pole vault at 13-0, and Payden Butler and Cameron Hess, who went 3-4 in the javelin.
“Our district is one of the most talented in the state in any classification,” said Sowards of the district championship meet, also scheduled at Cedarcrest May 14 and 16. “The competition there will rival anything the 3As and 4As will produce.”
