Seniors shine at home meet

By Ian Ferguson

The Blaine track and field teams celebrated senior day with a slew of winning performances at a home meet April 2.

Taking on teams from Meridian and Ferndale, the boys won four out of 17 events and the girls won nine out of 18 events. Most of those wins came from the seniors on the team.

“After the meet I asked the seniors to stand up if they came in first or second place, and nearly every senior stood up,” said head coach Carey Bacon. “The seniors really led the team at the meet, which was appropriate because it was senior day.”

Senior day is set aside for seniors to recognize their parents and thank them for years of support: driving to practice, attending games and meets and cheering on their student athletes. It’s a day to look back on seasons past and appreciate what it means to be part of a team.

For senior runner Hillary Kiele, it was a day to recognize the friendships made in her four years of high school athletics.

“I love the bond all us seniors have,” Kiele said after winning the 800m with a time of 2:25.19.

Kiele also won the 4x400m relay along with teammates Kieya Villars, Ashley Delligatti and Ariyana VanderVeen Raum. The team ran a time of 4:26.

Senior thrower Elle Moore won the shot put and discus with throws of 31 feet, 3 inches and 98 feet respectively. Senior Taylor V’Dovec cleared 4 feet, 10 inches to win the high jump and senior Olivia Adams won the pole vault, clearing 11 feet.

Adams, Villars, Delligatti and Alejandra Campos won the 4x100m relay in 52.32. Eskadar Cochran won the 100m hurdles in 20.21 and VanderVeen Raum won the 400m with a time of 1:05.54.

“VanderVeen Raum is a freshman and she’s really small, but she’s had great success in the 400m,” Bacon said. “It’s kind of a signature event in a track meet, so it’s good to see her succeed in that.”

Bacon said he was encouraged by the strong performances of younger athletes such as Vander Veen and sophomore Cochran, but it was the seniors who carried the day.

“This group of senior girls is really leading the way and winning a lot of events,” Bacon said.

On the boys side, senior thrower Jon Fakkema led the team with wins in the shot put (43 feet, 9 inches) and discus (125 feet,

8 inches).

“Fakkema continues to have a really solid year,” Bacon said. “He’s been working hard and we’re seeing some great results from his hard work.”

Seniors Gage Lott and Alex Gehringer took first and second in the pole vault, clearing 12 feet. The relay team of Josh King, Dalton Muow, Tyler Luce and Collin Nielson won the 4x400 with a time of 4:02.

“We’re young in the 4x400, but we’re good. It’s a fun event and they like it, so that is a good sign for the future of the team,”

Bacon said.

The boys and girls track and field teams will head to Bellingham for the Birger Solberg Invite on Saturday, April 11. A large meet hosted by Sehome and featuring teams from all divisions, the Birger Solberg should be a good test for the Borderites, Bacon said.

“It will be good for us to see how we stack up against some of the bigger teams and tougher competition,” Bacon said.

The meet begins at 10 a.m.