SHORELINE — On Wednesday Amy-Eloise Neale was on cruise control.
On Friday it was full pedal to the metal.
The Glacier Peak High School sophomore put on a stunning display in the 1,600 meters to highlight the final day of the Class 3A District 1 girls track and field meet at Shoreline Stadium.
Last year as a freshman Neale broke a district record in the 1,600 that had stood for 26 years. This year she knocked a staggering nine more seconds off the record as she finished in 4 minutes, 43.34 seconds.
Just how dominant was Neale’s performance? She lapped the last-place runner after just three laps, and she finished 150 meters ahead of her nearest competitor. He winning time wasn’t just a meet record, it was the third-fastest time run in the nation this year.
Yet the time still fell a smidgen short of Neale’s goal.
“Going in I wanted to run a 4:40 to see if I could hold (four 70-second laps) and be consistent all the way,” said Neale, who has the all-classifications state record of 4:39.71, set by Bellarmine Prep’s Brie Felnagle in 2005, in her sights. “I was right on 70 for the first two laps, I dropped a couple seconds on the third lap, but then I came back with a 70, so I was pretty close to what I wanted to run.”
During Wednesday’s first day Neale wasn’t nearly her usual dominating self in the 3,200, though she still won comfortably. At the time Neale was a little under the weather and she decided to take it easy.
But now she’s well again heading in to state as she looks to defend her state titles in both the 1,600 and 3,200.
“I feel good (heading to state),” Neale said. “Last week I got (personal records) in the 3,200 and 800, and this week I got one in the 1,600. So it gives me a lot of confidence going to state knowing I’m peaking at the right point.”
While Neale is a star of the present, Everett’s Calea Carr signaled her intent to be a star of the future. The freshman, who already booked one trip to state by winning the discus during Wednesday’s first day, added three more events Friday.
Carr gave herself a second title by winning the shot put with a throw of 36 feet, 8.5 inches. She also finished third in the triple jump, despite having to race constantly from one end of Shoreline Stadium to the other to contest the triple jump and shot put simultaneously. Carr also anchored Everett’s 400 relay team, which finished second.
“I think it’s amazing (getting to state in four events as a freshman),” said Carr, who was out of breath after racing straight from the finish line of the 400 relay to the awards stand to receive her first-place medal for the shot put. “It’s probably the best experience to have as a freshman. I’m just happy right now.”
Friday’s other Snohomish County winner was Mountlake Terrace junior Nina Penner in the 400. Penner came into the final stretch with a slight edge on Shorecrest’s Kathryn Andria-Habemann. Andria-Habemann tried to chase Penner down, but Penner just held her off. Penner’s winning time of 59.31 prevailed by just nine one-hundredths of a second.
Shorewood won the team title, accumulating 118 points to edge out Shorecrest (110.5) and Glacier Peak (104.5).
At Shoreline Stadium
Team scores–Shorewood 118, Shorecrest 110.5, Glacier Peak 104.5, Oak Harbor 96, Sedro-Woolley 92, Everett 70, Mt. Vernon 28, Ferndale 26, Meadowdale 26, Mountlake Terrace 16, Lynnwood 14
Wesco state qualifiers
100 hurdles–2. Elisa Ahern (Sct) 16.09, 3. Leah Bennett (Md) 16.23; 100–1. Miriam Mboya (Swd) 12.29, 3. Renee Hudson (E) 12.87; 1,600–1. Amy-Eloise Neale (GP) 4:43.34, 2. Adrianna Royal (OH) 5:15.48, 3. Sarah Whybark (GP) 5:17.05; 400 relay–1. Shorewood 49.89, 2. Everett 50.29, 3. Shorecrest 50.75; 400–1. Nina Penner (MT) 59.31, 2. Kathryn Andria-Habermann (Sct) 59.40; 300 hurdles–1. Allison Duvenez (OH) 46.32; 800–1. Erin Johnson (Swd) 2:14.68, 3. Adrianna Royal (OH) 2:19.42; 200–1, Nicole Harris (Sct) 26.00, 3. Miriam Mboya (Swd) 26.42; 3,200–1. Amy-Eloise Neale (GP) 10:52.71, 2. Katie Bianchini (GP) 11:10.16, 3. Charlee Linton (Swd) 11:27.18; 800 relay–Shorewood 1:45.92, 2. Oak Harbor 1:47.08, 3. Shorecrest 1:48.91; 1,600 relay–Shorecrest 4:03.54, 3. Oak Harbor 4:04.47; High jump–3. Emily Corona (Sct) 5-0; Long jump–1. Janessa Ramos (OH) 16-5.75, 2. Clare Cosper (GP) 16-3.5, 3. Emily Corona (Sct) 16-2.5; Triple jump–1. Elisa Ahern (Sct) 35-6.25, 2. Clare Cosper (GP) 35-0.5, 3. Calea Carr (E) 34-1; Shot put–1. Calea Carr (E) 36-8.5, 2. Mickey Greenburg (Sct) 36-4; Discus–1. Calea Carr (E) 122-8, 2. India Matheson (Sct) 107-7, 3. Diandre Musikachart (Swd) 104-2; Javelin–1. Monica Webber (E) 122-9, 3. Janelle Yoshimoto (OH) 104-10; Pole vault–2. Jenna Hess (GP) 8-9, 3. Megan Ransom (Swd) 8-6.
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