Ideal conditions lead to record-shattering day at Eason Invitational

SNOHOMISH — The 27th edition of the Larry Eason Invitational was Snohomish head coach, and event coordinator, Tuck Gionet’s favorite.

A year after working through heavy rain and blustery winds, Eason Invite officials and athletes were rewarded with a beautiful day Saturday. Gionet and several volunteers from Snohomish and Glacier Peak ushered around 1,287 athletes from 52 schools in one of the largest track and field events of the year.

“With the weather I think this was probably the best one in 27 years. It was great,” Gionet said. “After last year with all that rain and cold, I think it was very well-deserved for our volunteers and our officials who slogged through the meet last year. It was great for them to see a great day of weather.”

It wasn’t just the officials who basked in the sun. The ideal conditions led to several personal records — and three meet records — at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“It was great for us and great for the athletes. I don’t know how many meet records (there were),” Gionet said. “A lot of (personal records), just because of the weather. Just an awesome meet. Really proud of everybody.”

Several local athletes had strong showings, including Meadowdale hurdler Christapherson Grant who set one of those meet records in the 110-meter hurdles. Grant, who had the top mark in the state coming into the meet, set a new top mark for the meet with a run of 14.17 seconds.

Grant beat out Shorewood’s Chris Diaz (14.27), who he has formed a strong rivalry with over the past few seasons.

“I’ve got a really good competition with Chris Diaz,” Grant said. “We’re really competitive. There’s that push (to run faster). … I’m thankful that he was there because he pushed me.”

Later in the meet, Grant competed in the 300 hurdles, but toppled over a hurdle late in the race. The senior got up and crossed the finish line, and was seen with bags of ice taped over his shoulder and waist after the event. Grant said he thought he was OK and would be ready for the Mavericks’ next meet.

“That was me just being very competitive,” Grant said. “I knew (Mount Rainier’s) Aiden Basco was in front of me. I was like, ‘OK, kick it into overdrive and if you lose, you lose, but whatever you do have no regrets. Just go out and give it all you got.’ I guess I got too close to a hurdle because I was in panic mode to catch him and clipped it and thud. (I hit my) hip first and then shoulder.”

South Kitsap took the boys team title with a score of 75 points. Arlington (55) and Lakewood (50) rounded out the top three, with the Cougars just behind their rivals.

The Lakewood team of Cruz Griffin, Tyler Courtney, Brett Bustad and Josh Dickey took first in the 4×100 relay and Bustad added an individual victory in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 3 inches.

“Those sprint boys and jump guys really did well,” said Lakewood head coach Jeff Sowards. “A track team truly is built around sprinters and they did their job plus today. I’m really proud of them. And we’re not done yet.”

Last season Lakewood split its team between the Eason and Pasco invitationals, but this year brought the whole squad to Snohomish.

“We just want to do well,” Sowards said. “We know that we’re going to get good competition here. I think this sets us up really well, mentally, for championship time.”

Brad Hodkinson from Snohomish won the 1,600 with a time of 4:16.12, edging out Arlington’s Nathan Beamer (4:18.36).

Hodkinson drew high praise from Gionet after his big win.

“I was telling my brother, who came up, that I think Brad Hodkinson is probably one of the three toughest kids we’ve ever had compete for Snohomish High School while I’ve been here,” Gionet said. “So to see him have that success was just very, very well-deserved. He is just a fierce, fierce competitive, hard-worker — sometimes works too hard. He doesn’t really understand the concept of ‘rest.’ But what a fun race to watch! It’s one of the few I saw but it was a fun one to watch.”

Several other local athletes won individual titles including Edmonds-Woodway’s Grant Whitcutt, who took the high jump title with a jump of 6-7, Michael Forster of Arlington who won the triple jump (43-11) and Kamiak’s Tim Beard, the winner of the hammer throw — the Eason Invite’s lone event that takes place on Friday night.

Issaquah took home the girls title with a score of 74 points, just beating Skyline (71) and Sehome (68) in a race that went down to the wire. Lynnwood finished fourth with 47 points, just ahead of Glacier Peak (46.25). Host Snohomish (42) placed sixth.

“Our girls, last year, were tough,” Gionet said. “(They) won league. This year I know they have similar aspirations.”

The Lynnwood girls set a new meet record in the distance medley relay. The team of Malia Pivec, Rita Sakharov, Jordyn Edwards and Mikayla Pivec finished in 12:03.99 — 40 seconds ahead of second-place Glacier Peak.

Edwards was also an individual winner in the 200 run with a time of 25.40 and Pivec took first in the 800 (2:16.94) and second in the javelin (123-3).

Madison Yerigan from Stanwood won the girls high jump with a mark of 5-8.

At the end of the meet top honors were announced, with Decatur’s Parris Watson and South Kitsap’s Nolan VanAmen named the girls and boys field Athletes of the Meet. VanAmen won the award for the second consecutive year.

The running Athlete of the Meet honors went to Myles Gaskin of O’Dea and Skyline’s Brandi Hughes, who set the third meet record in the 100 hurdles.

At Veterans Memorial Stadium

Boys

Team scores: 1. South Kitsap 75, 2. Arlington 55, 3. Lakewood 50, 4. Glacier Peak 44, 5. Shorewood 43, 6. O’Dea 33, 7. Skyline 28, 8. Meridian 26, 8. Sehome 26, 10. Mariner 25, 11. Kamiak 24, 12 Marysville Getchell 22, 13. Edmonds-Woodway 21, 14. Snohomish 18, 14. Juanita 18, 16. Issaquah 17, 16. Sedro-Woolley 17, 18. Everett 16, 18. Mt. Rainier 16, 20. Archbishop Murphy 13, 20. Anacortes 13, 22. Monroe 12, 23. Ferndale 11, 23. Meadowdale 11, 25. Liberty (Issaquah) 9, 25. Squalicum 9, 25. Cascade 9, 28. Decatur 8, 29. Mt. Si 7, 30. Ballard 6, 30. Mary Knight 6, 30. Lake Washington 6, 33. Cedarcrest 4, 34. Stanwood 2, 34. Timberline 2.

110 hurdles—1. Christapherson Grant (Mead) 14.17*, 2. Chris Diaz (SW) 14.27, 3. Brayden Maynard (SK) 14.71; 100—1. Myles Gaskin (O’Dea) 10.87, 2. Josh Dickey (LWood) 10.98, 3. Logan Armstrong (O’Dea) 11.12; 1,600—1. Brad Hodkinson (Sno) 4:16.12, 2. Nathan Beamer (Arl) 4:18.36, 3. Kennan Schrag (Issa) 4:18.83; 400 relay—1. Lakewood 43.16, 2. Shorewood 43.46, 3. Mariner 43.63; 400—1. Isaac Westlund (AM) 49.34, 2. Will DeMaris (GP) 50.35, 3. Nick Miller (Mer) 50.74; 300 hurdles—1. Aiden Basco (MtRnr) 38.58, 2. Brent Hafenscher (MG) 40.39, 3. Chris Diaz (SW) 41.49; 800—1. Mason Villarma (SK) 1:54.02, 2. Devan Kirk (SW) 1:54.72, 3. Owen Buck (Ball) 1:55.54, 4. Garret Westover (MG) 1:57.19; 200—1. Daniel Jones (Fern) 22.31, 2. Myles Gaskin (O’Dea) 22.39, 3. Harold Williams II (Lynn) 22.70; 3,200—1. Roberto Aguilera (Fern) 9:32.81, 2. Collin Magnuson (Mer) 9:34.55, 3. Dylan Holland (Ana) 9:40.01, 4. Andrew Christianson (SW) 9:48.01; 1,600 relay—1. Decatur 3:33.29, 2. Sehome 3:37.76, 3. Meridian 3:38.33, 4. Lakewood 3:41.94; Distance medley relay—1. Glacier Peak 10:52.84, 2. Arlington 10:57.87, 3. Juanita 11:03.12; High jump—1. Grant Whitcutt (E-W) 6-7, 2. Justin Welch (Cas) 6-2, 2. Joe Nelson (Issa) 6-2, 2. Ronnie Gary (SW) 6-2; Long jump—1. Brent Bustad (LWood) 22-3, 2. Albert MacArthur (SK) 21-7.75, 3. Josh Dickey (LWood) 21-5; Triple jump—1. Michael Forster (Arl) 43-11, 2. Jordan Scarborough (Mar) 43-8, 3. Brett Bustad (LWood) 42-11.75; Shot put—1. Nolan VanAmen (SK) 55-8.75, 2. Drew Norvell (Seh) 54-11.5, 3. Dylan Ledbetter (O’Dea) 50-6.25, 5. Nick Venema (E-W) 50-0.75; Discus—1. Nolan VanAmen (SK) 165-08, 2. Mason Braun (GP) 158-5, 3. Dylan Ledbetter (O’Dea) 154-10; Javelin—1. Cole Sunkel (SK) 179-4, 2. Griffey Lytle (Eve) 173-3, 3. Ethan Jones (GP) 164-6; Pole vault—1. Sam Tanner (Mer) 13-6, 2. Austin Cartwright (S-W) 13-3, 3. Zack Thomas (Sno) 13-0, 4. Mckinley Braa (Mon) 13-0; Hammer throw—1. Tim Beard (Kam) 183-8, 2. Alec Burbee (LWood) 146-9, 3. Ian Frost (MK) 131-3.

*meet record

Girls

Team scores: 1. Issaquah 74, 2. Skyline 71, 3. Sehome 68, 4. Glacier Peak 46.25, 5. Mt. Si 42, 6. Snohomish 40, 7. Lake Washington 38, 8. Arlington 37, 8. Lynnwood 37, 10. Squalicum 22.50, 11. Meridian 23, 12. Decatur 21, 13. Stanwood 19, 14. Shorewood 16, 15. Kamiak 15, 16. Mount Vernon 14, 17. Ballard 13, 17. Liberty (Issaquah) 13, 19. Blaine 12, 19. Mt. Rainier 12, 19. Edmonds-Woodway 12, 22. Shorewood Christian 10, 22. Marysville Getchell 1, 22. Mariner 10, 25. Lakewood 9, 26. Mountlake Terrace 8, 26. South Kitsap 8, 28. Monroe 7, 29. Mt. Baker 5, 29. Ferndale 5, 31. Woodinville 4, 31. Tahoma 4, 31. Archbishop Murphy 4, 34. Everett 3.25, 35. Cascade 3, 36. Meadowdale 2.

100 hurdles—1. Brandi Hughes (Sky) 14.55*, 2. Siarfo Abekah (Issa) 14.90, 3. Maya McFadden (GP) 15.59; 100—1. Chrislove Brandt (SW) 12.86, 2. Kailin Wiley (Kam) 12.90, 3. Kim Hazlett (Squal) 12.91; 1,600—1. Emily Pittis (Seh) 5:04.52, 2. Sami Corman (Issa) 5:10.32, 3. Heidi Smith (GP) 5:11.68; 400 relay—1. Issaquah 50.55, 2. Squalicum 50.63, 3. Skyline 50.71, 6. Arlington 51.66; 400—1. Nikki Stephens (Issa) 57.25, 2. Madelyn Prigmore (Sno) 58.95, 3. Janessa Murphy (Mer) 59.33; 300 hurdles—1. Brandi Hughes (Sky) 46.48, 2. Rita Sakharov (Lynn) 46.88, 3. Siarfo Abekah (Issa) 47.29; 800—1. Mikayla Pivec (Lynn) 2:16.94, 2. Mckenzie Deutsch (Sky) 2:18.04, 3. Katia Matora (LWash) 2:20.80; 200—1. Jordyn Edwards (Lynn) 25.40, 2. Nicole Godbout (Ball) 25.98, 3. Bella Foos (Issa) 26.59; 3,200—1. Hannah Waskom (Mt. Si) 11:06.37, 2. Maizy Brewer (Sky) 11:06.52, 3. Lindsey Sydnor (Mt. Si) 11:07.51, 4. Katherine Dittmann (GP) 11:08.22; 800 relay—1. Issaquah 1:43.53, 2. Sehome 1:46.27, 3. Snohomish 1:46.91; 1,600 relay—1. Issaquah 3:59.34, 2. Skyline 4:06.96, 3. Sehome 4:08.74, 4. Glacier Peak 4:09.59; Distance medley relay—1. Lynnwood 12:03.99*, 2. Glacier Peak 12:43.04, 3. Shorewood 12:55.65; High jump—1. Madison Yerigan (Stan) 5-8, 2. Bridget Henry (Seh) 5-0, 3. Kaitlyn McCormick (MG) 5-0; Long jump—1. Janessa Murphy (Mer) 17-11.75, 2. Jessica Ludwig (Arl) 17-5.5, 3. Lauren Curlanis (LWash) 17-2.5; Triple jump—1. Lauren Curlanis (LWash), 36-6.5, 2. Bailey Servoss (MV) 34-8.5, 3. Jessa Clark (Seh) 34-2.75, 5. Kyrin Jarvis (MG) 33-8.25; Shot put—1. Parris Watson (Dec) 39-9.25, 2. Chanelle Eddy (Seh) 39-8.25, 3. Abigail Brown (MV) 36-10, 5. Justean Landis (Arl) 36-1.5; Discus—1. Parris Watson (Dec) 132-2, 2. Justean Landis (Arl) 128-4, 3. Chanele Eddy (Seh) 113-4; Javelin—1. Natalie Vetto (LWash) 124-1, 2. Mikayla Pivec (Lynn) 123-3, 3. Shannon Laupola (SK) 119-3; Pole vault—, Hammer throw—1. Riley Scocco (SWCT) 142-08, 2. Brittany Dodge (GP) 107-3, 3. Allison Hoeth (Sno) 103-6.

*meet record