The Battle Ground High School track team had 13 athletes who took part in various events at the regional meet prior to state as one Tiger moved on to the final competition of the season on Friday, May 27.
At the regional meet, senior Brody Larson had a three-way tie for fourth place in the pole vault, according to athletic.net. At regionals, Larson secured a height of 12 feet, 6 inches, which progressed him onto the state meet in Tacoma. At Mount Tahoma High School, Larson was able to vault 12 feet, but he wasn’t able to secure a height of 12 feet, 6 inches in the next round, which ended his high school track and field experience.
“(Larson) is one of our few seniors,” head coach Kevin Donovan said. “He has been doing track for four years and has worked hard at pole vaulting, which has paid off.”
Donovan said the athletes performed well at regionals. There were 16 teams in each event, with the top six athletes qualifying for state.
One of the people who placed at regionals was sophomore Faizah Ford, who got seventh in the triple jump and 10th in the long jump. In the long jump, she secured 16 feet, 2.5 inches and was able to get 34 feet, 11 inches in the triple jump during regionals.
Donovan also mentioned multiple athletes made it into all-league.
“In the districts, in order to be all-league, you have to be first or second in your event. Faizah was all-league in the long jump on the first team, and in triple jump she was in the second team,” Donovan said.
Ben Gamblin also made all-league. Gamblin was placed on the second team in the 1600-meter dash with a time of 4 minutes, 30.6 seconds. Larson was also placed on the second all-league team in pole vault.
Donovan said Larson, Gamblin, and Ford’s “personalities all fit track and field” because they remain positive, are hard workers, and they also help out other individuals on the team.
There were other younger players the coach sees potential in as well. For example, sophomore Calvin Hubbard placed fifth at regionals in hurdles with 17.01 seconds.
Most of this year’s team consisted of freshmen and sophomores, which Donovan said is “promising for the future” due to the many athletes who placed at regionals.
“We’re only going to go up as a team and individuals,” Donovan said. “They’re fun to be around, easily coachable. They’re all good kids.”
Donovan also has goals for the team in the following years, as most of the athletes are younger and will continue to participate.
“Our goals are to continue improving and try to build off this season for those that are coming back,” he said. “I think we have a good future here at Battle Ground High School in track and field with all the freshmen and sophomores we had this year. I think we’re going to get a good crew of freshmen next year, too.”
Donovan noted how middle school sports recently started up in Battle Ground, which he said will help prepare students and allow them to gain experience before they start on the track team in high school.
“I think the future for us and Prairie, with all the middle school programs going on and stuff, it’s just only going to get better,” he said.
To view the results of the state meet, go online to athletic.net.
