Makin’ history!!

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Makin’ history!!

May 21, 2016 by David Svien

Wolf junior Lauren Grove (right) is off to state in three events. (Mindy Grove photo)

The fastest 4 x 400 relay team in District 3 is (l to r) Henry Wynn, Danny Conlisk, Jared Helmstadter and Jacob Smith. (Sylvia Hurlburt photo)

Conlisk gets mobbed in the CHS tent after winning the 800. (Eileen Stone photo)

You’re going to state. And you’re going to state. And … heck, everyone’s going to state!

Just about.

Even with Makana Stone opting out of the 800 and sprinter/jumper Lathom Kelley hobbled by a nasty hamstring injury, the Coupeville High School track and field team knocked it out of the park Saturday.

Led by a school record from Jacob Smith in the 200 and titles in three boys races — 200, 800 and 4 x 400 — the Wolves punched a ton more tickets to state at Day 2 of the West Central District 3 meet in Bremerton.

The small public school also outlasted its bigger private school rivals, with the boys finishing 2nd in the team standings in a 9-team field.

The girls claimed fourth.

Combined with its efforts from Friday, Coupeville will send 15 athletes to Cheney May 26-28 for the 1A championships, and they will compete across 18 events.

Six Wolves — Smith, Stone, Dalton Martin, Lindsey Roberts, Sylvia Hurlburt and Lauren Grove — lead the way, having each qualified in three events.

Martin was the first to lock down a slot Saturday, finishing second in the shot put.

After that came wins from Conlisk (800) and Smith (200), before the duo teamed up with Henry Wynn and Jared Helmstadter to crush the final relay of the meet.

With a top three performance needed (#4 goes as an alternate) to earn a magic ticket, Grove (3rd in the 200), Chris Battaglia (3rd/high jump), Hurlburt (4th/200) and Allison Wenzel (4th/javelin) also jumped on the fun train.

Conlisk, just a freshman, passed several foes in the final 200 meters to win his race, while Smith, a sophomore, shattered the school record to get atop the podium.

His time of 22.59 seconds is the third-fastest run in 1A this season.

Stone, who had entered the day owning one of the fastest 800 times in the state, passed on the event so she could run the anchor leg in the 4 x 400 for the first time this season.

It was a bid to bring along three more of her Wolf teammates with her to state, but it came up a bit short despite Stone thundering down the backstretch.

Still, she helped the 4 x 4 squad knock 20 seconds off its previous best.

Kelley, one of the most insanely talented, yet snake-bit, athletes to ever wear the red and black, ended his high school career on a muted note.

Having injured a hamstring when he skidded on a jump in heavy rain during sub-districts last weekend, he had limited mobility.

Proving to be a fighter until the end, though, Kelley insisted on traveling down to cheer on his teammates and gritted his way through several long jump attempts.

On a weekend when many of his fellow Wolves saw their dreams of qualifying for state come true, he stood tall alongside them.

Win or lose, in the end, one team.

Complete Day 2 results:

GIRLS:

200 — Lauren Grove (3rd) 26.88 *PR*; Sylvia Hurlburt (4th) 26.96 *PR*

300 hurdles — Mckenzie Meyer (6th) 54.36 *PR*

4 x 400 relay — Meyer, Abby Parker, Madison Rixe, Makana Stone (5th) 4:33.01

Javelin — Allison Wenzel (4th) 85-10; Naika Hallam (5th) 79-09

BOYS:

200 — Jacob Smith (1st) 22.59 *PR* *School record*

800 — Danny Conlisk (1st) 2:09.30

Shot Put — Dalton Martin (2nd) 45-04