Sequim Gazette staff

The landscape of the Olympic League has changed since last fall and Sequim’s track squads are playing catch-up after the first meet of the season.

Deep North Kitsap and Olympic squads earned wins over the Wolves in a dual meet on March 24. Despite earning victories against 1A Coupeville the same day, both shorthanded Sequim teams start the Olympic League season with 1-2 records — one year after posting identical 11-1 league marks.

Still, Sequim posted a combined eight first-place finishes and 17 total top-three marks.

On the boys’ side, Oscar Herrera continued his dominance against league foes in the hurdles events, cruising to relatively easy wins in the 110- (15.60 seconds) and 300-meter (42.07) races. He also sprinted to second place in the 200-meter race (23.44), a personal best.

Jackson Oliver, state 2A runner-up in the high jump last season, posted a 6-foot mark for an event win and raced to a first in the 3,200-meter run (10:55). Oliver also took third in the long jump.

Teammate Chris Whitaker threw a personal best 40 feet, 8.5 inches for first place in the shot put. Whitaker added a second-place mark in the discus (123 feet) while teammate Brendan Lauritzen was second (108-8).

The Wolves posted a second-place effort in the 4×400 relay behind Olympic, with Herrera, Oliver, Logan Habner and Kane Stoddard taking to the track.

Curtis Gorr placed fourth in 100-meter sprint with a personal best 12.03 seconds.

On the girls’ side, state 2A competitor Waverly Shreffler cruised to a 2.5-second win the 400-meter race with a 62.76-second finish, and teammate Audrey Shingleton posted a win in the 1,600-meter race (5:49) and was third in the 800 meters.

SHS sophomore Kiara Pierson won the 3,200-meter race (12:53) with teammate Elizabeth Rosales second (13:23).

Gretchen Happe joined Pierson, Shreffler and Shingleton to help Sequim take the 4×400 relay in 4:27, nearly 30 seconds better than runner-up Olympic.

Junior Cheryl Armstrong contributed significant points for the Wolves, taking second in the discus (86 feet, 4 inches) and third in the javelin (78-9).

Junior Abby Hansted was second in the pole vault after clearing 8 feet.

SHS senior Kate Rogers took third in the 100-meter hurdles (18.33).

Looking ahead

Select Sequim athletes compete at the Lil’ Norway Invitational in Poulsbo on April 2 before the team gets a near-two week spring break.

The Wolves are at Port Townsend on April 14 to take on Port Angles, Coupeville and the host Redhawks, before traveling to the Tacoma Invitational on April 16.