LAKE STEVENS — Nick Laccinole made things exciting for the Inglemoor High boys’ track team on Wednesday, holding off Issaquah’s Jacob Brueckman to win the 1,600 meters on the first day of the 4A District II track meet at Lake Stevens High School.
Laccinole, who qualified for the 4A state championships with the win, finished in 4 minutes, 14.75 seconds for his second-fastest mark of the year. Brueckman finished a quarter of a second behind, but there was more drama to be had a few seconds later.
Laccinole’s teammate and fellow senior Gavin Parpart knocked nearly four seconds off his previous career-best to grab fourth place and the district’s fourth and final berth at state.
Inglemoor’s Jalen Woodley also qualified for state, finishing third in the long jump and clearing 21 feet for the first time in his career.
The Bothell girls’ track team qualified two athletes for state in the javelin. Senior Elizabeth Lowell-Forker won the event with a throw of 122 feet even, while freshman Natalie Holmer finished third at 112 feet, 4 inches.
Inglemoor’s Ifeoma Emeka set a new career-best in the long jump of 17 feet, finishing third.
The top six finishers — along with the incoming league champs — in each event qualify for the finals, which are scheduled for Friday, May 20 at Lake Stevens High School.
Bothell junior Kevin Liu ran his slowest time since April 21, but still managed the top mark in the 100 meter prelims with a time of 11.35 seconds. Liu also grabbed a finals seed in the 200 meters. Bothell’s Dane Siegelman qualified for the 100 meter finals.
Bothell’s Alex Nienaber finished fourth in the 400 meter preliminaries.
Bothell’s Jalen Ford ran the second-fastest time in the 110 hurdles at 15.39 seconds. Woodley also qualified for the finals.
The Inglemoor boys relay teams both qualified for the finals. The 4×400 relay team ran the best time in Wednesday’s prelims, with Ethan Karlinskey, Connor Keyes, Laccinole and Michael Rhodes setting a time of 3:23.43. The Inglemoor boys’ 4×100 ran the sixth-fastest time in preliminary races.
Karlinskey qualified for the 800 meter finals with the fourth-best time in prelims.
The Bothell girls’ track team had an excellent showing on day one. Sophomore Lauren Stavig qualified for the 100 meter finals with the top time in preliminaries of 12.83 seconds, and also ran the third-fastest time in 200 meter preliminaries.
Sophie Bowles ran the second-fastest time in the 200 and 400-meter prelims, and Meghan Tveit qualified with the sixth-best time in the 800 meter prelims. Bowles also ran alongside Bella Murray, Jessi Semp and Annika Beck for the second-fastest time in 4×400 meter prelims.
Bothell sophomore Emily Gibson sent in the fifth-best preliminary time in the 300 meter hurdles, and ran a leg of the Cougars’ 4×100 meter relay team. Gibson, Paiton Sabatini, Emma Gagliardi and Stavig qualified with the second-fastest time in the preliminary races.
Senior Bailey Fjelstul was the lone athlete to qualify in prelims for the Inglemoor girls on Wednesday, finishing fourth in the 800 meters. The Inglemoor girls’ 4×400 relay team qualified for finals as well.
The final day of competition at is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 20 at Lake Stevens High School.
