Girls’ track and field squad becomes Stanwood High’s first-ever 4A district title holders
By JOHN GALBREATH Sports Editor
Lady Spartan long-distance specialists (left to right) Natasha Verma, Jordin Stephenson and Minna Fields, all qualifiy for this week’s state meet in Tacoma. PHOTO BY JOHN GALBREATH | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
Senior Natasha Verma determinedly led two of her teammates to 1-2-3 sweep of both the 3200- and 1600-meter races to literally lead her teammates to first place in the Class 4A District I Track and Field Championships held last week at Snohomish High School.
The team victory was the first since 2000 when the Lady Sparts won the District I 3A championship.
Verma and eight other girls will compete in six of the 18 scheduled events this coming Thursday through Saturday, May 27-29, at Star Track XXVIII, the epitome of high school track and field competition in the state of Washington.
Unable to compete over the latter part of last year due to a stress fracture, Verma was determined to qualify for the state meet in this, her senior season. The wily veteran of not only Star Track, where she ran in the 3200 and as a leg of the 4X400 relay team in 2008, but of the state cross country championships where she has placed 7th twice in a row after a 25th-place finish in 2007, employed lessons learned from her past experiences.
After cruising in the midst of the pack in both races, Verma employed a devastating finishing kick that held everyone but her two teammates – Jordin Stephenson and Minna Fields – at bay down the home stretch. She finished Wednesday’s 3200 in 11 minutes, 3.5 seconds. Stephenson took second place with a clocking of 11:04.23 just ahead of Fields, who ran an 11:04.30. On Friday, in the 1600, Verma ran a 5:07.6, Fields a 5:08.5 and Stephenson a 5:09.2.
“I thought it was great to see Verma become a twotime district champ,” said head coach Jordan Sneva. “Her senior year will be one for the ages after getting 7th at state XC. I don’t know what to say about Minna, Jordin, and Natasha. They will no doubt hold a special place in Stanwood and Wes- Co District history with their double 1-2-3 performances.”
Two of Stanwood’s competitive throwers – one an old hand at this state competition and one a rookie – came through in the clutch to join their teammates in Tacoma. Kaci Jones, the 16-year-old sophomore veteran of the javelin and discus competitions in Tacoma last spring as a ninth-grader, and Emily Wayland, a freshman herself, qualified in the shot put and discus events, respectively.
Jones placed third with a 35-05.25 heft of the shot while Wayland flipped the discus 105-05 for a third place of her own.
“It was great to see Kaci and Emily step up against great competition to each advance in one throwing event,” Sneva said.
Corinne Teichgrab wore a wide smile of pride after qualifying in the 400 meters Friday evening. The junior sprinter covered the oncearound the-track tour in 59.1 seconds. “I loved how ‘Tech’ braved the amazing competition to make it back to Tacoma in the open 400,” admitted a proud Sneva.
Teammates Natalie Bergstrom, Maddi Davis, Teichgrab and Verma took six seconds off their preliminary 4X400 relay time to earn their state ticket with a combined clocking of 4:03.
“The girls’ 4x400 team really pulled together to advance to state.”
Riley Henderson and Jordin Stephenson will serve as strong alternates for the squad this week as well.
Another group of Lady Spartans participated in the district meet but didn’t quite make it to state in their respective events. Among those athletes were Grace Sheridan (7th, 200, 27.6), Brenda Bingham (8th, javelin, 94-04), Daisha Kantola (5th, pole vault, 9-0), Cassandra Van Lier (7th, PV, 8-0), Davis (5th, 800, 2:20), Bergstrom (8th, 300h, 48.9), the 4X100 relay quartet of Hailey Storbeck, Kalina Eveland, Sheridan and Henderson (7th, 52.6), Wayland (5th, shot put, 33-10.5), Jones (5th, discus, 102-11; 5th, javelin, 102-01), and Teichgrab (8th, 100, 13.1).
