Indians used to winning league with strong teams

The Renton High track teams have grown accustomed to winning. The boys team has won seven consecutive league titles, the girls team has been nearly as dominant recently, and both are off to a 3-0 start in 2008.

“We’d like to keep the tradition going,” said Alice Williams, the Renton girls track coach. “As far as how we do things, how we work our relays, putting people in the right places.”

Sprinters are one of the strengths on the girls team. Kanisha Calcote returns as a senior and currently has the Seamount’s fastest time in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Calcote ran at the 3A state meet last year, where she finished in seventh place in the 100-meter. She also ran in the preliminaries in the 200-meter, 4X100- meter relay team and 4X400-meter relay team.

Freshman Starr Williams is also making an impact early. She trails only Calcote in the 100- and 200-meter races in the league. She also runs the 400-meter.

“It’s just natural ability right now,” Williams said. “We just need to get her to be more consistent.”

Senior Mary Powell and junior Tiana Gibson also have top-seven league times in the 100-meter race. Powell is also strong in the 200-meter race.

Senior LaBasha Alexander ran on the 4X100- and 4X400- meter relay teams at the state meet last season. She is strong in the 400-meter, long jump and triple jump (where she has the league’s best distance so far).

Seniors Adrienne Hardin and Elaine Nguyen are the key distance runners on the team. Nguyen will be best in the 1600- and 3200-meter races, while Hardin’s best races are the 800- and 1600-meter races.

The Indians’ strong hurdling group includes Victoria Fernandez, Nai Chao, Kelsey Sparks, Tu’Anh Dinh and Amadi Bentley. Fernandez ran the 300-meter hurdles at the state meet last year. The youth of Sparks (sophomore), Dinh (sophomore) and Bentley (freshman) means this group should be strong for years.

Freshman Kristin Haag joins Alexander at the top of the jumping group. Haag will compete in the long jump and high jump.

Boryana Atanasova (discus, shot put, javelin), Roylanda Jackson (shot put) and Krista Chan (pole vault) round out the other Renton field event contenders.

In addition to the strong individual athletes, all three girls relay teams currently have the league’s fastest times.

“We have three returners on each relay team, so that helps a lot,” Williams said. “We just tried to fit a new person in there to make it so we can get back to state.”

In contrast to the youthful girls team, the Renton boys track team depends largely on juniors and seniors. The boys team lost four state meet competitors to graduation.

Junior Tevin Ponders should excel in the 100-meter race and 300-meter hurdles. Ponders ran in the 4X100-meter relay team at the state meet last season.

Senior Jason Meyers will be a big part of the Renton sprint-

er group. Meyers ran in the 4X400-meter relay, 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash (finished eighth in state). This season, he has the fastest 400-meter time in the league and second-fastest 200-meter time.

Junior Gary Hay has the second-best Seamount time in the 400-meter dash and has also ran the 800-meter, 4X100- and 4X400 meter relays this season.

Senior Seth Trowbridge ran the 800-meter at state and was part of the 4X400-meter relay team that finished second at the state meet. He should be in contention with the league’s leaders in the 800-meter dash this season.

Seniors Clayton Barnes and Chun Chan will carry the distance group in both the 1600- and 3200-meter races.

Marquez Croon (jumps), Armin Basic (discus and shot put) and Thomas Diwag (pole vault) will also play key roles in field events.

Renton’s next meet is April 17 against Mount Rainier at Highline Stadium in Burien.

Adam McFadden can be reached at amcfadden@reporternewspapers.com or 425-255-3484, ext. 5054.