Gagnon, Reynolds race to 1,600 success at state track and field
Two 1,600-meter races, two different locations, featuring two runners from West Sound.
Two personal records, one state title, and zero complaints after Klahowya senior Kelton Gagnon and Central Kitsap sophomore Blake Reynolds ran on all cylinders Thursday during the first day of the state track and field championships.
At the 1A meet at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Gagnon entered the meet as the favorite to claim the 1,600 title and left no doubt, winning wire-to-wire while running a personal-record 4 minutes, 14.01 seconds. Lynden Christian's Andrew Luce finished second in 4:16.72.
Gagnon is expected to challenge for two more individual titles on Saturday. He's seeded third in the 800 and second in the 1,600.
"State is not over," Gagnon said.
Reynolds didn't enter the 3A 1,600 race at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma expecting to challenge for top honors. That doesn't mean he didn't have a goal in mind.
"Just PR and run my butt off," Reynolds said.
Not bothered by rainfall that began to descend minutes before the starting gun, Reynolds found himself in eighth place after three laps.
"We had a plan that I wasn't going to go too fast," Reynolds said. "We didn't want to be in that 60-flat pack. Just stay behind them. The last 400 is where I excel the most."
Reynolds moved up three spots over the final 400 meters to place fifth in 4:11.23. Bishop Blanchet's William Schneider won in 4:07.65. Reynolds' previous best time was 4:17.98, run in March during a meet at Kent-Meridian High School.
With two years remaining in his high school career, Reynolds could be a legitimate contender to set a new West Sound boys 1,600 record. Former Central Kitsap star Shane Moskowitz ran 4:08.96 in 2010.
"He will destroy every West Sound record before he graduates," Central Kitsap distance coach Jeremy Duplissey said. "He's a once-in-a-career type of athlete."
Reynolds is scheduled to race again Saturday in the boys' 800, where he's seeded third.
Several other West Sound athletes collected top-eight medals Thursday, including two in the 3A girls high jump. Central Kitsap sophomore Savannah Fourier placed fourth and Bainbridge senior Allie Wildsmith placed sixth. Both athletes cleared 5 feet, 2 inches, but Fourier had fewer misses during the competition.
Fourier, who entered the meet seeded second, thought she cleared 5-4 with her second attempt at the height and looked surprised when the bar fell to the ground.
"I think my heel hit it," Fourier said. "That happens sometimes."
Wildsmith, who'll be celebrating her birthday Saturday, sounded content with finishing her high school career with a top-six placing.
"I know I have the ability to jump higher," she said. "Overall, I'm looking at the positives."
Wildsmith will attend the United States Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut after graduation.
"I'm really excited to be able to do volleyball and track for them," she said.
South Kitsap sophom Grace Degarimore placed fifth in the 4A girls discus. Her best throw came on her sixth and final attempt: 122-9.
North Mason senior Addilyn Varick surged from sixth to second place in the 2A girls javelin with a throw of 116-4 on her sixth attempt. North Kitsap senior Stephanie Lara tied for eighth in 2A girls high jump by clearing 4-10. Olympic's Gavin Triplet placed eighth in 2A boys shot put with a throw of 48 feet.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Gagnon, Reynolds race to 1,600 success at state track and field
