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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
May 3, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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May 3, 2012
 
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Shelton-Mason County Journal ATHLETEOFTHEWEEK Track senior sets sights on record By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.con~ Though Roman Hurst has been a Highclimber for just two years, the senior wants to leave his name in the track and field record books. "My goal is to- tally to break the triple jump record," Hurst said. "I only have a few weeks Roman left." Hurst H e a r - ing Hurst say this at a recent track practice, SHS head track and field coach Doug Sells called out: "He'll break it." He moved to Shelton from Forks last year after competing as a varsity track athlete for two years at the 1A school. Now in his final year of high school, Hurst has been competing in track and field for six total years, four at the varsity level. "I was trying a lot of things (in middle school)," Hurst said. "I didn't find my true calling until high school." He said his true calling is the triple jump in track. "Track's my favorite sport. I wait all year for it," he said. "It lets me focus on competing against myself and self improvement." Though his main event is the triple jump, Hurst also competes in the long jump and the high jump when he needs to help the team score points. Hurst said he hopes to make it to the 4A State Track meet this season. He competed at state once before, but it was in the 1A division for Forks dur- ing his sophomore year. At that meet, held in Pullman, Hurst took fifth place in the triple jump. He said the transition from Forks to Shelton was fun and that he likes this school district better. "There's a lot more compe- tition and there're a lot more opportunities for me," Hurst said. "Forks was holding me back. Through academics I couldn't facilitate my needs. I felt like there was a cap on what I could learn." Being a student at Shel- ton High School has already helped Hurst expand what he's able to learn. The 3.8 GPA student is enrolled in Running Start for lab sci- ences at Olympic College and at SHS he is taking cal- culus, honors physics and honors choir. He has also received a full ride academic and fi- nancial needs-based schol- arship to the University of Washington. "I might continue jump- ing while I'm there," HurSt said. "I'll see if I can walk onto the team." With a grin on his face, Hurst said he really enjoys choir. "I like working together with a team of other people who like singing and feeling my importance of being in an ensemble," he said. His favorite song to sing is "Omnia Sol," "We sing it every year at the graduation ceremony," Hurst said. "It's going to be surreal this year and really See Athlete on page C-6 Shelton senior Kandyce Bragg, left, receives relay at the Shelton Invite on Saturday. The the baton handoff from sophomore Madisen Striplin Shelton relay team took 14th with a time of 52.47. Journal photos by Emily during the 400 Hanson Shelton senior Nathan Morgan runs his last lap in the mile. Morgan took fifth in event with a time of 4:30.01. the By EMILY HANSON The 52ud annual Shelton Invitational went off without a hitch with more than 65 schools in attendance last week. On Saturday, 600 athletes competed in the day-long meet at Highclimber Field. "The Shelton Invite on Saturday was an outstanding meet," SHS head track and field coach Doug Sells said. "The weather was beautiful and the times were even better in'the runnings events. Saturday produced some of the best times and dis- tances in the state in many events. We had more than 65 schools enter the meet with 600 athletes competing. Shelton held on to its reputation of being one of the top track meets in the state of Washington." Shelton entered 12 athletes into the in- vite and of those 12, four came out with a top eight placing and senior Roman Hurst won the triple jump. "It's a big deal for a Shelton athlete just to make it into the meet but a rare occur- ance to have a first-place winner," Sells said. Hurst jumped a personal record dis- tance of 43'4" for first place. The other Shelton placers were sopho- more Cody Williamson, senior Indi Endi- cott and senior Lolly Jones. Williamson took seventh in the 3200 meter with a personal record time of 9:34.39. Endicott took fourth in the pole vault with a personal record 13' clearance and Jones took fifth in the discus with a personal record distance of 106'2". "We also had a freshman/sophomore di- vision in the shot put," Sells said. "Fresh- man Michael Paulson had a great day with a 39'9" throw for fifth place and sophomore Elizabeth Brandenburg won the frosh/ soph division with a 31'5" throw. Bran- denb~rg also kicked off the meet by sing- ing the national anthem for us. She did a great job." Athletes from around the state set new leading times in events at the Shelton In- vite as well. "Isaiah Brandt-Sims of Wenatchee set a state leading time of 10.77 seconds in the 100 meter dash," Sells said. "Steilacoom junior Daniel Zmuda set a state leading time in the 300 meter hurdles and also won the 110 meter hurdles. Heis the state leader in that event also." Prior to the Shelton Invite, on April 25, the Highclimbers competed at Bellarmine against Bellarmine and Stadium. "There were a few events at the Bel- larmine meet that did not conclude due to thunder and lightning, therefore, team scores were not compiled," Sells said. "If the meet would have concluded, the Shel- ton teams would have both gotten first place finishes." He said junior Ralph Kinne had a great day in the shot put, breaking the 40' bar- rier and winning the event. "Senior Kandyce Bragg also had a great day, winning the 200 meter in a personal record time of 27.36 seconds," Sells said. See Track on page C-4 em c requ rem hop "We have a number of kids who proximately 40 percent of our School es change will arecreditdeficientandmaydrop lOththrough12thgradestudents t out of the athletic program or the participated in athletics this year. ~ru~--,,--+~;--" studen s school/' Judson said. "We want to How many more students could encourage keep the light of hope as bright benefit from our athletic pro- as possible. If the students know grams?" By EMILY HANSON the 850 members schools in the they can fail one class, they may Lacy said he and several oth- end[y@rna.~onco~zn(v.co:~ WIAA," WIAA executive director stick with sports." er coaches have fought for this Mike Colbrese said. "The stan- Judson said that it has been change for the past few years be: dards changed five years ago from proven multiple times that stu- cause it seemed students were not Athletes at Shelton High having to pass four of six classes dents who are involved in athlet- being properly served. School will be held to a different for six-period a day schools. They ics perform better in school."Eligibility's original inten- set of academic requirements next were changed because 85 percent "Some may say this is lowering tion was to hold athletes to an year. of the schools in the association our standard but our belief is that acceptable academic standard," The high school, on the advice weremore stringent." by aligning with the WIAA, weLacy said. "Very few struggling of an advisory committee, recently Judson said the rationale be-will increase the academic peribr- students view eligibility as ~n in- lowered the requirements to meet hind the change is two-fold, mance and keep kids in athletics," centive to improve their grades. those of the Washington Inter- "First, kids in the athletic pro- he said. "We think it'll lead to the Today's reality is that eligibility scholastic Athletic Association gram that choosh to take the chal- 80 percent graduation rate." is simply a barricade to participa- (WIAA) rather than exceed it. lenge of more stringent subjects Judson said the coaches of tion for many students." Shelton athletic director Jim can have a little room for failure," SHS support the new academic Colbrese agreed, stating that Judson said that for the past few he said. "The idea is that kids may requirements, the concern of too rigid academic years, athletes have been required shy away from taking more rigor- Chris Lacy, head wrestling requirements is that they would to pass all classes while also main- ous classes if they know they can't coach and a member of the coach- exclude a lot of the students taining a minimum 2.0 Grade fail a class. Now, kids can take es union, was on the advisorywhich schools are trying to keep Point Average (GPA). The WIAA that risk. The goal of any school committee and also helped to ar- included. requires athletes in six-period a district is for the kids to take more gue the point with the Shelton "It's a delicate balance between day schools, such as Shelton, to challenging classes." School Board. inspiring and motivating students pass five of the six classes. There The second reason for the "The immediate purpose is without putting a stumbling block is no minimum GPA requirement change, Judson said, is to help the not to help athletic programs, in the way," Colbrese said. in the WIAA regulations, school reach its graduation goal of but to help our students that do "The rules are developed by 80 percent or higher, not participate," Lacy said. "Ap- See Academics on page C-6 Shelton-Mason County lourna) - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - Page C-1