Blaine springers, from l., Alfonso Dermendziew, Dalton Mouw and Isaiah Russ in the 100-meter dash at Blaine High School on May 3. All three are competing in the 4X400-meter relay this week at a 2A district tournament in Bellingham. Photo by Oliver Lazenby.
By Oliver Lazenby
Blaine High School’s track and field team did as well as head coach Carey Bacon hoped for last week at the sub-district tournament at Civic Stadium in Bellingham.
Thirteen Blaine athletes qualified for the NWC 2A District tournament in Bellingham this week, where they are competing for a chance to go to the state tournament.
Ten Borderites boys and three girls are in the running for state. That’s a strong showing for Blaine and an improvement over last year, when the Borderites sent 11 athletes to the district tournament. Nearly everyone who had a solid chance of advancing to the district competition did, Bacon said.
On the boys’ side, Blaine sprinters led the way at sub-districts, with Dalton Mouw winning the 400 meters and taking second in both 100 and 200 meters.
His teammate in the 4x400 meter relay, Alfonso Dermendziev, came in close behind him and also qualified for district in those events.
Mouw and Alfonso Dermendziev will be the most prolific Blaine athletes at the district tournament. They’re both racing the 100, 200 and 400 meters, as well as the 4x400 meter relay.
Three other Blaine athletes are competing in more than one event this week: Ayanna Holguin is running the 100-meter and 400-meter races, Maharani Prasad is throwing the shot put and discus, and Josie Deming is competing in javelin and high jump.
Aside from those athletes, Blaine students with a shot at going to state include Tucker Jensen in javelin, Porter Schmidt in shot put and Haden Anthony in pole vault. Anthony had a personal record at sub-districts, clearing 12 feet, 6 inches.
“It will be quite a meet to determine state qualifiers,” head coach Carey Bacon said. “The district meet is always an intense meet because it all comes down to that one day… any mishap could cost someone a trip to state. And everyone is in the same boat.”
The district tournament started on Wednesday, May 17 and continues at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 19, at Civic Stadium in Bellingham.
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