The senior won the Sea-King district title on Friday with a jump of 16 feet, 3 inches, but is setting his sights on 17-5 at the 3A meet next week.
Tyson Penn is inching his way toward the ultimate goal. Zach Shugart has even loftier heights in mind.
Both competitors won their events at the Sea-King District 2 track meet on Friday, but both have more in mind. Penn won the long jump and high jump titles — including a state-best this spring in the long jump of 23 feet, 7 inches.
“He’s still writing his story,” Bellevue coach John Hill said of his Oregon State football-bound senior. “And the ghost of Budda Baker is kind of whispering in his ear, I think.”
Baker owns the Bellevue school record in the long jump at 23-8. Penn won the high jump on Friday at 6-6, seven inches shorter than he went at the KingCo meet (7-1) a week ago.
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While Penn was moving toward a school record, Bishop Blanchet senior Shugart had the state mark in mind.
“I’m just trying to get 17-5, the state record,” Shugart said just moments after winning the district pole vault title with a leap of 16-3. He missed three times at 16-9, though had the height to make that mark on his second attempt but clipped the bar as he came down on the back side.
The 16-3 would be a state 3A meet record if he clears it again next weekend. Shugart is the defending champion in the event, having cleared 15-9 at state a year ago.
Interlake’s Ryan Vu set the state-meet record at 16-1 in 2006.
Even with his district title, Shugart wasn’t satisfied on Friday.
“I’m happy I won,” Shugart said. “And frustrated at the same time.”
Shugart’s efforts helped Bishop Blanchet hold off Bellevue for the boys team title, 82-81. Holy Names Academy won the girls title, 57-54.5 over runner-up Juanita, based on late finishes in the 800 meters and the winning 4×400 relay.
While the relay put the Cougars over the top, Erin Ripple and Jordan Oakes finished second and third to Lakeside’s Sophie Cantine in the 800, scoring 14 team points in the process.
“That was a great race,” Ripple said to Cantine immediately after the Lions senior ran a personal-best 2:09.28 to win the event.
Ripple just edged her teammate Oakes, with both girls going 2:10.31.
“I had a goal in mind to break 2:10,” Cantine said. “But it was kind of unexpected for me. I don’t really have words for what happened out there.”
Cantine said it had been a while since she’d run a best time in the event, and that having Oakes right there pushing her the entire distance spurred the effort on a windy day.
“It’s a dream to break 2:10,” Cantine said.
“I haven’t done that before outdoors. Jordan was right there on my shoulder. She really helped me. It was just a great race with great people.”
Joining Penn as a double winner on Friday was Rainier Beach senior Emmanuel Wells, who ran away from the fields in the 100 and 200 meters. Wells went a personal- and state-best (this spring) 10.57 seconds in the 100, then went 21.59 in the 200 later in the meet.