Highclimber, Bulldog athletes battle at Shelton Invite

Justin Johnson | May 04, 20230

After a spring filled with cold, rainy days, organizers couldn’t have planned for a more picturesque afternoon for the 63rd annual Shelton Invitational track and field meet.

The event, long considered one of the state’s most prestigious track meets, has occurred every track season in Washington since 1960.

“Thanks to all the coaches, athletes and officials for making this one of the best Shelton Invitationals on record, and the big man upstairs gave us one of the best weather days ever that I can remember,” meet co-director Mike Fox wrote in a web post. “Every event was hugely competitive. We finished the meet with the victory in the men’s 4x400 to Olympia over Gig Harbor by .001 seconds at the finish line. Summed up the whole meet.”

Spanaway Lake’s Atreonia Garner was girls athlete of the meet winning the 100 meters and high jump, along with anchoring her team’s 4x100 relay team.

Aberdeen’s Tyler Bates was the boys athlete of the meet after winning the discus and shot put.

Gig Harbor was the boys team champion and Central Kitsap won the girls team title.

North Mason and Shelton athletes primarily earned spots in the invite in the throwing events and distance runs.

On the girls side, North Mason’s Kezlie Thygesen finished the combined 1,600 meters/one-mile race in eighth place, finishing in 5 minutes, 23.36 seconds in the 1,600 and 5:25.35 in the mile.

Shelton’s Lily Bennett was 15th in both events with times of 5:44.83 and 5:46.84.

The Climbers’ Maryjane Hageman finished 10th in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.79.

Shelton’s Olivia Henry recorded a throw of 106 feet, 7 inches in the javelin to finish fourth in the event. It was Henry’s top distance competing for the Climbers.

North Mason’s Adrianna Tupolo finished ninth with a throw of 92-2. In the discus, Tupolo finished eighth with a personal record throw of 103-9. Shelton’s Taylin Vandyke was ninth with a personal-best throw of 101-4.

On the boys side, Shelton’s Jacob Miller finished third in the 1,600/1 mile with times of 4:28.33 and 4:29.90.

Miller was eighth in the 3,200 meters at 9:55.92.

The Climbers’ Jaydon Blackburn was 11th in the 800 at 2:03.81 and 11th in the 1,600/1 mile at 4:41.59/4:43.23.

Shelton’s Landon Bursch finished 12th in the 400 at 53.82.

The Climbers’ 4x100 relay team of Cameron Huisingh, Nathan Gomez, Benjamin Morford and Gavin Nielsen-Ricker was 13th at 46.34. The 4x400 relay team of Huisingh, Gomez, Nelson-Ricker and Leighton Gooding was 11th at 1:37.51.

Shelton’s Anthony Sanchelli was fifth in the discus (138-3) and 10th in the shot put (46-7.75).

North Mason’s Keegan Bonnell was 13th in the triple jump (37-7) and 17th in the long jump (18-8).