PHS sophomore Izabelle Ith leads the pack in the women's hurdles. Ith is the 1A/2A/3A state champion in the women's 100 and 300 meter hurdles and in the long jump and triple jump.
PHS senior Ben Zarlengo throws the discus at the State Track and Field meet in Anchorage. Zarlengo was the 1A/2A/3A champion in the event. His 134 feet, 5 inch throw was eight feet farther than the next closest competitor.
Two athletes in the Vikings six-member track and field team that traveled to Anchorage last weekend to compete in the State competition came home with individual state titles, and the men's and women's teams each took fourth place overall.
Senior Ben Zarlengo earned the top spot in the discus. His 134 foot and 5 inch discus throw was eight feet farther than his closest competitor. He's also the first in PHS track history to earn a state title in that event.
Sophomore Izabelle Ith earned four state titles with first-place finishes in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump.
"She jumped a foot and a half farther than anybody in the long jump. She jumped two feet farther (in the triple jump)," said head coach Brad Taylor. "And she won the 100 hurdles by over a second."
Though Ith was the sole team member for the PHS women at state, she pulled off a fourth place overall finish for the team among about 30 competing teams.
In addition to those five state titles, the Vikings took second in three events: Zarlengo in the 100 meter hurdles, senior River Quitslund in the 800 meter race and the men's 4x400 relay.
"It was a great meet for us," Taylor said. "It's tough to do what you want to do up there because everybody rises to the occasion. Everybody wants gold."
Taylor said this year's team is one of the smaller teams in the program's history, but its runners, jumpers and throwers have excelled in competition. "We're super proud of this team...it's probably the most accomplished team we've ever had at a state meet," he said.
ASAA 1A/2A/3A State Championship Results
Dimond High School, Anchorage May 29-30
Men's Events
800 Meters
2nd River Quitslund 2:02.997
1600 Meters
6th River Quitslund 4:41.662
3200 Meters
7th River Quitslund 10:39.072
110 Meter Hurdles
2nd Ben Zarlengo 17.189
6th Casey Bell 18.162
300 Meter Hurdles
8th Ben Zarlengo 45.548
4x400 Relay
2nd Casey Bell, River Quitslund, Ben Zarlengo, Evan Marsh 3:40.020
Shot Put
3rd Evan Marsh 41'03.50
Discus
1st Ben Zarlengo 134-05
5th Evan Marsh 115-04
Triple Jump
8th Ethan Cummins 34-10.00
Women's Results
100 Meter Hurdles
1st Izabelle Ith 15.469
300 Meter Hurdles
1st Izabelle Ith 47.848
Long Jump
1st Izabelle Ith 17-00.50
Triple Jump
1st Izabelle Ith 36-01.50
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