State, Area Stars Rank Nationally

The weather keeps getting warmer and Ja’Warren Hooker keeps getting faster.

The Ellensburg senior went 10.27 seconds in the 100 meters last weekend in Naches, bettering the state record he had lowered to 10.44 a week earlier in Pasco.

“My start was really good but I didn’t feel that loose,” he said. “I didn’t think it was a record. I was thinking 10.4-something.”

Hooker ran into a headwind at Pasco but had a slight tailwind this time.

The time puts him at No. 1 in the nation.

Also last weekend, the Mead boys won a soggy track meet in Portland; the University boys were second in Hermiston, Ore.; and the Lewis and Clark girls were second in Snohomish.

The track schedule is light this weekend in this area but a number of teams are heading West. The big meets are girls at Lake Washington and boys at Shoreline.

Hooker is also ranked first nationally in the 400 (46.23) and second in the 200 (21.2).

The next highest-ranked runner is Ferris distance ace Isaac Hawkins. His 3,200-meter time of 8:58.47 puts him second, less than 3 seconds behind the lead. Also the state leader in the 1,600, Hawkins has been hobbled a little because of a bruised knee. He was hurt warming up at Pasco when he stumbled and hit a curb. He said he stumbled because he didn’t have his contacts in after tearing one a week earlier when running his fast 3,200 in California.

Vinnie Pecht of West Valley is fifth in the discus. His 188-6 effort is 19 feet behind the leader. Only one high school thrower has surpassed 200 feet.

Jennifer Smith of Ferris, who leads the state in the 1,600 (4:58.22) and the 3,200 (10:40.3), is ninth nationally at both distances, 14 seconds back at the shorter distance, 21 back in the longer.

Megan Franza’s 5-9 high jump is tied for 10th. If the Cascade-Levenworth standout matches the 6-foot jump she had last summer she’ll be tied for the lead.

LaShaunda Fowler of Foster has an 11.9 100, which is eighth, and Nicole McRae’s 800 time of 2:12.7 for Garfield is fifth. Shot putter Andrea Thornton of Shelton has a No. 5 effort at 43-1-1/4.

The Frontier League track titles could be decided in just the second week when West Valley visits East Valley today at 3:30. That includes both boys and girls.

In the GSL, two teams are unbeaten on each side and they don’t meet until the last week. Both Mead teams are 4-0, along with the Shadle Park girls and University boys. Those teams all clash at U-Hi next Thursday.

The critical triple-dual today is on the girls side, with Mead and Lewis and Clark at Central Valley. LC is 3-1 and CV is 2-1-1.

GSL meets begin at 3:35.

, DataTimes