A Falcon Takes Wing -- Woodinville's Dilling Focuses On The Fundamentals In Quest For Postseason Sprint Success

A stadium full of shouts and cheers and loudspeaker reports falls silent when Coby Dilling steps into his lane at the starting line.

Throats still scream, lips still move, faces still contort. But all is quiet.

"When I get in the block, everything around me just goes blank," Woodinville High's Dilling said. "I really don't hear anything. It's a weird feeling. You go into a zone sort of."

For Dilling, it is the Highlight Zone of KingCo Conference track and field.

The concentration on his race plan, the detailed attention to his position in the blocks, the intense audio search for the starter's pistol - and then the burst, a raw burst of energy for 10 1/2 or 22 or 49 1/4 seconds.

That is Coby Dilling on the run.

And that almost always means Coby Dilling in the lead.

Early performances impressive

He entered this junior season as the state's top returning performer in the 100 meters in all classifications and second-leading returner in the 200 (behind Sealth senior Marvin Kasim).

Through three weeks of the season, Dilling is unbeaten and the Class AAA state leader in both events - at 10.6 seconds and 22.1 seconds. He also has recorded a season-best 49.19 split on Woodinville's state-leading 1,600 relay team (3:25.9). The 10.6 100 matches his personal best, established last season (tying the state's all-time sophomore mark in the event).

"This year he's matured quite a bit," said Mike Mills,

Woodinville's first-year head coach and sprints coach. "He came into KingCo last year as a sophomore, not knowing what it was all about, and went to state and was kind of overwhelmed. Coming back as a junior, he's been to all these meets before, and he's familiar with the KingCo league, and knows what's expected and how to react to it all."

State title contender in '94

Anyone who doubted that coming into the season has been silenced by his early-season performances.

After finishing fourth in the 100 and third in the 200 at state last spring, Dilling is a strong contender for both titles this season.

And with Juanita's Nate Byrd having graduated, this Falcon has landed - right in the center of the KingCo sprint spotlight.

"Last year was a lot of fun," said Dilling, who has a 3.9 grade-point average. "I was just coming in. I met a lot of people. The competition was real good. And it was a real learning experience for me. I learned a lot. My goal was just to make it to state and whatever happened at state was fine. I felt I accomplished that goal."

This year? Well, he says he's not setting any specific goals at this point. Under the guidance of Mills and Coach Bill McClement, he's taking a low-key approach to that.

"It's just to go out and do my best," he said. "And whatever happens will happen."

Dilling says he's trying not to imagine the vast trophy potential this season holds.

"Honestly, I try not to think about that too much," he said. "(The) KingCo and Wes-King (bi-district meet) hasn't come around yet. . . . "

Exceeding expectations

Mills said his sprint program divides the season into three phases, and sprinters concentrate on one major element of the sport during each phase. Speed work comes in the final phase.

"He's accepted the program really well. He understands what he needs to do," Mills said.

He has certainly exceeded expectations so far this spring, especially his own.

"With Coach Mills coming over from Bothell (High School), I knew that would help some," Dilling said, "but it's actually been really surprising."

Team places second in Yakima

Dilling's success has been the most shining on a boys team that has KingCo contenders in almost every event and is 6-0 in dual meets halfway through the conference schedule.

Most recently, the Falcon boys finished second to Eisenhower at the Dan Holder Relays in Yakima on Saturday.

In the 10-team meet, Woodinville earned five first-place finishes (Dilling in the 100, Jake Woolman in the 400, Eric Green in the high jump and two relays). The Falcons also had nine other top-five finishes.

The team's standout relay teams include Brian McIntosh, Woolman, Kenard Harris and Dilling on the 400 team, and Chris Jensen, Harris, Dilling and Woolman on the state-best 1,600 team.

"Our track team is just having fun this year, and everybody's supporting each other," Dilling said. "I suppose it's just like any other job: If you're having fun, good things will happen."

-----------------------------------------------------------. KingCo boys track leaders.

100 meters. Front-runner - Coby Dilling, Woodinville, jr., 10.6. Challengers - Rodney Marshall, Juanita, jr., 11.0; Ryan Church, Bothell, sr., 11.1; Jake Woolman, Woodinville, sr., 11.2; Dan Lewis, Juanita, sr., 11.2. . 200 meters. Front-runner - Dilling, Woodinville, 22.1. Challengers - B.J. Dawson, Bothell, sr., 22.6; Woolman, Woodinville, 22.7; Tom Bean, Bothell, sr., 22.8; Church, Bothell, 22.9. . 400 meters. Front-runner - Marc DeLuca, Bothell, jr., 48.8. Challengers - Dawson, Bothell, 49.2; Woolman, Woodinville, 50.5; Kennard Harris, Woodinville, so., 51.3; Scott Gudmundson, Eastlake, jr., 51.3. . 800 meters. Front-runner - Erik Mickelson, Newport, jr., 1:56.0. Challengers - Michael Terry, Newport, sr., 1:57.6; Brian Hodges, Issaquah, jr., 2:00.0; Chris Ledford, Woodinville, sr., 2:00.05; Tom Dance, Newport, sr., 2:01.00. . 1,600 meters. Front-runner - Mickelson, Newport, 4:26.2. Challengers - Jason Fryberg, Bothell, so., 4:29.0; Ledford, Woodinville, 4:29.1; Scott Kelly, Newport, sr., 4:29.5; David Dance, Newport, jr., 4:30.1. . 3,200 meters. Front-runner - Fryberg, Bothell, 9:40.8. Challengers - Scott Paul, Eastlake, jr., 9:45.7; Kris Roof, Issaquah, jr., 9:46.1; Terry, Newport, 9:46.6.; David Dance, Newport, 9:48.6. . 110 hurdles. Front-runner - Skip Moody, Newport, jr., 15.2. Challengers - Chris Asman, Bothell, sr., 15.4; Mike Seymour, Issaquah, sr., 15.5; Dan Fergueson, Juanita, jr., 15.7; Ben Wobker, Redmond, sr., 15.8. . 300 hurdles. Front-runner - Asman, Bothell, 41.3. Challengers - Moody, Newport, 41.4; Brian MacIntosh, Woodinville, sr., 42.0; Erik Pipkin, Juanita, so., 42.1; Dusty Lybbert, Issaquah, jr., 42.8. . High jump. Front-runner - Tom Hanson, Juanita, sr., 6-8. Challengers - Eric Green, Woodinville, so., 6-6; Steve Schalekamp, Issaquah, sr., 6-2; Mike Brown, Woodinville, sr., 6-0; Marques DeCottle, Juanita, jr., 6-0. . Long jump. Front-runner - Jason Huff, Redmond, sr., 21-5. Challengers - Jason Mark, Newport, sr., 21-2 1/2; Yong Kaing, Sammamish, sr., 20-6; Lybbert, Issaquah, 20-2 1/2; Seymour, Issaquah, 20-0. . Triple jump. Front-runner - Moody, Newport, 42-9 1/2. Challengers - Lybbert, Issaquah, 42-3 1/2; Ryan Tate, Sammamish, sr., 40-6; Jeremy Jones, Lake Washington, sr., 40-3 1/2; DeCottle, Juanita, 40-1 3/4. . Shot put. Front-runner - Tim Kulinski, Sammamish, sr., 58-1. Challengers - Steve Wilson, Interlake, sr., 50-3 3/4; Jason Renskers, Inglemoor, sr., 44-9; Brad Hutt, Woodinville, sr., 44-6; Adam Engelbrecht, Woodinville, jr., 43-10. . Discus. Front-runner - Wilson, Interlake, 159-2. Challengers - T. Kulinski, Sammamish, 149-9; Jed Stotsenberg, Lake Washington, jr., 137-7; Dan McCrumb, Lake Washington, sr., 132-7; Ross Jensen, Juanita, sr., 130-0. . Javelin. Front-runner - T. Kulinski, Sammamish, 183-2. Challengers - Brian Ducey, Newport, sr., 173-5; Scott Sweeny, Woodinville, sr., 173-1; Tony Carr, Inglemoor, 170-7; Tony Scavera, Juanita, sr., 164-7. . Pole vault. Front-runner - Tony Watkins, Newport, sr., 14-3. Challengers - Jim Acre, Interlake, sr., 14-0; Erik German, Interlake, so., 14-0; Jeff Heier, Lake Washington, sr., 13-6; Three tied at 12-6. . Top relay teams. 400 relay - Bothell 43.5; Juanita 43.6, Woodinville 43.7, Eastlake 44.2, Lake Washington 44.4. 1,600 relay - Woodinville 3:25.8, Bothell 3:26.3, Newport 3:31.1, Eastlake 3:33.4, Lake Washington 3:33.6.