Track: Stanwood's Webb wins decathlon

KIRKLAND — Sierra Webb didn't make the Class 4A state track-and-field championships last weekend. But yesterday, the Stanwood junior made up for it.

Under hot and sweltering conditions, Webb won the girls decathlon title at the Dennis McDonald Washington high-school decathlon/heptathlon championships at Lake Washington High School. She scored 4,911 points in the 10 events. It was the first time Webb has contested the decathlon.

"I was trying to do my best," Webb said. "I didn't know what to expect. I had PRs in a lot of events, so that's good for me."

David Pichler of Yelm won the boys decathlon title with 5,694 points, while Cassidy Merkley from Cascade of Leavenworth won the girls heptathlon title with 4,602 points.

Webb was a long jumper and high jumper for Stanwood this past season, but didn't survive the district meet to qualify for state. Winning the decathlon title made up for that loss.

"I had a real hard districts," Webb said yesterday after finishing the 1,500 meter race, the last event of the decathlon. "Winning this is a boost to my self esteem."

Webb's teammate, senior Christina Palmer, placed second with 4,780 points. Shelton sophomore Kristi Metzger was third with 4,522 points, and junior Lauryn Classen of Columbia River took fourth with 4,425 points.

Pichler, a junior from Yelm, took over the boys decathlon lead from teammate Brandon Brownell, the first-day leader, dropped out of the competition to attend graduation at Yelm High School yesterday afternoon.

Pichler was in sixth place after five events on Friday, but grabbed the lead yesterday after winning the 110 hurdles in 15.16 seconds.

Senior Ben Dillow of Cedar Park Christian finished in second place with 5,503 points, and senior Pat Conrick of Cedarcrest was in third place with 5,379 points.

Merkley, a sophomore, led the girls heptathlon after the first day, but fell to second behind senior Baily Cox of Wilbur after yesterday's long jump. But Merkley retook the lead in the javelin, an event she won at the 2A state meet the previous weekend.

Merkley's win was the first for a Cascade entrant since Megan Franza, a former University of Washington basketball player, won four heptathlons in a row from 1994-1997.

Cox finished second in the heptathlon with 4,445 points. Junior Katy McGillen of South Whidbey placed third with 4,331 points.

Boys decathlon — 1, David Pichler, Yelm, 5,694; 2, Ben Dillow, Cedar Park Christian, 5,503; 3, Pat Conrick, Cedarcrest, 5,379; 4, Marc Snyder, Stanwood, 5,359; 5, James Turner, Gig Harbor, 5,345; 6, Vince Kinney, Lynnwood, 5,204; 7, Tate Summers, Stanwood, 5,125; 8, Brett Geiger, Stanwood, 5,071; 9, Chris Chandler, Nathan Hale, 5,014; 10, Scott Cail, Peninsula, 4,938; 11, Chris O'Brien, Naches, 4,863; 12, Colin Teteak, Lake Washington, 4,675; 13, Chris Smith, Shelton, 4.593; 14, Doug Vanderwel, Archbishop Murphy, 4,522; 15, Brad Ellis, Roosevelt, 4,493. (First-day leader Brandon Brownell of Yelm dropped out on second day because of graduation ceremonies at Yelm).

Girls decathlon — 1, Sierra Webb, Stanwood, 4,911; 2, Christina Palmer, Stanwood, 4,780; 3, Kristi Metzger, Shelton, 4,522; 4, Lauryn Classen, Columbia River, 4,425; 5, Haley Amos, Highland, 4,354; 6, Paris Malin, Lake Washington, 4,131; 7, Molly Loesche, Everett, 3,989; 8, Melanie Handelsman, Stanwood, 3,950; 9, Kellie Stoffel, Thomas Jefferson, 3,919; 10, Katie Hutchison, Stanwood, 3,876; 11, Beth Porterfield, Bellevue, 3,760; 12, Stephanie Dost, Columbia River, 3,178; 13, Susan Sifferman, Cedar Park, 3,087; 14, Monica Glover, Tyee, 2,492.

Girls heptathlon — 1, Cassie Merkley, Cascade (Leavenworth), 4,602; 2, Baily Cox, Wilbur, 4,445; 3, Katy McGillen, South Whidbey, 4,331; 4, Dana Allen, Interlake, 4,254; 5, Kendra Monroe, Stanwood, 4,033; 6, Emily Mothershed, Battle Ground, 4,025; 7, Britta Bekins, Cascade (Everett), 3,950; 8, Kaie Fischer, Sehome, 3,862; 9, Kimberly Pence, Stanwood, 3,788; 10, Nanda McCormick, Shorewood, 3,777; 11, Sharon Bjella, Everett, 3,629; 12, Amber Brantner, West Valley (Yakima) 3,615; 13, Shanle Besett, Curtis, 3,534; 14, Brittney Casper, Connell, 3,502; 15, Erica Page, Mariner, 3,459.