Track and field: Renton's Jackson moves on to state in 4 events
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TACOMA — Renton sprinter Quinton Jackson was bruised, beaten and battered when things mattered most last spring.
Jackson, a senior, came back with fresh legs this time.
After qualifying for just the 100-meter run last year, Jackson qualified for state in four events — including a victory in his least-favorite event, the 400 — for a bounce-back effort yesterday in the West Central 3A District track-and-field meet at Lincoln Bowl.
"I was about 10 percent last year," said Jackson, who was limited by a torn quadriceps and groin on his right leg last year. "It was like driving a car with two flat tires. It's kind of hard to do that.
"It feels good to go back to state. I'm thinking of it as rejuvenation."
Renton took the district boys team title with 109 points, ending a six-year run of district championships for Lakes. Washington was second with 73 points, Franklin Pierce third with 64, Highline fourth with 61 and Lakes fifth with 57.
Despite his disdain for the 400, Jackson geared down for a easier-than-it-looked win in 49.23 seconds to edge Lakes' Jude Lizama (49.57). Jackson took second in the 200 in 22.66, third in the 100 in 11.12 and anchored the Indians' state-qualifying, third-place 400 relay team.
Jackson heads into next weekend's state meet in Pasco in relatively good health with higher expectations.
"I've always got bumps and bruises, and I'm feeling halfway decent," he said. "It was nice to cross the line not injured and only a little winded. I still have work to do. I'm not satisfied with my 200."
Jackson didn't even compete in the 400 last season and ranks it third among his three events. Teammate Victor Okocha, the 400 state champion in 2003, had his 2004 season end prematurely with a stress fracture in his back.
"I hate that race," Jackson said. "I'm best at it, so I guess I have to keep doing it. Victor's the only reason I really ran it. It's kind of unfair that he's not here doing it."
Hazen freshman Courtney Matthew won the girls 1,600, narrowly defeating freshman teammate Anne Hinckley only to find out she'd been disqualified from first to eighth and last. Second-place Hinckley inherited the district crown after Matthew was DQ'd for impeding her teammate's progress late in the race.
To boot, Matthew caught her spikes on the track, tripped and fell inside the barrier lining the inside of the track on the second lap. Then, Matthew cut in front of Hinckley late in the race for her infraction.
"They (officials) said the finish added to it," said Matthew, whose DQ knocked her out of a trip to state. "I tripped twice and I thought I was going to fall on my face on the turn.
"I'm mad because I set the pace for once and won. I can't see how I'll do with that style at state now."
Hinckley finished second to the 5-foot-2, 99-pound Matthew, who also swerved outward, bumping and cutting off her teammate late in the race.
"I didn't know it was my own teammate," Matthew said of veering out on Hinckley. "I came to win. After the race, she asked me, 'What were you doing? You cut me off.' "
Hinckley still finished in a personal-best 5:18.82.
Fife won the girls team title with 82 points, edging Highline with 75.
Other highlights:
• Mount Rainier senior DeSean Brooks captured the district title in the boys high jump with a winning leap of 6-4.
• A day after winning the 3,200, Lindbergh junior Sam Ahlbeck checked in second in the 1,600 yesterday with a time of 4:22.88.
• Hazen junior Stephanie Melrose won a district title in the girls 800, finishing in 2:20.63.
• White River senior Lauren Thrasher pulled off a rare double by taking the girls pole vault (10-0) and the 400 (1:00.09). Thrasher narrowly edged Washington's Angela Howard at the finish, outleaning her.