TRACK: Third times proves to be a charm for KL boys

They came up short at the Pasco Invitational.

They did so again at the Shoreline Invitational.

Last week during the South Puget Sound League track and field meet at French Field, the Kentlake boys 4 x 100 relay team would not be denied a third time by Todd Beamer.

Instead, the contingent of Tayler Angevine, Matthew Cowan, Zach Smith and Cody Arp set the pace, blistering the oval in a personal-best 42.76 seconds to bring home the gold medal from the SPSL meet.

Though Beamer was competing in a different heat than the Falcons, it hardly mattered.

“It was a pleasant surprise,” said Kentlake coach Jim Hewson. “It was big because they’ve been after it for a long time. They know they’ve worked hard. This was the first time they’ve beaten Beamer.”

Curtis finished with the second-best time (42.96) to Kentlake followed by third-place Beamer (42.97). And though the Titans still possess the state’s top mark of 42.42, the Falcons are well on their way, Hewson added.

“It builds on their confidence to say, ‘Now we can beat them,’” he said.

For Kentlake’s Smith, taking part in the 4 x 100 relay was just part of the equation to success last week. The Kentlake senior, who will compete at the University of New Mexico next year, also delivered first-place performances in the long jump (23-4.75) and triple jump (46-4).

Smith won the state title in the long jump last year, uncorking what was at the time a personal best of 23-3. He has gone 24-1.5 this year, which is second only to Mount Tahoma’s Julian Bardwell (24-7).

“Whether he will win state in both this year, we’ll see,” Hewson said. “When (Smith) needs to, he steps up and gets a better jump.”

Smith added a second-place finish at the SPSL meet in the 100 meter, turning in a time of 11.06.