Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

Catch him if you can.

Kincaid Nichols is making winning the quickest races easy, sweeping the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprints at the Olympic League championship in Bremerton on May 3, helping his Wolves take third place overall in preparation for the sub-district meet May 9-10 in Belfair.

Nichols took home a “hat trick” plus one, when he topped the field in the long jump, earning a 20-11.25 mark.

For the first time all season, Sequim’s girls found themselves somewhere other than atop the podium, as Peninsula’s girls took top honors with 138.5 team points; Sequim finished second with 130 points.

The Wolves’ Anna LaBeaume and Chase O’Neil each earned individual titles. LaBeaume threw a 37-9.75 in the shot put and is a good bet to improve upon her ninth-place finish at state last year, when she threw 36-6. O’Neil, also a state meet competitor in 2007, won the triple jump with a 33-3.5 mark, nearly two feet better than her performance at state.

Sequim sophomore Allison Cutting took on Ruby Roberts of Kingston and finished second to her friendly rival not once or twice but thrice, in the 800, 1600 and 3200 events. Wolves teammate Laura Moser took third in both 800 and 1600, and Audrey Lichten finished third in the 3200.

Samantha Whiteside continues to improve in the pole vault event, posting a personal best 9-0 for second place; the mark is a foot-and-a-half better than her 2007 state meet finish.

LaBeaume added a pair of top-five finishes, in the 100- and 400-meter sprints.

On the boys’ side, Derrell Jensen set another personal best in the triple jump, leaping 39-11.5 for second place, and was fifth in the long jump as the Wolves racked up 114 team points.

David Copeland cleared 11-6 in the pole vault for third place, while Kenny Russell had strong showings in the 1600 (third, 4:34.76) and 3200 (fifth, 9:56.97). Colby Robb was fourth in the 800 with a 2:06.32 finish.

Josh Fodge took third in the 110 high hurdles.

Peninsula won the boys’ team scoring title with 130, while Olympic was second (120.5). Port Angeles was fifth with 61 points.

Following the sub-district meet this weekend, top athletes advance to the West Central District meet (also in Belfair) May 16-17, with athletes vying for spots at the class 2A state meet scheduled for May 23-24 at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.