Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

Jackson enters senior season at Arkansas

Summer Jackson, a 2005 graduate of Sequim High School and a senior at the University of Arkansas, helped the No. 21-ranked Razorbacks earn a split in their first dual meet of the season Oct. 17, topping Vanderbilt 252-47 and falling to No. 10 Tennessee, 197-103.

Jackson is a business major.

Last year as a junior, Jackson led Arkansas in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:03.67, a new personal best time set at the Southeastern Conference Championships preliminaries, had 11 top-five finishes in dual meets over the course of the season and was part of the Razorbacks' relay teams to break Arkansas records in the 200 and 400 medley relays.

She was a three-time state champion (50 free, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke) at Sequim, earning the class 3A Washington state Swimmer of the Year award.



Smyth second at EWU invitational

Alex Smyth, a 2006 Sequim High School grad, finished second to teammate Paul Limpf at the sixth-annual Eastern Washington University cross country invitational Oct.18 in Cheney.

Smyth, a junior at Eastern Washington, finished just six seconds behind Limpf at the invite, as the Eagles won the title in the four-team meet against Montana, Calgary and Gonzaga.

Last year, Smyth placed 13th at the Big Sky Conference cross country championships and finished 71st at the NCAA West regional championships. His 8,000-meter times were both the second-fastest times on the team at those meets, just behind Limpf.

At Sequim, Smyth twice ran at the state 3A cross country meet. In his senior year, Smyth won the district championship, finishing 15th overall at the state meet. He also competed in the 1600- and 3200-meter races at the class 3A state track meet his senior season, finishing fifth and 10th, respectively.



Smith runs for Whitman

Heather Smith, a 2007 graduate of Sequim High School, finished 61st as the Whitman College women's cross country team took fourth place at Saturday's Bigfoot Open in Spokane Oct. 18.

Smith is a freshman at Whitman. While at Sequim High, she was a member of the girls cross country team that earned four consecutive trips to the Washington state prep championships.



Stratton swims as a Vandal

Staci Stratton, a 2006 graduate of Sequim High, helped her University of Idaho Vandals take fifth place at the Debbie Pipher Memorial Invitational in Pullman Oct. 24-25.

Stratton is a sophomore at Idaho. She took ninth in the 50 freestyle, finishing in 25.03 seconds, and helped her 400 freestlye relay team place fourth.

Last season, she placed 14th at the Western Athletic Conference tournament in the 50 freestyle (24.20). At that same meet, she earned the sixth-best time in Idaho history in the 100 backstroke (1:00.71).

While a Wolf, Stratton participated in four state swim meets, earning seven medals and top-eight finishes with relays or as an individual. She took second place in the 100 back and third place in the 100 free as a senior at the state 2A meet in 2006.



Know of a Sequim High graduate playing college sports? Let us know! Contact sports editor Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com or 683-3311, x113.