The East Jefferson Rivals track and field teams headed west to Forks over the weekend, competing in the Lion’s Club Invitational with a handful schools from the Olympic Peninsula, and one school from Ketchikan, Alaska.

While the Lion’s Club Invitational was happening on Saturday, April 15, three Rivals runners travelled to Puyallup for the Sound South Invitational, going against 60-plus teams from around Western Washington.

In Forks, the teams braved strong winds and rain throughout the event, with junior Reid Martin earning EJ’s first victory of the day via the javelin.

Throwing dead into the wind off a chewed up, muddy grass runway, Martin tossed a 136 despite the windy conditions. Junior Ellise Gardner opened her season this weekend with a victory in the girls javelin competition. Gardner’s throw of 94-4 outdistanced her closest competitor by nearly 7 feet. 

The only first place finish of the day for EJ was turned in by the 4x100-meter relay team of Addy Asbell, Kaylen Pray, Audrey Matthes, and Stephanie Sanchez, as they sprinted their lap in 55.15 with host Forks High School being the nearest competitor.

Probably the most impressive performance came from Rivals senior Connor Paterson. He turned in big, career-best marks in each of his events with a second place finish in the triple jump (36-3-½), third in the long jump (18-2-¼), and topping off his day with an eighth-place finish in the 200-meter dash (25.73). With his performances on Saturday, Paterson is currently ranked third in the Nisqually League in both horizontal jumps.

Other EJ standouts at the Forks meet included: Stephanie Sanchez, second in 100-meter hurdles (19.51); Kaylen Pray, second in 100-meter (14.29);  Addy Asbell, second for shot put (30-½); Soare Johnston, second in 1600-meter (4:54.23); and Indigo Gould, third in the high jump (4-10).

For the Puyallup-based event, junior Aliyah Yearian, senior Camryn Hines, and junior Fiona Fraser each showcased their running capabilities.

Yearian faced a top class field in the 3200-meter race, which the tight and highly focused lead pack of five clicked off consistent 82- and 83-second laps until finally spreading apart in the final lap sprint. Yearian finished in a close third place in 10:56.23, reporting that she’s never pushed herself so hard in any race before. Teammate Fraser followed in 14th place in 11:36.61.

Hines competed in the 800-meter race, finishing in 15th place (2:29.12).