Meridian, Lynden earn team titles at Bedlington Twilight meet

The Meridian boys and Lynden girls dominated the eight-team Bedlington Twilight track and field meet on Friday, March 22 at Lynden Christian High School.

LC hosted Lynden, Meridian, Nooksack Valley, Ferndale, Mount Baker, Blaine and Oak Harbor for the annual meet.

Meridian led all boys teams with seven event wins and a team score of 171. Lynden’s girls group won eight events, edging host LC (162.5 team points) for first place with a team score of 179.

Senior sprinter Jase Klinkhammer was the meet’s top boys performer, notching three wins for Meridian in the boys 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes.

Trojans senior hurdler Dane Beishline won both the boys 110- and 300-meter hurdles, while freshman Reuben TeVelde won the 800-meter run (2:06.12) and senior Braxton Ashmore finished first in the 3,200-meter run (9:53.28) — both personal records for the distance runners.

The Lynden girls’ depth powered them to the team win. Sophomore Sloan Dickson won the 800- and 1,600-meter runs, setting a new personal record in the latter event with a time of 5:19.49. Junior Kiki York took first in the 100-meter dash (12.97 seconds) and senior Ella Frerichs won the 400-meter dash (59.89 seconds).

Junior Faith VanBrocklin, the defending 2A state 300-meter hurdles champion, capped off the Lions’ girls individual running event victories with her win in that same event (48.77 seconds). In field events, senior Hillary Apps won the girls pole vault (8-6.00) while senior Rylee DeKoster tied for first in the high jump (4-6.00)

Lynden also won three relays — two on the girls side and one on the boys. Frerichs, VanBrocklin, York and junior Maliah Mitchell clocked a time of 1:46.38 in the 4X200, while that same group, minus Mitchell, won the 4X400 with the addition of Dickson (4:09.50).

The Lions’ boys team of senior Gage Ellis and sophomores Conrad Timmer, Blaise Lovegren and Dani Bowler won the boys 4X400 with a time of 3:32.48.

LC’s girls team also won four events, led by a trio of top finishes from senior Alina Veltkamp in the long jump (15-9.50), triple jump (34-0.00) and 100-meter hurdles (16.74 seconds). Senior Tabby DeJong, the reigning 1A state shot put champion, won the event with her mark of 36-4.00.

Lynden’s boys team won three events, including the aforementioned relay, and tied for first in another, led by defending 2A state pole vault champion Jared McCrory’s first-place finish (13-3.00). Ellis took first in the 1,600-meter run (4:35.00) and sophomore Charles Broersma tied for first in the high jump (5-6.00).

A full list of Whatcom County event winners and team scores is below.

Team scores

Boys

1. Meridian (171)
2. Lynden (134.5)
3. Oak Harbor (85.5)
4. Ferndale (65.25)
5. Mount Baker (60.25)
6. Lynden Christian (60)
7. Nooksack Valley (57.5)
8. Blaine (28)

Girls

1. Lynden (179)
2. Lynden Christian (162.5)
3. Oak Harbor (122)
4. Meridian (86.5)
5. Ferndale (66)
6. Mount Baker (32)
7. Nooksack Valley (27)
8. Blaine (25)

Event winners

* denotes personal record

Lynden

Boys 1,600-meter run: Gage Ellis (4:35.00)

Boys 4X400 relay: Conrad Timmer, Gage Ellis, Blaise Lovegren, Dani Bowler (3:32.48)

(T-1st) Boys high jump: Charles Broersma (5-6.00)

Boys pole vault: Jared McCrory (13-3.00)

Girls 100-meter dash: Kiki York (:12.97)

Girls 400-meter dash: Ella Frerichs (:59.89)

Girls 800-meter run: Sloan Dickson (2:26.93)

Girls 1,600-meter run: Sloan Dickson (5:19.49)*

Girls 300-meter hurdles: Faith VanBrocklin (:48.77)

Girls 4X200 relay: Maliah Mitchell, Ella Frerichs, Faith VanBrocklin, Kiki York (1:46.38)

Girls 4X400 relay: Sloan Dickson, Faith VanBrocklin, Kiki York, Ella Frerichs (4:09.50)

(T-1st) Girls high jump: Rylee DeKoster (4-6.00)

Girls pole vault: Hillary Apps (8-6.00)

Meridian

Boys 100-meter dash: Jase Klinkhammer (:11.18)

Boys 200-meter dash: Jase Klinkhammer (:21.93)

Boys 400-meter dash: Jase Klinkhammer (:50.97)

Boys 800-meter run: Reuben TeVelde (2:06.12)*

Boys 3,200-meter run: Braxton Ashmore (9:53.28)*

Boys 110-meter hurdles: Dane Beishline (:15.76)

Boys 300-meter hurdles: Dane Beishline (:42.71)

(T-1st) Girls high jump: Gracie Pap (4-6.00)

Lynden Christian

Boys long jump: Tyson Bajema (19-9.00)

Boys triple jump: Mick Owen (39-7.25)

Girls 100-meter hurdles: Alina Veltkamp (:16.74)*

Girls shot put: Tabby DeJong (36-4.00)

Girls long jump: Alina Veltkamp (15-9.50)

Girls triple jump: Alina Veltkamp (34-0.00)

Nooksack Valley

Boys shot put: Cian Coppinger (49-3.50)

Boys discus: Cian Coppinger (150-9.00)

Boys javelin: Joey Brown (160-8.00)

Ferndale

Girls 3,200-meter run: Katie Manly (12:06.10)

Mount Baker

(T-1st) Boys high jump: Cole Lukes (5-6.00)

Connor J. Benintendi is CDN’s sports editor; reach him at connorbenintendi@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.