Seattle PI Other All-Stars; Girls track

By MICHAEL MCLAUGHLIN
P-I REPORTER

Whitney Hooks

Senior, Cascade

# WHAT SHE DID: Hooks is the first 4A athlete to win four consecutive state track titles after capturing the shot put in Pasco last month with a 47-feet, 3-inch toss. One has to go back to Hooks\' freshman season to find her only in-state loss in the shot. Hooks also won the 4A state discus title (135-9) for the second consecutive season. She owns the second-longest shot in state history with a 51-1 1/2.

# HOW SHE DID IT: Hard work and dedication to practice are two big reasons for Hooks\' success. \"I\'m dialed into my future,\" Hooks said. \"I\'m very goal-oriented and focused on where I wanted track to take me.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: After considering UCLA, Arizona and Cal, Hooks decided to compete in the shot, discus and maybe even the hammer throw at Washington next fall. She hopes to take a short break this summer and take a road-trip vacation with her friends.

Charnay \"Nay Nay\" Combs

Freshman,

Rainier Beach

# WHAT SHE DID: Combs won the Metro, district and 3A state titles in the 200 with the top 3A time this year of 25.10. She took second in the 3A state 100 and also ran on the Vikings\' state-champion 4x200-relay team and their 4x100-relay team that placed fifth at state.

advertising
# HOW SHE DID IT: Team unity was a major motivator for Combs. \"As the season went on, our relay teams really bonded,\" Combs said. \"We were running for each other all season.\" She also credits working with coach Eric Metcalf as a big reason for her confidence and success.

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: Combs will play AAU basketball this summer and plans on competing in several open track meets. She\'ll also be competing in the Junior Olympics this July in Baltimore and looks forward to defending her title in the 200.

Dyneeca Adams

Sophomore,

Rainier Beach

# WHAT SHE DID: Adams capped an undefeated season in the 400 with a personal-best of 56.7 to capture the 3A state title. She also ran the anchor legs of the state-champion 4x200-relay team and the Vikings\' 4x100 relay that took fifth at state.

# HOW SHE DID IT: After transferring to Rainier Beach from Cleveland as a freshman, Adams watched her times drop once she began to train with Beach coach Eric Metcalf. \"He (Metcalf) totally changed my workouts, and whatever he did worked,\" she said. \"I also have to credit my parents for pushing me to always be my best.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: Adams will run for the SeaTown Express track team and try to enjoy whatever free time she gets this summer. She\'ll be competing at the Junior Olympics in Baltimore in July and can\'t wait to defend her state 400 title.

Jessica Duran

Senior,

Kent-Meridian

# WHAT SHE DID: Arguably one of the best female athletes in the state, Duran competed in four events at 4A state. She won the 300 hurdles with a season-best 44.6, was seventh in the 100 hurdles (14.95), seventh in the shot put (37-11) and ninth in the long jump (16-5 3/4).

# HOW SHE DID IT: A self-motivated athlete, Duran credits her success this season to pure determination. \"I knew it was my senior year and I wanted colleges to take notice,\" she said. \"I had great support from my coaches, but I\'ve always been one to find my strength to perform from within.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: Duran will run for the SeaTown Express track team this summer before heading to Eastern Washington, where she accepted a full scholarship to compete as a heptathlete for the Eagles track team.

Amirah Karim

Senior, Franklin

# WHAT SHE DID: Making her fourth trip to state her best, Karim took home the 4A title in the long jump. She topped her 4A KingCo and district titles by nailing a personal-best 18-5 on her final jump at the state meet, despite taking off six inches behind the launch board.

# HOW SHE DID IT: A self-professed \"adrenaline-

jumper\", Karim can\'t help but compete in nearly everything she does. \"I strive to be the best at whatever I do,\" she said. \"I\'ve been blessed to have good coaches at Franklin, and a mom who helped me accomplish my goals with her support.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: Karim will run with the SeaTown Express track team and work to stay in shape throughout the summer. She\'s accepted a track scholarship to compete this fall at Portland State University.

Bianca Greene

Sophomore, Garfield

# WHAT SHE DID: A team captain for the Bulldogs, Greene established herself as the girl to beat in the 200 for the next two years with a state-best 24.91 and the 4A KingCo, district and state titles. Greene also ran on the state-champion 4x100-relay team.

# HOW SHE DID IT: Greene credits her family, friends and teammates for the support she received all season. She\'s run track since she was 7, but something clicked this season. \"I suddenly got faster,\" she said. \"I\'m sure my coaches at Garfield helped a lot.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: The plan is to run with the High Voltage summer track team, but also take a little time off and go someplace sunny outside of Seattle. Greene is looking forward to next season and getting even faster.

Angela Jensen

Junior, Fife

# WHAT SHE DID: A team captain, Jensen dominated the 300 hurdles this season, going undefeated with a state-best time of 44.17 on her way to bringing home the 3A state title. She also won the 3A state 100 meters (12.24) and was second at state in the 100 hurdles (14.09).

# HOW SHE DID IT: Jensen took a different approach to track in high school, realizing she had to better herself both physically and mentally to compete at a high level. \"I realized track could be a venue for obtaining a college education,\" she said. \"I\'ve been pretty intense with the sport since then.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: It\'ll be a busy summer of running for Jensen. She plans on attending the University of Oregon and Washington State track camps, running on a summer track team and attending the Junior Olympics next month.

Laura Schvaneveldt

Senior, Interlake

# WHAT SHE DID: Despite a pulled quad muscle in March, then re-injuring the same quad in May, Schvaneveldt managed to clear a personal-best of 12-6 in the pole vault, went undefeated and captured the 3A state title for the third consecutive season.

# HOW SHE DID IT: Schvaneveldt said her love of vaulting comes from a personal drive to compete in a sport that is entirely individual in its nature. \"I have complete control of my destiny,\" she said. \"It\'s also a sport I have extreme confidence in.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: The competition continues this summer for Schvaneveldt with several meets planned already, including the Golden West Invite in California this month. She\'s hoping to attend Washington and continue vaulting in college.

Devin Brooks

Junior, Holy Names

# WHAT SHE DID: Brooks has dominated the 100 hurdles for three years without an in-state loss in the event and captured her third consecutive 3A state title with a state-best time of 14.05. She also took second in the 200 and third in the 100 at the 3A state meet, matching her same state finishes as a sophomore.

# HOW SHE DID IT: After breaking former Rainier Beach star Ginnie Powell\'s freshman mark in the 100 hurdles, Brooks has had to deal with the pressure of being compared to Powell. \"I\'m aware of it (the pressure),\" she said. \"But I\'m goal-driven. I\'ve learned what it takes to get it done.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: Brooks will run with the SeaTown Express summer track team and will be competing at the Junior Olympics in Baltimore this July. She\'ll be looking into her college option and plans on attending an out-of-state school.

Kelsey Walker

Senior, Bellevue

# WHAT SHE DID: A team captain and Bellevue school-record holder in the 800 (2:15.39), Walker made it three consecutive seasons with a 3A state track title. This year, she won the 3A state 3,200, was third in the 1,600 and sixth in the 3,200. She was first in the 3A state 1,600 and 3,200 as a junior and first in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200 as a sophomore.

# HOW SHE DID IT: After spending three years with the Bellevue track team, Walker said it\'s an emotional ride when she considers moving on next fall. \"This team is like a family to me,\" she said. \"I\'ve had so many great experiences here.\"

# WHAT SHE\'LL DO NEXT: Walker enjoys diversifying her time in the summer. This year she\'s hoping to take a fishing trip to Alaska, get in plenty of hiking and a few camping trips before heading to Stanford next fall to run track for the Cardinal.

HONORABLE MENTION

Tiffany Tibbot, Skyline, sophomore; Brittany Aanstad, Lake Stevens, junior; Nkeiru Ugwoaba, Highline, senior; Cori Moore, Everett, senior, Olivia Sylvester, Seattle Prep, freshman; Katrina Drennen, Sumner, junior; Elise Bryant, Inglemoor, jr.; Elise Knutzen, Nathan Hale, senior, Meagan Ferguson, Lake Washington, senior, Emily Jacobsen, Sammamish, senior