SEATTLE Bainbridge boasted one of the premier boys 1,600-meter relay teams in the state during the regular season.
At Friday’s Class 3A SeaKing track and field championships, the Spartans did nothing to change their high standing. 
The quartet of Greg Nance, Patrick Wauters, Austin Hallett and Bevan Taylor held off a stiff challenge from Rainier Beach to claim top honors in a time of 3 minutes, 24.08 seconds.
Running more than two seconds faster than its seed time, Bainbridge coach Andy Grimm said his team could be in for even bigger things at next week’s state championships, held Friday and Saturday at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco.
"We’ve been in the top two or three all year," Grimm said. "All four kids ran a great race today. We think they can peak next week and I wouldn’t be surprised Saturday night that we’d be in the hunt."
Taylor, the team’s anchor, believes if his team can stay focused mentally for one more weekend, a state gold could be within reach.
"We’re trying to take it one race at a time," Taylor said.
Taylor and senior teammate Emily Farrar were both feeling mile-high after Friday’s 1,600-meter races.
Taylor placed fourth on the boys’ side, running 4:21.20. It was a much better showing considering he placed fifth at the Metro League championships in a time of 4:28.
"I wasn’t in it mentally last week," Taylor said. "I have all the ability, it’s just mental with me."
Farrar proved to have plenty left physically when she nearly ran down Holy Names standout Chelsea Burns in the girls’ mile. Burns held on for first in 5:13.40, slightly ahead of Farrar, who ran 5:13.74.
"I wanted to really go for it," said Farrar, who set a quick pace and led after the first lap. "I didn’t want to get boxed in at the start. At 200 (meters) left, I thought, ‘Well, I’m up here, I may as well give it a shot.’ I didn’t expect to have that much left in my tank."
In the end, Farrar didn’t mind settling for second place.
"I got last at districts last year," she said, "so this is a huge improvement."
Senior Quinton Agosta surprised the field in the boys discus, placing second with a throw of 151 feet, 10 inches.
Agosta, quarterback for Bainbridge’s football team during the fall, had been throwing in the 130-foot range during the regular season after topping out at 149 feet last year.
"The wind was suited to his style today," Grimm said. "He put it together."
Two other Bainbridge competitors finished in the top five to punch their tickets to the state meet. Senior Tess Sadowsky took fourth in the girls 300 hurdles in 48.40, while junior Cheyne Clark placed third in the boys pole vault, clearing 13-6.
Three Spartans qualified for state on Wednesday. Lauren Fleming finished third in the girls high jump, Theresa Johansen took third in the girls discus and Agosta placed fourth in the boys triple jump.
In the team standings, Bainbridge’s boys scored 35 points to tie Liberty for eighth place, while the girls took ninth with 28 points. O’Dea and Skyline were the boys and girls district champions, respectively.
Class 3A SeaKing District Championships
At Southwest Athletic Complex, Seattle
BOYS
Team scores—O’Dea 75, Skyline 66, Mount Si 62, Rainier Beach 53, Seattle Prep 47, Interlake 45, West Seattle 42, Bainbridge 35, Liberty 35, Bellevue 34, Blanchet 29, Sammamish 29, Nathan Hale 26, Chief Sealth 23, Issaquah 23, Mercer Island 18, Newport 13, Eastside Catholic 6.
100—1. Markeem Adams (WS) 11.15; 200—1. Adams (WS) 22.60; 400—1. Frank McLaughlin (MS) 49.77; 800—1. Abdi Hassan (NH) 1:54.83; 1,600—1. Hassan (NH) 4:13.78; 4. Bevan Taylor (Bai) 4:21.20; 3,200—1. Matt Frerker (Sky) 9:16.86; 110 hurdles—1. Preston Borth (Iss) 15.11; 300 hurdles—1. Chase Anderson (Bel) 40.27; 400 relay—1. Rainier Beach 42.82; 1,600 relay—1. Bainbridge 3:24.08; Long jump—1. Melvin Jones (CS) 22-2; Triple jump—1. Jones (CS) 44-4; 4. Quinton Agosta (Bai) 43-4; High jump—1. Tony Melonson (O’Dea) 6-4; Pole vault—1. Garett Handy (Int) 14-6; 3. Cheyne Clark (Bai) 13-6; Shot put—1. Alameeda Ta’amu (RB) 50-8.5; Discus—1. Josh Davis (MS) 159-5; 2. Agosta (Bai) 151-10; Javelin—1. Keith Keller (MS) 183-10.
GIRLS
Team scores—Skyline 144.5, Issaquah 82, Holy Names 81, Mount Si 55.83, Newport 49.5, Rainier Beach 39, Seattle Prep 39, Blanchet 38.83, Bainbridge 28, Mercer Island 21, West Seattle 21, Cleveland 20, Lakeside 13, Ingraham 13, Liberty 12, Interlake 11.33, Bellevue 10, Eastside Catholic 10, Sammamish 8, Nathan Hale 7, Chief Sealth 3.
100—1. Tiffany Tibbot (Sky) 12.37; 200—1. Tibbot (Sky) 25.63; 400—1. Jasmine Cho (New) 56.99; 800—1. Mary Wuest (Iss) 2:17.91; 1,600—1. Chelsea Burns (HN) 5:13.40; 2. Emily Farrar (Bai) 5:13.74; 3,200—1. Chelsea Burns (HN) 11:17.22; 100 hurdles—1. Devin Brooks (HN) 14.58; 300 hurdles—1. Elaine Tran (Iss) 46.63; 4. Tess Sadowsky (Bai) 48.40; 400 relay—1. Skyline 48.40; 800 relay—1. Skyline 1:42.96; 1,600 relay—1. Issaquah 3:59.58; Long jump—1. Olivia Ward (Cle) 17-10; Triple jump—1. Ward (Cle) 37-0.25; High jump—1. Stephanie Burk (MS) 5-1; 3. Lauren Fleming (Bai) 5-0; Pole vault—1. Dominigue Daba (SP) 11-3; Shot put—1. Emee Mathew (Iss) 37-11; Discus—1. Tephra Brune (MS) 113-10; 3. Theresa Johansen (Bai) 108-1; Javelin—1. Brit Garrett (Sky) 116-11.
SEATTLE Bainbridge boasted one of the premier boys 1,600-meter relay teams in the state during the regular season.
At Friday’s Class 3A SeaKing track and field championships, the Spartans did nothing to change their high standing.